12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
20 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)
Religions
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)
Evangelical Lutheran 13.6%, Orthodox 12.8%, other Christian (including Methodist, Seventh-Day Adventist, Roman Catholic, Pentecostal) 1.4%, unaffiliated 34.1%, other and unspecified 32%, none 6.1% (2000 census)
Languages
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Estonian (official) 67.3%, Russian 29.7%, other 2.3%, unknown 0.7% (2000 census)
Exports
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
machinery and equipment 29%, wood and paper 13%, metals 10%, food products 8%, textiles 5%, chemical products (2007)
External Debt
$72,270,000,000 $
$25,220,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008 est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004)
krooni (EEK) per US dollar - 10.7 (2008), 11.535 (2007), 12.473 (2006), 12.584 (2005), 12.596 (2004) note: the krooni is pegged to the euro
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
2.000%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
2
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Eastern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland, between Latvia and Russia
Area
300,000 km sq
45,228 km sq
Coastline
36,289 km
3,794 km
Climate
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
