Basic Facts of the Philippines
President: Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (2010)
Land area: 115,124 sq mi (298,171 sq km); total area: 115,830 sq mi (300,000 sq km)
Population (2011 est.): 103,775,002 (growth rate: 1.87%); birth rate: 24.98/1000; infant mortality rate: 18.75/1000; life expectancy: 71.94
Capital and largest city (2010 est.): Manila, 1.65 million
Other large cities: Quezon 2.76 million; Caloocan 1.49 million Davao 1.45 million; Cebu City 866,171; Zamboanga 807,129 (2010)
Monetary unit: Peso
National name: Republika ng Pilipinas
Current government officials
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: 92.6% (2000 est.)
Economic summary: GDP/PPP (2011 est.): $389.8 billion; per capita $4,100. Real growth rate: 3.7%. Inflation: 5.3%. Unemployment: 7.0%. Arable land: 19%. Agriculture: sugarcane, coconuts, rice, corn, bananas, cassavas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish. Labor force: 40 million; agriculture 33%, industry 15%, services 52% (2010 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: $54.17 billion (2011 est.): electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, optical instruments, coconut products, fruits and nuts, copper products, chemicals. Imports: $68.84 billion (2011 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, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand (2010).
International disputes: Philippines claims sovereignty over Scarborough Reef (also claimed by China together with Taiwan) and over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue with Palau.
Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,107 islands.
Luzon is the largest island in the archipelago.
The capital of Philippines is Manila and its national language is Filipino.
With a population of about 90 million people, the Philippines is the 12th most populous country in the world.
On the islands of Philippines, there are more than 200 volcanoes, though only a few are active.