Head of state: Prime minister - elect : Yingluck Shinawatra
President: Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino
Population
67,091,089
103,775,002
Life Expectancy
73.830 years
71.940 years
Capital City
Bangkok
Manila
Largest city
Bangkok (population: 5,104,480)
Manila (population: 10,444,500)
Human Development Index
0.786
0.745
GDP per capita
$9,500 US
$4,100 US
Literacy Rate
92.6%
92.6%
Corruption Perception Index
3.5
2.3
Percentage of Women in Parliament
12.7%
20.2%
Wealthiest Citizens
Chaleo Yoovidhya ($3.7bn US)
Henry Sy & family ($2.7bn US)
Unemployment Rate
0.700%
7.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Abolished
Political System
constitutional monarchy
republic
Independence date
1238 (traditional founding date; never colonized)
12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
Religions
Buddhist 94.6%, Muslim 4.6%, Christian 0.7%, other 0.1% (2000 census)
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)
Languages
Thai, English (secondary language of the elite), ethnic and regional dialects
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Exports
textiles and footwear, fishery products, rice, rubber, jewelry, automobiles, computers and electrical appliances
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
External Debt
$115,600,000,000 $
$72,270,000,000 US
Exchange Rate
baht per US dollar - 33.37 (2008 est.), 34.52 (2007), 37.882 (2006), 40.22 (2005), 40.222 (2004)
Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar - 44.439 (2008 est.), 46.148 (2007), 51.246 (2006), 55.086 (2005), 56.04 (2004)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
1.800%
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
4
0
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of Burma
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Area
513,120 km sq
300,000 km sq
Coastline
3,219 km
36,289 km
Climate
tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
