Country facts
- Official name: Republic of the Philippines
- License plate: RP
- ISO-3166: PH, PHL (608)
- Internet domain:.ph
- Currency: 1 Philippine Peso (₱) = 100 Centavo
- Area: 300,000 km²
- Population (2018): 106.7 million
- Capital: Manila
- Official language (s): Filipino
- Form of government: Presidential Republic
- Administrative division: 16 regions and the Autonomous Region of Mindanao
- Head of State: President Rodrigo Duterte
- Religion (s) (2010): 80.6% Roman Catholic, 8.2% Protestants, 3.4% other Christians, 5.6% Muslim, 0.2% popular belief, 2% other and no denomination
- Time zone: Central European Time +7 hours
- National holiday: June 12th
Location and infrastructure
- Location (geographical): Southeast Asia
- Location (coordinates): between 4 ° 23 ‘and 21 ° 25’ north latitude and 116 ° 55 ‘and 126 ° 36’ east longitude
- Climate: Tropical monsoon climate
- Highest mountain: Mt. Apo (2,954 m)
- Road network (2014): 61 093 km (paved), 155 294 km (unpaved)
- Railway network (2019): 1144 km
Population
- Annual population growth (2020): 1.5%
- Birth rate (2020): 22.9 per 1000 residents.
- Death rate (2020): 6 per 1000 pop.
- Average age (2020): 24.1 years
- Average life expectancy (2020): 70 years (men 66.5; women 73.8)
- Age structure (2020): 32.4% younger than 15 years, 4.9% older than 65 years
- Literacy rate (15-year-olds and older) (2015): 98.2%
- Mobile phone contracts (pre-paid and post-paid) (2017): 110 per 100 residents
- Internet users (2017): 60 per 100 residents
Economy
- GDP per capita (2018): US $ 3,104
- Total GDP (2018): $ 331 billion
- GNI per capita (2018): US $ 3,830
- Education expenditure (2009): 2.7% of GDP
- Military expenditure (2018): 1.1% of GDP
- Unemployment rate (15 years and older) (2017): 2.8%
Location
The archipelago is located in the northeastern part of the Malay Archipelago. It has a maximum north-south extension of 1,851 km and a maximum west-east extension of 1 107 km. Of the more than 7,100 islands, only 357 cover an area of 2.5 km 2, 47 are more than 100 km 2 and 13 are more than 1,000 km 2. About 800 islands are inhabited. The two main islands of Luzon (104,688 km 2) and Mindanao (94,630 km 2) alone account for around two thirds of the land area.
The largest islands in the Philippines
| Largest islands (in km 2) | |
| Luzon | 104 688 |
| Mindanao | 94 630 |
| Palawan | 14 896 |
| Samar | 13 400 |
| Negros | 12 705 |
| Panay | 11 515 |
| Mindoro | 9 735 |
| Leyte | 7 214 |
| Cebu | 5 088 |
| Bohol | 4 117 |
| Masbate | 4048 |
In terms of natural space, the country is divided into three parts: in the north Luzon and neighboring islands with a total of 141 395 km 2, in the south Mindanao and neighboring islands with a total of 101 999 km 2, in between the islands of the Visayas with a total of 56 606 km 2. Mountains, hilly landscapes, plateaus and the cones of over 100 volcanoes determine the landscapes of the Philippines. Of the volcanoes, 21 are still active today, including the particularly evenly shaped Mount Mayon and Mount Pinatubo, which erupted again in 1991 for the first time in over 600 years.
Mountains particularly shape the main island of Luzon, which is crossed by several meridional mountain chains, the Cordillera Central with Mount Pulog (2,928 m above sea level) and the Sierra Madre in the east, which is increasingly threatened by (partly illegal) logging.
According to bridgat, the highest point in the country is Mt. Apo (2,954 m above sea level) on Mindanao. Likewise, on the three most populous Visayas islands Panay, Negros and Cebu, the central, often strongly indented mountain ranges (up to 2,465 m above sea level) determine the landscape; The other larger islands of Mindoro and the archipelago of Palawan in the west and Leyte and Samar in the east have a similar natural structure. In contrast, educate on Mindanao Highlands (in the center) and hilly landscapes are the defining elements of form. Except for Luzon and Mindanao, hardly any island has larger plains. Therefore, the confluences of the numerous, mostly small rivers form the preferred settlement area. The economic and political core of the Philippines forms the “central level” on Luzon, which extends immediately north of the capital Manila to the Gulf of Lingayen. Further plains are the Cagayan Valley (Luzon) and the lowlands of Agusan and Cotabato (Mindanao).
Vegetation and wildlife
The Philippine flora and fauna are characterized by an extraordinary biodiversity. Larger predatory game is not represented among the approximately 220 species of mammals, but several species have developed dwarf forms, e. B. the dwarf deer (Mouse Deer, Tragulus nigricans) in the south of the island of Palawan, the dwarf buffalo (Tamarau, Bubalus mindorensis) living wild in the mountains of Mindoro and various species of dwarf monkey. The most important livestock is the water buffalo (Carabao). The most famous representative of the bird world (around 580 species) is the country’s national bird, the monkey eagle (Haribon, Pithecophaga jefferyi), which is threatened with extinction and can only be found in a few protected areas. Also to be mentioned are numerous species of snakes and lizards, among others. the up to 2 m long monitor monitor (Varanus salvator), colorful butterflies (including on Palawan, Cebu and Mindanao) and an extremely diverse marine fauna.
Palawan
Palawan, archipelago of the Philippines, 14 896 km 2 land area, 1.1 million residents; The main town is Puerto Princesa. As a result of the abundant fishing grounds, the oil production, the mining and the abundance of wood as well as its natural beauty (Tubbata reef on the southeast coast of the island of Palawan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Palawan has considerable economic importance; however, the infrastructure is still very backward. On the main island of Palawan (11,785 km2) discoveries were made in 1962 that date back to around 30,000 BC. Evidence of human settlement (tabon caves). The Aeta and ancient Indonesian tribes who later settled here have been pushed back by immigrants from Luzon to the undeveloped, wooded mountain areas (up to 2,085 m above sea level) since the beginning of the 20th century. The Muslim population (Balabac) predominates in the south of the archipelago. In the few coastal plains, especially in the east, rice, maize, coconut trees, bananas, sugar cane and vegetables are grown. Only 15% of the archipelago is used for agriculture. Breakdown of nickel, manganese, chrome ore and mercury. The important inshore fishing serves v. a. supplying the metropolitan area of Manila.