1993 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1993 (Project Gutenberg)
Geography
Area
total area: 300,000 km2 land area: 298,170 km2 comparative area: slightly larger than Arizona
Climate
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Coastline
36,289 km
Environment
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
International disputes
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Irrigated land
16,200 km2 (1989 est.)
Land boundaries
0 km
Land use
arable land: 26% permanent crops: 11% meadows and pastures: 4% forest and woodland: 40% other: 19%
Location
Southeast Asia, between Indonesia and China
Map references
Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Maritime claims
measured from claimed archipelagic baselines continental shelf: to depth of exploitation exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 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
Natural resources
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
People and Society
Birth rate
27.9 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate
7.03 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Ethnic divisions
Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Infant mortality rate
51.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Labor force
24.12 million by occupation: agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%, government 10%, other 9.5% (1989)
Languages
Pilipino (official; based on Tagalog), English (official)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 65.13 years male: 62.59 years female: 67.79 years (1993 est.)
Literacy
age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 90% male: 90% female: 90%
Nationality
noun: Filipino(s) adjective: Philippine
Net migration rate
-1.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Population
68,464,368 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate
1.97% (1993 est.)
Religions
Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Total fertility rate
3.45 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
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
Manila
Chief of State and Head of Government
President Fidel Valdes RAMOS (since 30 June 1992); Vice President Joseph Ejercito ESTRADA (since 30 June 1992)
Constitution
2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987
Digraph
RP
Diplomatic representation in US
chief of mission: Ambassador Raul RABE chancery: 1617 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036 telephone: (202) 483-1414 consulates general: Agana (Guam), Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle
Executive branch
president, vice president, Cabinet
FAX
[63] (2) 522-4361 consulate general: Cebu
Flag
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
House of Representatives
last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 43.5%; Lakas-NUCD 25%, NPC 23.5%, Liberal 5%, KBL 3%; seats - (200 total) LDP 87, NPC 45, Lakas-NUCD 41, Liberal 15, NP 6, KBL 3, Independent 3
Independence
4 July 1946 (from US)
Judicial branch
Supreme Court
Legal system
based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Legislative branch
bicameral Congress (Kongreso) consists of an upper house or Senate (Senado) and a lower house or House of Representatives (Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan)
Member of
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-24, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM (observer), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNTAC, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Names
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines conventional short form: Philippines local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas local short form: Pilipinas
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)
Political parties and leaders
Democratic Filipino Struggle (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipinas, Laban), Edgardo ESPIRITU; People Power-National Union of Christian Democrats (Lakas ng Edsa, NUCD and Partido Lakas Tao, Lakas/NUCD); Fidel V. RAMOS, President of the Republic, Raul MANGLAPUS, Jose de VENECIA, secretary general; Nationalist People's Coalition (NPC), Eduardo COJUANGCO; Liberal Party, Jovito SALONGA; People's Reform Party (PRP), Miriam DEFENSOR-SANTIAGO; New Society Movement (Kilusan Bagong Lipunan; KBL), Imelda MARCOS; Nacionalista Party (NP), Salvador H. LAUREL, president
President
last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1998); results - Fidel Valdes RAMOS won 23.6% of votes, a narrow plurality
Senate
last held 11 May 1992 (next election to be held NA May 1995); results - LDP 66%, NPC 20%, Lakas-NUCD 8%, Liberal 6%; seats - (24 total) LDP 15, NPC 5, Lakas-NUCD 2, Liberal 1, Independent 1
Suffrage
15 years of age; universal
Type
republic
US diplomatic representation
chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'affaires Donald WESTMORE embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila mailing address: APO AP 96440 telephone: [63] (2) 521-7116
Economy
Agriculture
accounts for about one-third of GNP and about 45% of labor force; major crops - rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangos; animal products - pork, eggs, beef; net exporter of farm products; fish catch of 2 million metric tons annually
Budget
$11.0 billion; expenditures $12.0 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1992 est.)
Currency
1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos
Economic aid
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-89), $3.6 billion; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-88), $7.9 billion; OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $5 million; Communist countries (1975-89), $123 million
Electricity
7,850,000 kW capacity; 28,000 million kWh produced, 420 kWh per capita (1992)
Exchange rates
Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 25.817 (April 1993), 25.512 (1992), 27.479 (1991), 24.311 (1990), 21.737 (1989), 21.095 (1988)
Exports
$9.8 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut oil, copper partners: US 39%, EC, Japan, ASEAN
External debt
$29.8 billion (1992)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Illicit drugs
illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; growers are producing more and better quality cannabis despite government eradication efforts
Imports
$14.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992) commodities: raw materials 45%, capital goods 26%, petroleum products 18% partners: US, Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia
Industrial production
growth rate -1% (1992 est.); accounts for 34% of GDP
Industries
textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
8.9% (1992 est.)
National product
GDP - exchange rate conversion - $54.1 billion (1992 est.)
National product per capita
$860 (1992 est.)
National product real growth rate
0.6% (1992 est.)
Overview
Domestic output in this primarily agricultural economy remained the same in 1992 as in 1991. Drought and power supply problems hampered production, while inadequate revenues prevented government pump priming. Despite a flat GDP performance, GNP mustered a small 0.6% expansion, attributable to inflows of workers' remittances combined with smaller foreign interest payments. A marked increase in capital goods imports, particularly power generations equipment, telecommunications equipment, and electronic data processors, contributed to a 20.5% import growth in 1992. Exports rose 11%, led by earnings from the Philippines' two leading manufactures - electronics and garments.
Unemployment rate
9.8% (1992 est.)
Communications
Airports
total: 270 usable: 238 with permanent-surface runways: 73 with runways over 3,659 m: with runways 2,440-3,659 m: 9 with runways 1,220-2,439 m: 57
Highways
157,450 km total (1988); 22,400 km paved; 85,050 km gravel, crushed-stone, or stabilized-soil surface; 50,000 km unimproved earth
Inland waterways
3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels
Merchant marine
562 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,282,936 GRT/13,772,023 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 11 short-sea passenger, 13 passenger-cargo, 155 cargo, 27 refrigerated cargo, 25 vehicle carrier, 9 livestock carrier, 13 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 8 container, 38 oil tanker, 1 chemical tanker, 3 liquefied gas, 1 combination ore/oil, 249 bulk, 8 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 Germany
Pipelines
petroleum products 357 km
Ports
Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras, Iloilo, Legaspi, Manila, Subic Bay
Railroads
378 km operable on Luzon, 34% government owned (1982)
Telecommunications
good international radio and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate; 872,900 telephones; broadcast 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
Military and Security
Branches
Army, Navy (including Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force
Defense expenditures
exchange rate conversion - $915 million, 1.9% of GNP (1991)
Manpower availability
males age 15-49 17,188,695; fit for military service 12,144,278; reach military age (20) annually 716,881 (1993 est.)