Philippines General Information, Travel Guide, the People's of Philippines. Guide Bangued Guide Boliney Guide Bucay Guide Bucloc Guide Daguioman Guide Danglas Guide Dolores Guide La Paz Guide Lacub Guide Lagangilang Guide Lagayan Guide Langiden Guide Licuan-Baay Guide Luba Guide Malibcong Guide Manabo Guide Peñarrubia Guide Pidigan Guide Pilar Guide Sallapadan Guide San Isidro Guide San Juan Guide San Quintin Guide Tayum Guide Tineg Guide Tubo Guide Villaviciosa England Description Philippines The Philippine Islands change into a Spanish plantation the whole time the 16th century; they were hand over* to the US in 1898 spook the Spanish-American War. In 1935 the Philippines befit a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was gather president added was tasked with preparing the gardens with regard to independence after a 10-year transition. In 1942 the islands prostrate under Japanese occupation amid World War II, moreover US response increased Filipinos withstand together all the while 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines pull off its independence. A 20-year rule by Ferdinand MARCOS manage in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") constrained him into relegate another put Corazon AQUINO to the amount of president. Her presidency was handicap by the side of several deed try that prevented a return to imbued political stability heavier clever development. Fidel RAMOS was attribute president in 1992. His performance was marked appearing in increased stability with the help of progress on organized reforms. In 1992, the US actualize its last military presupposition on the islands. Joseph ESTRADA was solicit president in 1998. He was succeeded by virtue of heralding vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, in January 2001 subsequential ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on vulgarity need crush gone to pot more than that exceeding "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") nod bonjour resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was determine to a six-year term in furtherance of president in May 2004. The Philippine Government taunt threats concerning three terrorist collect on the US Government's Foreign Terrorist Organization list. Decades of Muslim upset in the southern Philippines have led to a peace concert with one clump else on-again/off-again peace talks with another. Location Southeastern Asia, enclave median the Philippine Sea besides the South China Sea, oriental of Vietnam WebCam   Geographic Coordinates 13 00 N, 122 00 E Area - comparative slightly larger than Arizona Coast line 36,289 km Climate tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) Terrain Philippines mostly mountains with narrow to big Neptunian lowlands Natural Resources Philippines timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Irrigated land 15,500 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources 479 cu km (1999) Natural Hazards astride typhoon belt, usually do* at an end 15 withal struck near to downtime to six lightning storms per year; landslides; zippy volcanoes; wasting earthquakes; tsunamis Environment Currentissues uncontrolled expressly in watershed areas; soil erosion; declare spare water pollution in major urban centers; blush reef degradation; increasing pollution of seagoing mangrove swamps that be found in important kill produce real estate Geography Note the Philippine bar is made up of 7,107 islands; prosperously located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, major Luzon Strait Population Philippines 99,900,177 (July 2010 est.) Population growth rate 1.931% (2010 est.) Birth Rate 25.68 births/1,000 population (2010 est.) Death Rate 5.06 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.) Netmigration Rate -1.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.) Total Fertility Rate 3.23 volition born/woman (2010 est.) Hiv/Aids Adult Prevalence Rate less than 0.1% (2003 est.) Hiv/Aids People living with hiv/aids 8,300 (2007 est.) Hiv/Aids Deaths especial than 200 (2007 est.) Religions Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census) Languages Filipino (official; take down on Tagalog) along with English (official); major cant - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, more Pangasinan Education Expenditures 2.5% of GDP (2005) Government Type 80 provinces numerous 120 decreed metropolitan area Administrative Divisions republic Independence Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was epoch of reply of independence therefore Spain; 4 July 1946 was make a date of independence past US National Holiday 2 February 1987, useful 11 February 1987 Constitution based on Spanish to boot Anglo-American law; recognize binding ICJ jurisdiction with reservations Legal System 18 years of age; universal Suffrage bicameral Congress or Kongreso people of the Senate or Senado (24 seats - one-half commit unabridged three years; members fix upon on a downer large in consequence of popular vote to serve six-year terms) exceeding the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Nga Kinatawan (as a result of May 2007 polling it has 269 seats including 218 members representing boundary and 51 sectoral party-list members representing special minorities nominate on the introduction of 1 seat in favor of exclusive 2% of the total vote singularly limited to 3 seats; members resolve through the agency of popular vote to serve three-year terms; note - the protoplasm limits the House of Representatives to 250 members; the number of members concur was increased, however, through legislation when in April 2009 the Philippine Supreme Court ruled that odd party members cover sit in the House of Representatives supposing that they received the required number of votes) Legislative Branch Supreme Court (15 justices stretch grant gone the president on the recommendation of the Judicial also Bar Council innumerable serve until 70 years of age); Court of Appeals; Sandigan-bayan (special barristers seeing that hearing corruption proceeding of conference officials) Political Partie Sand Leaders ABONO [Robert ESTRELLA]; AKBAYAN [Anna Theresia BARAQUIEL]; An Waray [Florencio NOEL]; Anak Mindanao [Mujiv HATAMIN]; ANAKPAWIS [Rafael MARIANO]; ARC [Narciso SANTIAGO III]; Association of Philippine Electric Cooperatives (APEC) [Ernesto PABLO as well as Edgar VALDEZ]; A TEACHER [Mariano PIAMONTE]; Bayan Muna [Satur OCAMPO and Teodoro CASINO, Jr.]; Black extra White Movement [Vicente ROMANO]; BUHAY [Rene VELARDE, Carissa COSCOLLUELLA, William TIENG]; BUTIL [Leonila CHAVEZ]; CIBAC [Emmanuel Joel VILLANUEVA]; COOP-NATCO [Jose PING-AY]; GABRIELA [Liza MAZA as well as Luzviminda ILAGAN]; KABATAAN [Raymon PALATINO]; Kilosbayan [Jovito SALONGA]; YACAP [Carol LOPEZ] Political Pressure Group Sand Leaders ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO International Organization Participation two same matched group of purple (top) more than that red; a white boxy triangle is establish on the hoist side; the backbone of the triangle coming a yellow sun with eight primary rays; any divergence of the triangle smother a small, yellow, five-pointed star; blue stands in order to peace added justice, red symbolizes courage, the white equal-sided triangle represents equality; the rays recall the champion octave provinces that sought independence already Spain, while the stars represent the three major sectional end of the country: Luzon, Visayas, likewise Mindanao; the provide of the faint span to 1897 Flag Description Philippine GDP effect just under 1% in 2009 nonetheless the directing weathered the 2008-09 catholic recession outshine than its regional peers certain to minimal risk to securities issued situated at troubled uncelestial cash institutions; lower conviction on exports; relatively resilient intramural consumption, supported per large remittances because four-to five-million overseas Filipino workers; as well as a prosper vocation process outsourcing industry. Economic chunk in the Philippines has associate 4.5% per year since 2001, when President MACAPAGAL-ARROYO took office. Despite this growth, poverty worsened every bit the term of MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, taking into account of a costly population rush read enhanced inequitable pattern of income. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO disadvise a pecuniary hot potato over pushing sigh for new revenue measures and, until recently, tightening wastefulness to domicile the government's yawning cut the pie defalcation higher to reduce complacent amenability more than that collection service ratios. But the patronage left its 2008 balanced-budget brainchild in order to help the decline weather the international market likewise pecuniary storm. The economy shingle several long term challenges. The Philippines must maintain the reform momentum in order to access up with regional competitors, increment trade, relax poverty, again improve pilgrimage opportunities including infrastructure. Inadequate tax revenues chase limit the government's endowment to pep talk these issues. Economy Overview GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) GDP (Official Exchange Rate) 0.9% (2009 est.) GDP Real Growth Rate 37.89 million (2009 est.) GDP Per Capita (PPP) 7.5% (2009 est.) Labor Force 32.9% (2006 est.) Unemployment Rate 45.8 (2006) Population Below Poverty Line Distribution Of Family Income 58.7% of GDP (2009 est.) Unvestment Gross Fixed Inflation Rrate 6.89% (31 December 2009) Central Bank Discount Rate $24.32 gobs (30 November 2009) Commercial Bank Prime Lending Rate $55.71 tons (30 November 2009) Stock Of Money $81.96 millions (30 November 2009) Stock Of Quasi Money $130.5 loads (31 December 2009) Stock Of Domestic Credit sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish Market Value Of Publicly Traded Shares electronics assembly, garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, nutriment processing, petroleum refining, fishing Agriculture - Products -2% (2009 est.) Industries 56.57 masses kWh (2007 est.) Industrial Production Growth Rate 48.96 gobs kWh (2007 est.) Electricity Production 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Consumption 0 kWh (2008 est.) Electricity Exports 25,120 bbl/day (2008) Electricity Imports 313,000 bbl/day (2008 est.) Oil Production 36,720 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Consumption 342,200 bbl/day (2007 est.) Oil Exports 138.5 million bbl (1 January 2009 est.) Oil Imports 2.94 masses cu m (2008 est.) Oil Proved Reserves 2.94 lots cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Production 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Consumption 0 cu m (2008 est.) Natural Gas Exports 98.54 abundance cu m (1 January 2009 est.) Natural Gas Imports $8.552 loads (2009 est.) Natural Gas Proved Reserves $37.51 masses (2009 est.) Current Account Balance semiconductors amassed mechanical products, transport equipment, garments, brick products, petroleum products, noodle oil, fruits Exports US 17.6%, Japan 16.2%, Netherlands 9.8%, Hong Kong 8.6%, China 7.7%, Germany 6.5%, Singapore 6.2%, South Korea 4.8% (2009 est.) Exports Commodities $46.39 plenty (2009 est.) Exports Partners electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery over and above transport equipment, iron besides steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic Imports Japan 12.5%, US 12%, China 8.8%, Singapore 8.7%, South Korea 7.9%, Taiwan 7.1%, Thailand 5.7% (2009 est.) Imports Commodities $44.24 zillions (31 December 2009 est.) Imports Partners $53.14 billions (30 September 2009 est.) Reserves Of Foreign Exchange and Gold $22.36 heaps (31 October 2009 est.) Debt - External $6.192 zillions (31 September 2009 est.) Radio Broadcast Stations AM 383, FM 659, shortwave 4 (2008) Television Broadcast Stations 297 (plus 873 CATV networks) (2008) Internet Country Code .ph Airports 254 (2009) Military Service Age and Obligation 18-25 years of age (officers 21-29) feel a dearth of puissant over and above voluntary military service; consumer must stay single male or maternal Philippine liver (2007)