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
Disputes:
involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia,
Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah
Climate:
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon
(May to October)
Terrain:
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Natural resources:
timber, crude oil, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Land use:
arable land 26%; permanent crops 11%; meadows and pastures 4%; forest and
woodland 40%; other 19%; includes irrigated 5%
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

:Philippines People

Population:
67,114,060 (July 1992), growth rate 2.0% (1992)
Birth rate:
28 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
7 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
-1 migrant/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
53 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
62 years male, 68 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
3.5 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Filipino(s); adjective - Philippine
Ethnic divisions:
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 (based on Tagalog) and English; both official
Literacy:
90% (male 90%, female 90%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
24,120,000; agriculture 46%, industry and commerce 16%, services 18.5%,
government 10%, other 9.5% (1989)
Organized labor:
3,945 registered unions; total membership 5.7 million (includes 2.8 million
members of the National Congress of Farmers Organizations)

:Philippines Government

Long-form name:
Republic of the Philippines
Type:
republic
Capital:
Manila
Administrative divisions:
72 pro