Philippines
Republic of the Philippines
Population
118.28M
Area
300,000 km²
GDP
$461.62B
GDP Per Capita
$10,400
Pop. Density
394/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
₱Philippine peso(PHP)
Calling Code
+63
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Languages
English, Filipino
Driving Side
right
Demonym
Filipino
Background
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. Led by Emilio AGUINALDO, the Filipinos conducted an insurgency against US rule from 1899-1902, although some fighting continued in outlying islands as late as 1913. In 1935, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. The islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence.
Twenty-one years of authoritarian rule under Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Several coup attempts hampered her presidency, and progress on political stability and economic development faltered until Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992. The US closed its last military bases on the islands the same year. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998. His vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, succeded him in 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected president in 2004. Corruption allegations marred her presidency, but the Philippine economy was one of the few to avoid contraction after the 2008 global financial crisis. Benigno AQUINO III was elected as president in 2010, followed by Rodrigo DUTERTE in 2016. During his term, DUTERTE pursued a controversial drug war that garnered international criticism for alleged human rights abuses. Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. was elected president in 2022 with the largest popular vote in a presidential election since his father's ouster.
For decades, the country has been challenged by armed ethnic separatists, communist rebels, and Islamic terrorist groups, particularly in the southern islands and remote areas of Luzon.
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑261.6% since 2006Population
↑29.4% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 69.8 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography18
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Geographic coordinates
13 00 N, 122 00 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Area
land: 298,170 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly less than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona
Land boundaries
Coastline
36,289 km
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: to the depth of exploitation
Climate
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
Terrain
mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
Elevation
lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 442 m
Natural resources
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
16,270 sq km (2012)
Major lakes (area sq km)
Population distribution
population concentrated in areas with good farmland; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one eighth of the national population
Natural hazards
volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 and forced over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
Geography - note
note 2: the Philippines is one of the countries along the Ring of Fire, which is a belt bordering the Pacific Ocean that contains about 75% of the world's volcanoes and up to 90% of the world's earthquakes
note 3: the Philippines sits on the Pacific typhoon belt, and an average of 9 typhoons make landfall on the islands each year, with about 5 being destructive; the country is the most exposed in the world to tropical storms
People & Society37
Population
male: 59,227,092
female: 59,049,971
Nationality
adjective: Philippine
Ethnic groups
Tagalog 26%, Bisaya/Binisaya 14.3%, Ilocano 8%, Cebuano 8%, Illonggo 7.9%, Bikol/Bicol 6.5%, Waray 3.8%, Kapampangan 3%, Maguindanao 1.9%, Pangasinan 1.9%, other local ethnicities 18.5%, foreign ethnicities 0.2% (2020 est.)
Languages
major-language sample(s):
Ang World Factbook, ang mapagkukunan ng kailangang impormasyon. (Tagalog)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions
Roman Catholic 78.8%, Muslim 6.4%, Iglesia ni Cristo 2.6%, other Christian 3.9%, other 8.2%, none/unspecified <0.1 (2020 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 64.3% (male 38,381,583/female 37,613,294)
65 years and over: 5.6% (2024 est.) (male 2,611,230/female 3,973,874)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 47 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 8.7 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 11.5 (2024 est.)
Median age
male: 25.1 years
female: 26.3 years
Population growth rate
0.74% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
16.02 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
5.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
-2.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
population concentrated in areas with good farmland; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one eighth of the national population
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 2.04% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
14.667 million MANILA (capital), 1.949 million Davao, 1.025 million Cebu City, 931,000 Zamboanga, 960,000 Antipolo, 803,000 Cagayan de Oro City, 803,000 Dasmarinas (2023)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
23.6 years (2022 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
84 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 24.4 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 19.6 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 67.3 years
female: 74.5 years
Total fertility rate
1.94 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.94 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 9% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
0.79 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Hospital bed density
1 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban
improved: rural
improved: total
unimproved: urban
unimproved: rural
unimproved: total
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6.4% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.47 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.03 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 3.34 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 34.4% (2025 est.)
female: 3.7% (2025 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
16.7% (2021 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
55.6% (2022 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 9.4% (2022)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 15.2% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy
male: 98.4% (2020 est.)
female: 97% (2022 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 12 years (2021 est.)
female: 13 years (2021 est.)
People - note
one of only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being Timor-Leste
Government26
Country name
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas
etymology: named in honor of King PHILLIP II of Spain by Spanish explorer Ruy LOPEZ de VILLALOBOS, who visited the islands in 1543
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 120 58 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: derives from the Tagalog word may, meaning "there is," and nila, the local name for a shrub in the indigo family
Administrative divisions
provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
chartered cities: Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga
Legal system
mixed system of civil, common, Islamic (sharia), and customary law
Constitution
amendment process: proposed by Congress if supported by three fourths of the membership, by a constitutional convention called by Congress, or by public petition; passage by either of the three proposal methods requires a majority vote in a national referendum
International law organization participation
accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; withdrew from the ICCt in March 2019
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Philippines
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
2022: Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. elected president; percent of vote - Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. (PFP) 58.7%, Leni ROBREDO (independent) 27.9%, Manny PACQUIAO (PROMDI) 6.8%, other 6.6%; Sara DUTERTE-Carpio elected vice president; percent of vote Sara DUTERTE-Carpio (Lakas-CMD) 61.5%, Francis PANGILINAN (LP) 17.8%, Tito SOTTO 15.8%, other 4.9%
2016: Rodrigo DUTERTE elected president; percent of vote - Rodrigo DUTERTE (PDP-Laban) 39%, Manuel "Mar" ROXAS (LP) 23.5%, Grace POE (independent) 21.4%, Jejomar BINAY (UNA) 12.7%, Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO (PRP) 3.4%; Leni ROBREDO elected vice president; percent of vote Leni ROBREDO (LP) 35.1%, Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. (independent) 34.5%, Alan CAYETANO 14.4%, Francis ESCUDERO (independent) 12%, other 4%
expected date of next election
Legislative branch
legislative structure: bicameral
Legislative branch - lower chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Legislative branch - upper chamber
chamber name
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutionally created, 6-member body that recommends Supreme Court nominees; justices serve until age 70
subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan (special court for corruption cases of government officials); Court of Tax Appeals; regional, metropolitan, and municipal trial courts; sharia courts
Political parties
Alliance for Change (Hugpong ng Pagbabago or HNP)
Katipunan ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KANP)
Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD
Liberal Party or LP
Nacionalista Party or NP
Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC
National Unity Party or NUP
Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan or PDP-Laban
Partido Federal ng Pilipinas or PFP
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
info@phembassy-us.org
The Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines in Washington D.C. (philippineembassy-dc.org)
consulate(s) general
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
acsinfomanila@state.gov
https://ph.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNOOSA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
4 July 1946 (from the US)
National holiday
Independence Day, 12 June (1898)
Flag
meaning: blue stands for peace and justice, red for courage, and the triangle for equality; the rays represent the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain, and the stars represent the country's three parts: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao
history: the design dates to 1897
National symbol(s)
three stars and sun, Philippine eagle
National color(s)
red, white, blue, yellow
National coat of arms
the coat of arms was adopted on 3 July 1946; the three gold stars represent the major island groups of Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao; the rays of the sun represent the provinces of the Philippines; the American eagle and lion of Spain represent the nation's colonial past
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: collectively/Julian FELIPE
history: music adopted 1898 and lyrics adopted 1956; only sung in Tagalog
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Baroque Churches of the Philippines (c); Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (n); Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (c); Historic Vigan (c); Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park (n); Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (n)
Economy32
Economic overview
growing Southeast Asian economy; commercial rebound led by transportation, construction and financial services; electronics exports recovering from sector slowdown; significant remittances; interest rate rises following heightened inflation; uncertainties due to increased regional tensions with China
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $1.137 trillion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $1.078 trillion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 5.5% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 7.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $9,900 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $9,500 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$461.618 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 5.8% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 27.7% (2024 est.)
services: 63.2% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
sugarcane, rice, coconuts, maize, bananas, vegetables, tropical fruits, plantains, pineapples, cassava (2023)
Industries
semiconductors and electronics assembly, business process outsourcing, food and beverage manufacturing, construction, electric/gas/water supply, chemical products, radio/television/communications equipment and apparatus, petroleum and fuel, textile and garments, non-metallic minerals, basic metal industries, transport equipment
Industrial production growth rate
5.6% (2024 est.)
Labor force
50.979 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 2.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 5.6% (2024 est.)
female: 8.3% (2024 est.)
Population below poverty line
15.5% (2023 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.9% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
highest 10%: 31.6% (2023 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2023: 8.9% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 9.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $93.871 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
14.1% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: -$12.387 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$18.261 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $103.588 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $98.832 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
China 19%, USA 13%, Hong Kong 12%, Japan 11%, Germany 5% (2023)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, machine parts, gold, insulated wire, semiconductors (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $151.441 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $152.638 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 25%, Indonesia 8%, Japan 8%, S. Korea 6%, USA 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, coal (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $103.742 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $96.04 billion (2022 est.)
Debt - external
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy7
Electricity access
electrification - urban areas: 98%
electrification - rural areas: 91.1%
Electricity
consumption: 100.824 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 10.693 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels
solar
wind
hydroelectricity
geothermal
biomass and waste
Coal
consumption: 42.859 million metric tons (2023 est.)
exports: 8.151 million metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 36.542 million metric tons (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 361 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 457,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 138.5 million barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
consumption: 3.12 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 794.289 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 98.543 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 144 (2022 est.)
Broadcast media
multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers; over 1,400 radio stations; was scheduled to move to digital by the end of 2023 (2019)
Internet country code
.ph
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 7 (2023 est.)
Transportation6
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
RP
Airports
256 (2025)
Heliports
416 (2025)
Railways
standard gauge: 49 km (2017) 1.435-m gauge
narrow gauge: 28 km (2017) 1.067-m gauge
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 52, container ship 43, general cargo 955, oil tanker 207, other 946
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security6
Military and security forces
Department of Transportation: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); Department of the Interior: Philippine National Police Force (PNP) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 1.5% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 1.4% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 1.2% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 1.1% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 145,000 active Armed Forces (105,000 Army; 25,000 Navy, including about 8,000 Marine Corps; 15,000 Air Force) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the AFP is equipped with a mix of imported weapons systems from more than a dozen countries, including Brazil, Israel, South Korea, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation
some variations in age based on the branch of service, but generally 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
Military - note
maritime security is also a priority; the AFP's naval forces conduct naval interdiction missions in support of security operations on the southern islands, including joint maritime patrols with Indonesia and Malaysia; rising tensions with China over disputed waters and land features in the South China Sea since 2012 have spurred the AFP to place more emphasis on blue-water naval capabilities, including acquiring larger warships such as guided missile frigates, corvettes, offshore patrol vessels, and landing platform dock (LPD) amphibious assault ships
the Philippine military was formally organized during the American colonial period as the Philippine Army; they were established by the National Defense Act of 1935 and comprised of both Filipinos and Americans; the US and Philippines agreed to a mutual defense treaty in 1951; based on agreements signed in 2014 and 2023, the Philippine Government allows the rotational presence of US military forces, aircraft, and ships at up to nine bases in the Philippines; also in 2023, the US agreed to assist in modernizing Philippine defense capabilities, deepen interoperability, enhance bilateral planning and information-sharing, and combat transnational and nonconventional threats (2025)
Transnational Issues1
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 1,158,643 (2024 est.)
stateless persons: 30 (2024 est.)