
Philippines Guide
Philippines – country information
Country name | Philippines |
Official name | Republic of the Philippines |
Capital | Manila |
continent | Asia |
Area | 300 000 km |
Population | 99 275 100 (2014) |
Foundation of a state | 12. 6. 1898 |
The highest mountains | Apo 2954 m |
Longest rivers | Mindanao 551 km |
State system | a presidential-type pluralistic republic with a bicameral parliament |
The biggest cities | Manila (Capital) 2,075,000 (Agglomeration 9,500,000), Queton City 1,850,000, Davao 1,025,000 |
Official language | Filipino, English |
Religious affiliation | Roman Catholic 85%, Philippine Independent Church 6%, Muslim 4.5%, Protestant 3.5% |
Currency | 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos |
gross domestic product (GDP) | US$4,380 (2012) |
Average life expectancy of the population | 70.21 let (2006) |
Structure of GDP | agriculture, forestry and fishing 20.5%, mining 1.5%, industry 28%, construction 5%, services 45% |
Country overview
According to Abbreviationfinder, the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands about 800 km off the coast of China and more than 1,000 km off the coast of Southeast Asia.
Country data
Location: Southeast Asia
Time zone: CET + 7 (during summer time: CET + 6)
Total area: 300,000 km²
Land area: 298,170 km²
Water area: 1,830 km²
Length of the state border: 0 km
Coastline: 36,289 km
Capital: Manila
Provinces: 80
Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain Province, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Quezon, Quirino, Rizal, Romblon, Samar, Sarangani, Siquijor, Sorsogon, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Sultan Kudarat, Sulu,Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Tarlac, Tawi-Tawi, Zambales, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay
Free cities: 39
Angeles, Antipolo, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga
Electric current: 220 V / 60 Hz
Telephone code: 00 63 (Source: Allcitycodes)
Highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
Population
Population: approx. 108 million residents (Countryaah, 2021)
Population growth: 1.8% per year
Population density (residents per km²): 360
Life expectancy: 70 (male), 76 (female)
Official language: Filipino (Tagalog), English
Religions:
- 83% Roman Catholic
- 5% Muslim
- 3% Evangelical
- 9% other
Climate
Across the country, temperatures fluctuate between 15 ° C (January) and 40 ° C (May) throughout the year.
Rain must be expected all year round, but most rain falls from the beginning of June to the end of October.
Isolated typhoons occur from July to August.
Currency / finance
Currency unit: Philippine Peso (PHP)
Classification: 1 Peso = 100 Centavos / Sentimos
ATMs: There are numerous ATMs in major cities.
International credit cards: These are accepted by many hotels and shops.
Regulations: Foreign currencies can be imported and exported in unlimited amounts. The local currency can be carried up to an amount of PHP 10,000.
If the local currency is to be carried above this limit, approval from the Central Bank of the Philippines is required. Compliance is very strictly controlled!
It is difficult to change money outside the capital.
However, you should always make sure that you only change money at officially authorized banks and that you keep the receipts well until you leave the country.
Customs regulations
The following may be carried duty-free:
- 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 g tobacco
- 2 bottles of alcoholic beverages (max. 1 liter each)
- small amounts of perfume
(Information applies to people aged 18 and over)
Tourists and people in transit can bring items of personal use with them duty-free.
Night vision devices, pornographic material, weapons and drugs of all kinds are not permitted.
Travel advice
Due to the poor security situation, you are warned against traveling to the following regions:
- Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM)
- Davao Region (Region XI) (excluding Davao City)
- Northern Mindanao (Region X)
- Soccsksargen (Region XII)
- South Palawan (south of Puerto Princesa)
- all Sulu Islands (Basilan, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi etc.)
- Sulu lake
- Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
There have already been several bomb attacks. Since further attacks cannot be ruled out, you should avoid large gatherings of people and exercise particular caution.
Warning level 1 continues to apply to the Bulusan volcano on Luzon and the Kanlaon volcano on the island of Negros. A barrier area of 4 km each has been set up.
Behavioral advice
The crime rate is extremely high. Theft, assault and violent crimes against tourists are very common.
Since President Duterte took office, a particularly tough war against drugs has been waged in the Philippines, very high prison sentences and the death penalty for possession or trafficking in drugs. Foreigners are often punished particularly severely.
In the rainy season from June to November there are often heavy local rains, which are often accompanied by floods and landslides. Please note the information provided by the local authorities.
Economy
The economy has developed significantly in recent years.
In addition to the mined mineral resources, products from agriculture (bananas, coconuts, corn, rice, sugar cane) are among the main export items.
Industries: chemistry, fishing, wood processing, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, textiles
Natural resources: gold, wood, cobalt, copper, nickel, petroleum, salt, silver
Land use:
- Usable land: 19%
- Grain cultivation: 12%
- Pasture area: 4%
- Forests: 46%
- other: 19%
Plants
Since the Philippines has a favorable geographical location for vegetation, there are many thousands of different tree and plant species.
In the dense forests there are mainly oaks, pines, coconut palms, mangroves and bamboo trees.
However, since large areas are cleared in order to gain cultivation land for rice, the formerly extensive grass areas in particular have been destroyed.
Animals
The Philippines are particularly suitable for those interested in nature because of the many species of butterflies that live there.
Several hundred species of birds and small animals can also be found here.
The largest wild animals include wild boar, roe deer and deer.