12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
6 June 1523 (Gustav VASA elected king)
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)
Lutheran 87%, other (includes Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist) 13%
Languages
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Swedish, small Sami- and Finnish-speaking minorities
Exports
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
machinery 35%, motor vehicles, paper products, pulp and wood, iron and steel products, chemicals
External Debt
$61,720,000,000 $
$1,016,000,000,000 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)
Swedish kronor (SEK) per US dollar - 6.4074 (2008 est.), 6.7629 (2007), 7.3731 (2006), 7.4731 (2005), 7.3489 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
1.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
0
5
Location
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea, Gulf of Bothnia, Kattegat, and Skagerrak, between Finland and Norway
Area
300,000 km sq
450,295 km sq
Coastline
36,289 km
3,218 km
Climate
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
temperate in south with cold, cloudy winters and cool, partly cloudy summers; subarctic in north
