Philippines

Full name of country: Republic of the Philippines

Region: East & Southeast Asia

Official language: Filipino, English

Population: 118,277,063 (2024 est.)

Nationality: Filipino(s) (noun), Philippine (adjective)

Land area: 298,170 sq km (115,124 sq miles)

Water area: 1,830 sq km (707 sq miles)

Capital: Manila

National anthem: "Lupang Hinirang" (Chosen Land), by Jose Palma (Revised By Felipe Padilla De Leon)/Julian Felipe

National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1898); note - June 12, 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; July 4, 1946 was date of independence from the US

Population growth: 1.56% (2024 est.)

Time zone: UTC +8

Flag: The flag of the Philippines features two equal and horizontal bands of blue (top) and red (bottom), and a white equilateral triangle on the hoist (left) side. Centered in the triangle is a golden sun emitting eight rays, surrounded by three five-pointed golden stars in each corner, representing the major island groups of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The sun itself represents liberty, or the “dawning” of a new era, while the blue and red stripes are said to represent courage and noble ideals, respectively.

Motto: “Maka-Diyos, Maka-Tao, Makakalikasan at Makabansa” (For Love of God, People, Nature and Country)

Independence: June 12, 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)

Government type: presidential republic

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Legal system: mixed legal system of civil, common, Islamic, and customary law

The Republic of the Philippines is an Asian island nation with a democratic government and close ties to the United States. In spite of modern industrial development, it has remained a poor country.

The Philippines is home to magnificent biodiversity and beautiful scenery. But industrialization, population growth, and development have created pollution and destroyed natural habitats. The country also suffers from the exportation of medical personnel, extreme weather, and terrorism.

Note: unless otherwise indicated, statistical data in this article is sourced from the CIA World Factbook, as cited in the bibliography.

People and Culture

Population: The Philippines is a very crowded country, with a population density in 2021 of over 382 persons per square kilometer, according to World Bank. In 2023, 48.3 percent of the population lived in cities, while the remainder of the people lived in rural areas.

The major cities are Manila, the capital, with a metropolitan-area population of 14.667 million (including Quezon City); Davao, with 1.949 million; Cebu City, with 1.025 million; Zamboanga, with 931,000; and Antipolo, with 960,000 (2023 estimates).

Of the more than 100 languages (in addition to Filipino, which is based on the Tagalog language) used throughout the Philippines, those spoken most often include Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo), Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan. Many Filipinos speak English, which is one of the official languages along with Filipino. Some communities are Spanish speaking.

The largest ethnic group is the Tagalog people, making up approximately 26 percent of the population (2020 est.). Other ethnic groups include Bisaya/Binisaya (14.3 percent of the population), Cebuano (8 percent), Ilocano (8 percent), Ilonggo (7.9 percent), Bikol/Bicol (6.5 percent), and Waray (3.8 percent). The largest nonindigenous ethnic group in the Philippines are the Chinese. Americans, Europeans, Indians, and Japanese also contribute to a culture that blends Asian and Western features.

The Philippines has more Christians than any other Asian country. The majority (78.8 percent) of Filipinos were Roman Catholic in 2020. Other denominations include the Philippine Independent Church (Agilpayan), various Protestant sects, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Jehovah's Witness. Muslims make up an estimated 6.4 percent of the population. The constitution guarantees freedom of religion, and there is no state church.

Indigenous People: Archaeologists believe that the islands of the Philippines have been inhabited for thousands of years. The ancestors of modern-day Filipinos arrived on the islands from Indonesia and Malaysia.

Indigenous tribes in the Philippines include the Ati, the Aeta, the Maranao, and roughly twenty others. Spanish colonizers, who first arrived in the sixteenth century, incorrectly assumed that the Indigenous peoples of the Philippines came from Africa.

Education: Education is compulsory for children beginning at age six; a year of preprimary schooling is available for children aged five. Public schools are free through secondary school. Secondary school lasts from age twelve through fifteen.

Private schools generally teach in English. In the public schools, local dialects are the language of instruction for the first two years; then English and Filipino are used. Most high schools and universities teach in English.

Numerous universities, mostly private and religious, are located in the Philippines. The University of the East in Manila, a private Catholic institution, is the largest university in the country. The oldest school in the Philippines is the University of Santo Tomas, also Catholic, founded in 1611 in Manila.

According to 2019 data, the literacy rate in the Philippines was 96.3 percent.

Health Care: The Philippines Health Sector Reform Agenda works to provide equitable and efficient health care. The program has been partly successful. Life expectancy is 70.8 years (2024 estimate).

However, obstacles remained, including an insufficient number of health-care professionals, low incomes, an ever-increasing population, the difficulty of reaching isolated populations, and lack of government funding and support. In 2020, the Philippines spent 5.1 percent of its GDP on health care.

In the 1970s, large numbers of nurses and doctors began leaving the Philippines for the United States. These doctors were welcomed there, because the Philippines is an English-speaking country, and medical training is based on the American model. The Philippines exports more nurses than any other country, and more doctors than any other country except India.

Many times, if recovery from illness is slow, some Filipino people turn to traditional medicine, which teaches that illness is a punishment for breaking taboos.

Illnesses with a high degree of risk include diseases borne by food or water, such as hepatitis A, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, and bacterial diarrhea. Malaria and dengue fever are also prevalent.

The Philippines ranked 113th on the 2024 United Nations Human Development Index.

Food: Filipino food is a reflection of the nation's heritage and history. The country's cuisine is a mixture of Chinese, Malay, American and Spanish foods. Spanish dishes like paella (a mixture of rice, seafood, and vegetables) are a major component of Filipino cuisine.

As in other Asian countries, rice is a staple in the Philippines and is eaten at virtually every meal. As one might expect in an island nation, seafood, especially shrimp, is widely consumed.

One type of Filipino cooking is adobo. In this cooking style, meat (usually chicken or pork) is cooked in soy sauce and vinegar. A popular delicacy in the Philippines (imported from China) is balut, a fertilized duck egg with a developed fetus inside. Tuba is a common alcoholic drink made from the sap of coconut palms.

Arts & Entertainment: The Philippines has produced many painters and writers. Artist Fabian de la Rosa painted scenes of everyday life during the nineteenth century. Fernando Amorsolo, on the other hand, painted portraits and rural landscapes of the 1900s. Literature, especially in the novels of José Rizal and essays of Renato Constantino, played a large part in the independence movement.

When it comes to sports, basketball is at the top of the list for Filipinos. The national team has placed highly in the World Basketball Championship. Professional teams draw big crowds, and pickup games are common in school gyms and on the streets.

The Philippines has produced top competitors in both boxing and chess. Mansuetto Onyok Velasco won the silver medal in flyweight boxing in the 1996 Olympic Games. Chess grandmasters Eugenio Torre and Rosendo Balinas Jr. came from the country. In 1992, the Philippines hosted the World Chess Olympics.

The indigenous martial art of kali originally used wavy-edged swords. Legend says that explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed in a kali contest in 1524. Modern kali experts use sticks and knives.

Cockfighting is another popular sport. On weekends and holidays, the men swarm to the cockpits in nearly every town to bet on the fights.

Holidays: Many holidays observed in the Philippines are linked to the country's turbulent history. The EDSA People Power Revolution Anniversary is commemorated in February. National Heroes' Day, observed on the last Sunday of August, marks the defeat of revolutionary Andres Bonifacio by the Spanish at the Battle of Pinaglabanan. Andrés Bonifacio Day (November 30) honors the leader of the 1896 revolution against Spain.

Christian holidays such as Easter, All Saints' Day, and Christmas are celebrated, as are major Muslim holidays such as Eid'l Adha. Other official holidays include Labor Day (May 1), the Day of Valor (April 9), Ninoy Aquino Day (August 21), and José Rizal Day (December 30).

The Philippines does not celebrate its independence on July 4, the day the United States granted independence in 1946. Instead, Filipinos celebrate their independence on June 12, in honor of the 1898 declaration of independence from Spain.

Environment and Geography

Topography: The Philippines is a Southeast Asian archipelago in the Western Pacific Ocean. It is situated between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam, northeast of Borneo and northwest of New Guinea.

The country consists of three groups the islands. Together, the northern islands of Luzon and Mindoro account for 66 percent of the country's area. The middle group, the Visayans, consists of 7,000 islands. The southern group is made up of Mindanao and the 400 islands of the Sulu Archipelago.

The highest point in the Philippines is at the top of Mount Apo (2,954 meters/9,692 feet). Off the northeast coast of Mindanao lies the Philippine Trench, one of the deepest spots in the ocean at 10,539 meters (34,577 feet).

The Philippines features lowland coasts with many good bays and harbors, inland plains, and active volcanoes. There are several large lakes. The largest is Laguna de Bay on Luzon, which, with a surface area of 949 square kilometers (336 square miles) is nearly as big as all the other Filipino lakes combined. The lake contains three bays and nine islands. Lake Sultan Alonto (Lake Lanao) on Mindanao is the second-largest lake, with 355 square kilometers (137 square miles) of surface area.

Most rivers are dry except during the rainy season (June to February). Earthquakes are frequent.

Natural Resources: The Philippines' natural resources include gold, cobalt, silver, salt, timber, and petroleum. The country is rich in mineral resources, especially chromite, copper, and nickel, though the full potential of the mining industry has not been realized. Offshore deposits of natural gas have also been discovered.

Environmental concerns facing the Philippines include soil erosion, degradation of coral reefs, air and water pollution in urban areas, and increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps. More than half of the coral reefs, sea grass beds, and mangroves have already been destroyed, to the detriment of commercial fish and shellfish populations.

Plants & Animals: The Philippines has an abundant variety of flora and fauna, but much of it is in trouble as a result of development and population growth.

The islands are home to 3,000 species of giant trees and 9,000 species of flowering plants. Nearly one-quarter of the islands is covered with forests of palm and banyan trees, including the highly diverse Luzon rainforest. Groves of bamboo flourish along with coconut palms, rubber trees, and mahogany. Indigenous trees include mayapis, apitong, lauan, camagon, and narra, the national tree. The fruit of the durian tree, known for its offensive odor, tends to be either loved or hated by those who taste it.

The sampaguita, a kind of orchid, is the national flower. The roughly 900 other species of orchids found in the Philippines include the giant waling-waling, or insect-eating pitcher plant. Abac, or Manila hemp, is used to make textiles, hats, and rope. Other common plants include pepper plants, clove, and cinnamon.

Among the wildlife typically found in the Philippines are snakes, crocodiles, mongoose, monkeys, deer, and tarsiers, which are endemic only to the Philippines and the East Indies. There are more than 700 species of tropical birds, including several types of parrots. The carabao, a kind of water buffalo, is a common domestic animal, used for such heavy work as pulling plows.

Unfortunately, the plant and animal life of the Philippines have been destroyed at one of the most rapid rates of any country. Most of the forests have been cut down. Mangrove swamps are important sites for breeding and spawning of fish and shellfish, but they also are being cut down.

The country has nearly one thousand threatened or endangered species. Among these are the Mindoro stripe-faced fruit bat, the Philippine tarsier, the Philippine cockatoo, the dugong (sea cow), and the Philippine eagle.

Climate: Except for the mountainous areas, the Philippines has a maritime tropical climate, making for consistently hot and humid weather.

The hottest season comes in March through May, with temperatures that reach 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit). The rainy season is slightly cooler, but temperatures usually remain above 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit). Manila's average temperature in January is 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Fahrenheit); in May the average is 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).

Rainfall is heavy, up to 250 centimeters (100 inches) annually; some areas receive as much as 475 centimeters (180 inches). The highlands get more rain than the coastal areas.

The Philippines lies along the circum-Pacific seismic belt, also known as the Ring of Fire. This Pacific Ocean zone is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Typhoons also strike the islands often. By the early 2020s, the country was considered one of the most threatened by the negative impacts of climate change.

Economy

After years of tumult, the Phillipine economy stabilized and grew significantly in the early twenty-first century and even managed to avoid most of the effects of the 2008 global financial crisis. In 2023, the gross domestic product (GDP; purchasing power parity) was estimated at US$1.138 trillion, with a per capita GDP of US$9,700. Unemployment was an estimated 2.23 percent in 2023. However, high inequality has persisted, and roughly 18.1 percent of the country’s population lives below the poverty line (2021 estimate). Rural areas are generally poorest, and in some rural communities in the south more than 60 percent of the population lives in poverty.

Industry: The most important economic activity in the Philippines is manufacturing. Products include processed foods and beverages, textiles and clothing, footwear, chemicals, electronics, broadcast and telecommunications equipment, metal and mineral products, transportation equipment, and petroleum. Many city-dwellers work in factories. Business process outsourcing, construction, utilities, and energy are other significant industries.

Major exports include semiconductors and electronics, machinery and transport equipment, metals, scientific and medical instruments, chemicals, apparel, coconut oil, seafood, bananas, and other tropical fruit. Exports were worth an estimated US$103.601 billion in 2023. The Philippines' main trading partners for exports include the United States, Hong Kong and mainland China, and Japan.

Agriculture: Filipino farmers rarely own their own land. Much of the land is owned by large estates; laborers are employed by the estates and live on the land they work. About 22.5 percent of the labor force worked in agriculture in 2020 according to United Nations data.

Principal crops include rice, sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, corn, mangoes, pineapple, and cassava. Filipino farmers also raise chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, and dairy cattle. Fish and other forms of seafood are important as well, constituting major exports.

Tourism: Tourism is an important part of the Philippine economy and grew steadily in the early twenty-first century, though it was significantly impacted by the travel restrictions associated with the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020. In 2022 the nation's travel and tourism industry accounted for 17.3 percent of the total GDP, according to the World Travel and Tourism Council. Many tourists come from South Korea, China, the United States, Japan, and Australia.

Tourists are drawn to the islands' abundant scenery, flora, and fauna. Popular tourist sites include Manila Cathedral-Basilica (est. 1571), and Lucban, at the foot of Mount Banahaw in Quezon, which features cool mountain air and springs.

The world-famous Ifuago Rice Terraces in Banawe are listed as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Ecotourism is being developed in the Philippines in an effort to counteract the ecological problems caused by other forms of tourism.

Government

The Philippines became a colony of Spain in the sixteenth century. On June 12, 1898, General Emilio Aguinaldo, who was already a leader in the revolutionary movement, declared independence from Spain with support from the United States. Later that year, during the Spanish-American War, the United States forced Spain to cede the islands. When it became clear that the United States would also not allow the Philippines its own independence, Aguinaldo began an insurrection (also known as the Philippine-American War) that was officially declared over in 1902, though pockets of resistance to American rule continued.

In 1935, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth, with full independence from the United States scheduled for 1945. During World War II, however, the nation was occupied by the Japanese beginning in 1942. The occupation lasted until a US invasion began in 1944 and General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his promise to return to the country, and the government was officially restored in 1945. On July 4, 1946, the United States granted independence to the Philippines.

In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos was elected president of the Philippines, beginning a twenty-year rule criticized for major corruption and embezzlement. Marcos declared martial law throughout the country in 1972 in order to stay in power, and his administration oppressed and censored political opponents. In 1982 the entire Supreme Court was forced to resign and in 1983 chief opposition leader Benigno Aquino Jr. was assassinated. Despite these civil rights abuses the United States continued to support the government. An election in 1986 kept the regime in power and was criticized as unfair, and Marcos fled the country as a revolution broke out.

President Rodrigo Duterte, elected in 2016, quickly became controversial for his inflammatory statements, including encouraging the killing of all dealers and users of illegal drugs.

The constitution and economic system is similar to that of the United States. The Philippines is a unitary republic with universal adult suffrage at age eighteen. Barangays (citizens' councils) govern locally.

The president, who is head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief, is elected directly by the people for a single term of six years and cannot be reelected. The president appoints the cabinet with the approval of the Commission on Appointments (commissioners represent both chambers of Congress). The vice president is also directly elected.

The Kongreso (Congress) is bicameral, with a senate and a house of representatives. The twenty-four members of the Senado (senate) are elected directly by voters to six-year terms. One-half of the senators are elected every three years.

The Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (house of representatives) has 316 members. Most of the members, who serve three-year terms, are elected by the people. An additional 63 members are elected from lists drawn up by the parties to ensure representation by ethnic minorities, women, and certain economic and occupational groups.

Interesting Facts

• By law, the Philippine National Anthem may be sung only in Filipino.
• For the 1998 Philippine Centennial celebration of independence, the Central Bank produced commemorative bills, measuring 8 1/2 inches wide and 14 inches long, the world's largest money.
• The oldest and tallest tree in the Philippines is a bitaog tree at the entrance gate of Magallanes town, east of Butuan City in Agusan del Norte province. It is thought to be more than five hundred years old, and its diameter measures 305.6 centimeters (120.3 inches).
• Imelda Marcos, the wife of former Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, was obsessed with shoes and owned more than 1,200 of them as First Lady.

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