Republic of the Philippines

National name: Republika ng Pilipinas

President: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo (2001)

Land area: 115,124 sq mi (298,171 sq km); total area: 115,831 sq mi (300,000 sq km)

Population (2006 est.): 89,468,677 (growth rate: 1.8%); birth rate: 24.9/1000; infant mortality rate: 22.8/1000; life expectancy: 70.2; density per sq mi: 777

Capital and largest city (2003 est.): Manila, 10,677,000 (metro. area), 1,581,082 (city proper)

Other large cities: Quezon City (2000 est.), 1,669,776 (part of Manila metro. area); Cebu (2003 est.), 761,900

Monetary unit: Peso

Languages: Filipino (based on Tagalog), English (both official); eight major dialects: Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense

Ethnicity/race: Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000)

Religions: Roman Catholic 81%, Evangelical 3%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 5%, Islam 5% (2000)

Literacy rate: 96% (2003 est.)

Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2005 est.): $451.3 billion; per capita $5,100. Real growth rate: 4.6%. Inflation: 7.9%. Unemployment: 12.2%. Arable land: 19%. Agriculture: sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish. Labor force: 36.73 million; agriculture 36%, industry 16%, services 48% (2004 est.). Industries: electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, fishing. Natural resources: timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper. Exports: $41.25 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper products, chemicals. Imports: $42.66 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.): raw materials, machinery and equipment, fuels, vehicles and vehicle parts, plastic, chemicals, grains. Major trading partners: Japan, U.S., Netherlands, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea (2004).

Communications: Telephones: main lines in use: 6.98 million (2001); mobile cellular: 11.35 million (2001). Radio broadcast stations: AM 366, FM 290, shortwave 5 (2002). Radios: 11.5 million (1997). Television broadcast stations: 75 (2000). Televisions: 3.7 million (1997). Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 33 (2000). Internet users: 4.5 million (2002).

Transportation: Railways: total: 897 km (2002). Highways: total: 201,994 km; paved: 42,419 km; unpaved: 159,575 km (2000). Waterways: 3,219 km; limited to shallow-draft (less than 1.5 m) vessels. Ports and harbors: Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Guimaras Island, Iligan, Iloilo, Jolo, Legaspi, Manila, Masao, Puerto Princesa, San Fernando, Subic Bay, Zamboanga. Airports: 257 (2002).

International disputes:involved in complex dispute over Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and possibly Brunei; claimants in November 2002 signed the “Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding “code of conduct”; Sultanate of Sulu granted Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue its sovereignty claim over Malaysia's Sabah State but Malaysia rejects claim.

 

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