Geography   Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E Map references Southeast Asia Area total: land: water: 300,000 sq km 298,170 sq km 1,830 sq km Area comparative slightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 36,289 km Maritime claims: continental shelf: exclusive economic zone: territorial sea: measured from claimed archipelagic baselines to depth of exploitation 200 nm irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth Climate tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) International disputes: involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah Terrain: mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Elevation extremes lowest point: highest point : Philippine Sea 0 m Mount Apo 2,954 m Natural resources timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land use arable land: permanent crops: permanent pastures: forests and woodland: other: 19% 12%  4%  46%   19% (1993 est.) Irrigated land 15,800 sq km (1993 est.) Natural hazards astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Environment current issues uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds Environment party to : international agreements Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification People   Population: 77,725,862 (July 1998 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 15-64 years: 65 years and over:   38% (male 14,867,972; female 14,379,722) 59% (male 22,582,178; female 23,136,055) 3% (male 1,232,813; female 1,527,122) (July 1998 est.) Population growth rate:  2.09% (1998 est.) Birth rate:  28.43 births/1,000 population (1998 est.) Death rate: 6.52 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.) Net migration rate: 1.04 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.) Infant mortality rate: 34.56 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)   Sex ratio at birth : under 15 years: 15-64 years: 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female 1.03 male(s)/female 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female (1998 est.) Total fertility rate: 3.54 children born/woman (1998 est.) Nationality: noun: adjective: Filipino(s) Philippine Ethnic groups: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3% Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3% Languages Pilipino: (official, based on Tagalog), English (official) Literacy definition: total population: male : female:   age 15 and over can read and write 94.6% 95% 94.3% (1995 est.) Government Country name conventional long form: conventional short form: local long form: local short form: Republic of the Philippines Philippines Republika ng Pilipinas Pilipinas Data code RP Government type republic Capital: Manila Administrative divisions: 72 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 Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US) National holiday:  Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain) Constitution:  2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987 Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: head of government:   cabinet: elections: election results: President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992) and Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel Valdes RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality); Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA elected vice president; percent of vote - NA% Fidel Valdes RAMOS elected president; percent of vote - Fidel Valdes RAMOS 23.6% (a narrow plurality) Legislative branch:     elections : election results:    bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half elected every three years; members elected by popular vote to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (204 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - an additional 50 members may be appointed by the president) Senate - last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held 11 May 1998); House of Representatives - elections last held 8 May 1995 (next to be held 11 May 1998) Senate - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - LDP 15, Lakas-NUCD 6, NPC 1, PRP 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - Lakas-NUCD 126, LDP 28, NPC 28, NP 2, KBL 2, other 18 Judicial branch: supreme Court, justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council Political parties and leaders:   note: Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino, LDP), Edgardo ANGARA; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng EDSA-NUCD or Lakas-NUCD), Jose DE VENECIA, secretary general; Liberal Party (LP), Alfredo LIM, standard bearer; Laban Ng Makabayang Masang Pilipino (LMMP or Fight of the Patriotic Filipino Masses), Joseph ESTRADA, standard bearer; National People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan, KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president; Filipino Democratic Party (Partido Demokratikong Philipinas or PDP), Jose COJUANGCO, is part of the ruling coalition with the LDP political parties are highly fluid and personalistic; the major parties as of May 1998 are - Lakas-NUCD, LMMP, and LP International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: chancery: telephone: FAX: consulate(s) general: consulate(s): Ambassador Raul Chaves RABE 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036  [1] (202) 467-9300  [1] (202) 328-7614 Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle San Diego and San Jose (Saipan)  US diplomatic representation: chief of mission:   embassy: mailing address:  telephone:  FAX:   Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000 APO AP 96440 [63] (2) 521-71-16 [63] (2) 522-43-61 Flag: description 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 Economy   Overview: In 1997 the Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of agriculture and light industry, continued its fifth year of positive economic growth, led by expansion of exports and investment. The government expects growth to slow to about 3% in 1998 due to spillover effects of the financial crisis in East Asia. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy. GDP-purchasing power parity : $244 billion (1997 est.) GDP-real growth rate: 5.1% (1997 est.) GDP-per capita purchasing power parity: $3,200 (1997 est.)   GDP agriculture: industry: services: composition by sector 22% 32% 46% (1996 est.) Inflation rate - consumer price index: 5.1% (1997) Labor force total: by occupation : 29.13 million (1996 est.) agriculture 43.4%, services 22.6%, government services 17.9%, industry and commerce 16.1% (1995) Unemployment rate: 8.7% (1997) Budget revenues: expenditures : $16.3 billion $16.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $2.7 billion (1996 est.) Industries textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing Industrial production growth rate 6.3% (1996) Electricity - capacity:  7.64 million kW (1995) Electricity - production:  25.65 billion kWh (1995)   Electricity - consumption per capita:   350 kWh (1995) Agriculture products rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually Exports total value : commodities: partners: $25 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) electronics and telecommunications 51%, machinery and transport 10%, garments 9%, other 30% US 34%, Japan 17%, EU 17%, ASEAN 14%, Hong Kong 4%, Taiwan 4% (1997 est.) Imports total value : commodities: partners: $34 billion (f.o.b., 1997 est.) raw materials and intermediate goods 43%, capital goods 36%, consumer goods 9%, fuels 9% Japan 21%, US 20%, ASEAN 12%, EU 10%, Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4%, Saudi Arabia 4% (1997 est.) Debt - external $45.4 billion (December 1997) Economic aid recipient: ODA, $3 billion pledged at December 1997 for 1998 Currency 1 Philippine peso (P) 100 centavos Exchange rates Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 40.2 (April 1998), 26.36 (May 1997), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996), 25.714 (1995), 26.417 (1994), 27.120 (1993) Fiscal year calendar year Transportation   Railways total : narrow gauge: 897 km of which 492 km in operation 492 km 1.067-m gauge (1996) Highways: total: paved:   unpaved: note : 156,997 km (1996 est.)NA km NA km NA km probably less than 30,000 km are designated arterial roads and not all of these are all-weather roads Waterways : 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels Pipelines: petroleum products 357 km Ports and harbors: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo,Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga Merchant marine: total: ships by type:   note: 535 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,334,164 GRT/11,511,707 DWT bulk 206, cargo 130, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 12, container 11, liquefied gas tanker 10, livestock carrier 12, oil tanker 48, passenger 4, passenger-cargo 13, refrigerated cargo 20, roll-on/roll-off cargo 15, short-sea passenger 31, vehicle carrier 18 a flag of convenience registry; Japan owns 21 ships, Hong Kong 4, Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Greece 1, Netherlands 1, Norway 1, Panama 1, Singapore 1, and Taiwan 1 (1997 est.) Airports Airports   total: over 3,047 m: 2,438 to 3,047 m : 1,524 to 2,437 m: 914 to 1,523 m: under 914 m:  262 (1997 est.) with paved runways 75 3 7 25 30 10 (1997 est.) Airports total : 1,524 to 2,437 m: 914 to 1,523 m:  under 914 m:  with unpaved runways 187 3 63 121 (1997 est.) Heliports 1 (1997 est.) Communication   Telephones 1.9 million (1997) Telephone system domestic: international: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and inter island service adequate domestic satellite system with 11 earth stations submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean) Radio broadcast stations AM 261, FM 55, shortwave 0 Radios  9.03 million (1992 est.) Television broadcast stations 29   Televisions 9.2 million (1998) Military Military branches Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force Military manpower military age 20 years of age Military manpower males age 15-49: availability 19,734,347 (1998 est.) Military manpower males:  fit for military service 13,921,259 (1998 est.) Military manpower males: reaching military age annually 800,148 (1998 est.) Military expenditures dollar figure $1.3 billion (1996) Military expenditures  percent of GDP 0.7% (1996) Transnational Issues Disputes international involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah Illicit drugs exports locally-produced marijuana and hashish to East Asia, the US, and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for heroin and crystal methamphetamine