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Communications

Airports [time series]

301 total, 237 usable; 70 with permanent-surface runways; none with runways over 3,659 m; 9 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 49 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Civil air [time series]

53 major transport aircraft

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

156,000 km total (1984); 29,000 km paved; 77,000 km gravel, crushed-stone, or stabilized-soil surface; 50,000 km unimproved earth

Waterways (Inland waterways) [time series]

3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels

Merchant marine [time series]

595 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,134,924 GRT/15,171,692 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 10 short-sea passenger, 16 passenger-cargo, 166 cargo, 17 refrigerated cargo, 30 vehicle carrier, 8 livestock carrier, 7 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 6 container, 36 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 2 chemical tanker, 6 liquefied gas, 3 combination ore/oil, 282 bulk, 5 combination bulk; note--many Philippine flag ships are foreign owned and are on the register for the purpose of long-term bare-boat charter back to their original owners who are principally in Japan and FRG

Pipelines [time series]

refined products, 357 km

Ports [time series]

Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras, Iloilo, Legaspi, Manila, Subic Bay

Railways (Railroads) [time series]

378 km operable on Luzon, 34% government owned (1982)

Telecommunication systems (Telecommunications) [time series]

good international radio and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate; 872,900 telephones; stations--267 AM (including 6 US), 55 FM, 33 TV (including 4 US); submarine cables extended to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan; satellite earth stations--1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT, and 11 domestic

Defense Forces

Military and security forces (Branches) [time series]

Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Constabulary--Integrated National Police

Military expenditures (Defense expenditures) [time series]

2.1% of GNP, or $850 million (1990 est.)

Military manpower [time series]

males 15-49, 16,160,543; 11,417,451 fit for military service; 684,976 reach military age (20) annually

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture) [time series]

accounts for about one-third of GNP and 50% of labor force; major crops--rice, coconut, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapple, mango; animal products--pork, eggs, beef; net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually

Aid [time series]

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $3.2 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $6.4 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1975-88), $123 million

Budget [time series]

$7.2 billion; expenditures $8.12 billion, including capital expenditures of $0.97 billion (1989 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

Philippine peso (plural--pesos); 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Electricity [time series]

6,700,000 kW capacity; 25,000 million kWh produced, 385 kWh per capita (1989)

Exchange rates [time series]

Philippine pesos (P) per US$1--22.464 (January 1990), 21.737 (1989), 21.095 (1988), 20.568 (1987), 20.386 (1986), 18.607 (1985)

Exports [time series]

revenues $8.1 billion (f.o.b., 1989); commodities--electrical equipment 19%, textiles 16%, minerals and ores 11%, farm products 10%, coconut 10%, chemicals 5%, fish 5%, forest products 4%; partners--US 36%, EC 19%, Japan 18%, ESCAP 9%, ASEAN 7%

Debt - external (External debt) [time series]

$27.8 billion (1988)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GNP [time series]

$40.5 billion, per capita $625; real growth rate 5.2% (1989)

Illicit drugs [time series]

illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts

Imports [time series]

$10.5 billion (c.i.f., 1989); commodities--raw materials 53%, capital goods 17%, petroleum products 17%; partners--US 25%, Japan 17%, ESCAP 13%, EC 11%, ASEAN 10%, Middle East 10%

Industrial production growth rate (Industrial production) [time series]

growth rate 7.3% (1989)

Industries [time series]

textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

10.6% (1989)

Economic overview (Overview) [time series]

The economy continues to recover from the political turmoil following the ouster of former President Marcos and several coup attempts. After two consecutive years of economic contraction (1984 and 1985), the economy has since 1986 had positive growth. The agricultural sector, together with forestry and fishing, plays an important role in the economy, employing about 50% of the work force and providing almost 30% of GDP. The Philippines is the world's largest exporter of coconuts and coconut products. Manufacturing contributed about 25% of GDP. Major industries include food processing, chemicals, and textiles.

Unemployment rate [time series]

8.7% (1989)

Geography

Climate [time series]

tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

Coastline [time series]

36,289 km

Area - comparative (Comparative area) [time series]

slightly larger than Arizona

Continental shelf [time series]

to depth of exploitation;

Disputes - international (Disputes) [time series]

involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; claims Malaysian state of Sabah

Environment - current issues (Environment) [time series]

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; subject to landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunami; deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution

Extended economic zone [time series]

200 nm;

Land boundaries [time series]

none

Land use [time series]

26% arable land; 11% permanent crops; 4% meadows and pastures; 40% forest and woodland; 19% other; includes 5% irrigated

Maritime claims [time series]

(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines);

Natural resources [time series]

timber, crude oil, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

Terrain [time series]

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

Maritime claims (Territorial sea) [time series]

irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth

Area (Total area) [time series]

300,000 km2; land area: 298,170 km2

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

73 provinces and 61 chartered cities*; Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Angeles*, Antique, Aurora, Bacolod*, Bago*, Baguio*, Bais*, Basilan, Basilan City*, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Batangas City*, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Butuan*, Cabanatuan*, Cadiz*, Cagayan, Cagayan de Oro*, Calbayog*, Caloocan*, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Canlaon*, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cavite City*, Cebu, Cebu City*, Cotabato*, Dagupan*, Danao*, Dapitan*, Davao City* Davao, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dipolog*, Dumaguete*, Eastern Samar, General Santos*, Gingoog*, Ifugao, Iligan*, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Iloilo City*, Iriga*, Isabela, Kalinga-Apayao, La Carlota*, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Laoag*, Lapu-Lapu*, La Union, Legaspi*, Leyte, Lipa*, Lucena*, Maguindanao, Mandaue*, Manila*, Marawi*, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Naga*, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Olongapo*, Ormoc*, Oroquieta*, Ozamis*, Pagadian*, Palawan, Palayan*, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Pasay*, Puerto Princesa*, Quezon, Quezon City*, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Roxas*, Samar, San Carlos* (in Negros Occidental), San Carlos* (in Pangasinan), San Jose*, San Pablo*, Silay*, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao*, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tacloban*, Tagaytay*, Tagbilaran*, Tangub*, Tarlac, Tawitawi, Toledo*, Trece Martires*, Zambales, Zamboanga*, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur

Capital [time series]

Manila

Political parties (Communists) [time series]

the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) controls about 18,000-23,000 full-time insurgents and is not recognized as a legal party; a second Communist party, the pro-Soviet Philippine Communist Party (PKP), has quasi-legal status

Constitution [time series]

2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Diplomatic representation in the US (Diplomatic representation) [time series]

Ambassador Emmanuel PELAEZ; Chancery at 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036; telephone (202) 483-1414; there are Philippine Consulates General in Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle; US--Ambassador Nicholas PLATT; Embassy at 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila (mailing address is APO San Francisco 96528); telephone [63] (2) 521-7116; there is a US Consulate in Cebu

Executive branch [time series]

president, vice president, Cabinet

Flag [time series]

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle is a small yellow five-pointed star

Independence [time series]

4 July 1946 (from US)

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court Chief of State and Head of Government--President Corazon C. AQUINO (since 25 February 1986); Vice President Salvador H. LAUREL (since 25 February 1986)

Legal system [time series]

based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Legislative branch [time series]

bicameral Congress consists of an upper house or Senate and a lower house or House of Representatives

Country name (Long-form name) [time series]

Republic of the Philippines

International organization participation (Member of) [time series]

ADB, ASEAN, ASPAC, CCC, Colombo Plan, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IPU, IRC, ISO, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

National holiday [time series]

Independence Day (from Spain), 12 June (1898)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

PDP-Laban, Aquilino Pimentel; Struggle of Philippine Democrats (LDP), Neptali Gonzales; Nationalista Party, Salvador Laurel, Juan Ponce Enrile; Liberal Party, Jovito Salonga

Suffrage [time series]

universal at age 15 President--last held 7 February 1986 (next election to be held May 1992); results--Corazon C. Aquino elected after the fall of the Marcos regime; Senate--last held 11 May 1987 (next to be held May 1993); results--Pro-Aquino LDP 63%, Liberals LDP and PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 25%, Opposition Nationalista Party 4%, independents 8%; seats--(24 total) Pro-Aquino LDP 15, Liberals LDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 6, Opposition 1, independents 2; House of Representatives--last held on 11 May 1987 (next to be held May 1992); results--Pro-Aquino LDP 73%, Liberals LDP and PDP-Laban (Pimentel wing) 10%, Opposition Nationalista Party 17%; seats--(250 total, 180 elected) number of seats by party NA

Government type (Type) [time series]

republic

People

Birth rate [time series]

32 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate [time series]

7 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Ethnic groups (Ethnic divisions) [time series]

91.5% Christian Malay, 4% Muslim Malay, 1.5% Chinese, 3% other

Infant mortality rate [time series]

48 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Labor force [time series]

22,889,000; 47% agriculture, 20% industry and commerce, 13.5% services, 10% government, 9.5% other (1987)

Languages (Language) [time series]

Pilipino (based on Tagalog) and English; both official

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

63 years male, 69 years female (1990)

Literacy [time series]

88% (est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun--Filipino(s); adjective--Philippine

Net migration rate [time series]

- 1 migrant/1,000 population (1990)

Organized labor [time series]

2,064 registered unions; total membership 4.8 million (includes 2.7 million members of the National Congress of Farmers Organizations)

Population [time series]

66,117,284 (July 1990), growth rate 2.5% (1990)

Religions (Religion) [time series]

83% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist and other

Total fertility rate [time series]

4.3 children born/woman (1990)