+63 is the dialing code for Philippines.
The Philippines consists of over 7,000 islands, of which nearly 900 are inhabited, east of the Asian mainland. The majority of the residents are of Malay origin, but hundreds of years of Spanish colonization and American dominance during the first half of the 20th century have left traces in the culture. Ever since independence in 1946, politics and the economy have been dominated by a small number of wealthy families. However, the incumbent president, Rodrigo Duterte, does not belong to the country’s traditional elite. His government is accused of widespread violations of human rights. The country has, for decades, been shaken by a communist revolt in the north and a Muslim separatist uprising in the south.
- Abbreviationfinder: Brief profiles of Philippines, including geography, history, politics, economics as well as common acronyms about this country.
Geography and climate
The Philippines consists of over 7,100 islands. Most of them are small, the eleven largest make up 92 percent of the land mass. Largest are Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south. Between Luzon and Mindanao lies the Visayas archipelago and southwest of the Mindanao Sulu Islands.
The country is surrounded by the South China Sea in the west, Lake Sulus in the southwest, Lake Celebes in the south and the Pacific Ocean in the east with the Philippine tomb, whose largest depth is 10,430 meters.
The islands inland are high and mountainous, between 1,200 and 2,400 meters above sea level. There are about 10 active volcanoes, including Pinatubo on Luzon, which suffered a major outbreak in 1991, requiring 600 casualties. Earthquakes are common.
Country Facts
Geography
| Cultivated land | 41 % |
| Land area | 300000 km 2 |
Population and health
| Population development | 1.61 ‰ |
| Urban population (Urbanization) | 44.4 % |
| Death rate | 6.11 per 1000 residents |
| Life expectancy: Women | 72.62 years |
| Life expectancy: Men | 65.47 years |
| Birth rate | 24.27 births per 1000 residents |
| HDI index | 0.668 |
| Population | 100998376 |
| Infant mortality | 22.34 deaths / 1000 births |
Population Graph Source: Countryaah.com
Energy
| Electricity, production | 75270 million kWh |
| Energy consumption per resident | 443.2 kg. oil per resident |
| Natural gas, production | 3470 million cubic meters |
| Crude oil, production | million tons |
Infrastructure
| Internet users | 39.4 per 100 residents |
| Mobile subscriptions | 112 per 100 residents |
| Passenger cars | 30 per 1000 residents |
Business and economics
| Unemployment | 6.3% of the workforce |
| GDP | 7300 per resident |
| Primary occupations | 32 % |
| Secondary profession | 15 % |
| Tertiary professions | 53 % |
Larger plains are found only at Luzon and Mindanao. Large parts of the country’s surface were previously covered by forests – tropical rainforests on the plains and in the lower mountains and coniferous forests on the higher mountains. Along the coasts there are often forests of mangroves. Since the 1960s, most of the lowland forests have been harvested.
The Philippines’ claim to the strategically located Sprat Islands (in the Philippines is called the Kayalaan archipelago) in the South China Sea creates friction in its contacts with China in particular (see Foreign Policy and Defense).
The tropical sea climate of the Philippines can sometimes be very depressing. The summer from May to October, when the southwest monsoon sweeps over the islands, is often rainy with high humidity. The winter from November to March is milder than the summer, but only in the north can you notice a noticeably cooler season. The temperature is also lower in the mountainous regions
The warm, short spring falls between March and May. It rains most in the western part of the country, except during the winter months when the eastern part receives the most rainfall.
The Philippines is often hit by storms and typhoons. The islands in the north are particularly vulnerable. Extensive logging has contributed to severe landslides in connection with storms (see also Natural Resources and Energy). A tropical storm in 2013 demanded over 6,000 human lives and caused major material damage (see also Current Policy).
Links
- Climate research: what can we learn from the Typhoon Haiyan text in English from Spiegel online
FACTS – GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE
Surface
300,000 km2 (2018)
Time
Swedish + 7 hours
Capital with number of residents
Manila 1,780,000 (including suburbs 12,880,000)
Other major cities
Davao City, Cebu, Zamboanga, Cagayan de Oro City, Parañaque City, Valenzuela City
Highest mountain
Mount Apo (2954 m asl)
Important rivers
Cagayan (Luzon), Pulangi (Mindanao)
Average Precipitation / month
Manila 30 mm (per month, December to April), 367 mm (per month during July-September)
Average / day
Manila just over 25 °C (Jan), 29 °C (May)
2014
November
Reconstruction plan after cyclone Hayian ready
President Aquino approves a $ 3.6 billion reconstruction plan for tropical cyclone Hayian. The money will be used, among other things, to build temporary housing for those affected, until more permanent housing can be built.
October
Murders trigger anti-American sentiments
Suspicions that an American soldier murdered a transsexual person are provoking protests against the new defense agreement with the United States (see April 2014).
September
Bills for peace agreements with Milf are presented at the congress
President Aquino presents a bill linked to the peace deal with Milf for Congress. This is considered to have strong support in both chambers, but it is said that it may take until 2015 before it can be adopted. Few assessors believe that it will go through in its current form, and it is likely that the government and Milf must continue to negotiate amendments to the proposal.
200,000 homeless after storm
A tropical storm, Fung-Wong, causes flooding in Manila. At least 200,000 people are forced to leave their homes.
Chinese tourists are warned to visit the Philippines
China warns Chinese tourists not to visit the Philippines.
August
The Philippines takes home UN soldiers from the Golan Heights
The Philippines decides to take home more than 300 soldiers from a UN operation at Golan Heights, citing the increasingly uncertain situation in the area.
April
New defense agreement with the United States
The Philippines and the United States enter into a new defense agreement.
Prosecutions are brought against corruption-accused senators
Prosecutions are brought against three senators, Enrile, Ramon “Bong” Revilla and José “Jinggoy” Estrada, who were suspected of crimes in connection with the PDAF scandal (see June 2013). They are arrested in June 2014.
The Supreme Court gives clear signs of contraception
The Supreme Court approves the new law on contraception (see December 2013 and March 2013)
March
Communist leaders are arrested
Benito Tiamzon and his wife Wilma Austria are arrested. According to the military, they are leaders of both the CPP and the left-wing NPA.