republic under transition to multiparty democratic rule
republic
Independence date
12 June 1898 (independence proclaimed from Spain); 4 July 1946 (from the US)
Religions
Christian 29%, Muslim 20%, indigenous beliefs 51%
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
French (official and the language of commerce), Ewe and Mina (the two major African languages in the south), Kabye (sometimes spelled Kabiye) and Dagomba (the two major African languages in the north)
Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan
Exports
semiconductors and electronic products, transport equipment, garments, copper products, petroleum products, coconut oil, fruits
External Debt
$72,270,000,000 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)
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
0.900%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Western Africa, bordering the Bight of Benin, between Benin and Ghana
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
Area
56,785 km sq
300,000 km sq
Coastline
56 km
36,289 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid in south; semiarid in north
tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
