Philippines
Philippines defies simple categorization. Strong at #4 for high-tech exports, it stumbles on life expectancy. Test your assumptions about Philippines.
Philippines is a country in Asia with a population of 118.28M and an area of 342,353 km². Life expectancy is 69.8 years.
At a Glance
The numbers that define this country
Population Density
385.321How many people live in each square kilometer of land.
Land Area
298.2KTotal land area in square kilometers, excluding lakes, rivers, and territorial waters.
Internet Users (%)
84.0%The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
University Enrollment Rate
47.4%Total university and college enrollment as a percentage of the typical college-age population.
Human Development Index
0.72The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Where They Stand Out
Global rankings worth knowing
🌍Coastline Length
36.3KTotal coastline length from CIA World Factbook.
💰High-Tech Exports (%)
61.0%High-tech products (like computers, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace) as a percentage of total manufactured exports.
🔧Merchant Ships
2.2KMerchant marine fleet size from CIA World Factbook.
👥Population
118.28MThe total number of people living in the country.
🍻Spirits Consumption
3.53How many liters of spirits the average adult (15+) drinks per year.
Did You Know?
Facts that catch players off guard
Ranks #5 globally in coastline length
Coastline Length: 36.3K
Total coastline length from CIA World Factbook.
Ranks #4 globally in high-tech exports (%)
High-Tech Exports (%): 61.0%
High-tech products (like computers, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace) as a percentage of total manufactured exports.
World Bank 2023Ranks #11 globally in merchant ships
Merchant Ships: 2.2K
Merchant marine fleet size from CIA World Factbook.
Only ranks #129 in railway length
Railway Length: 77
Total railway length from CIA World Factbook.
Ranks #14 globally in population
Population: 118.28M
The total number of people living in the country.
World Bank 2023Surprised? See how you stack up.
Play NowHow Philippines Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
World Bank 2023Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
World Bank 2023Human Development Index
The Human Development Index (HDI), combining life expectancy, education, and income into a single score from 0 to 1.
Our World in Data 2023Internet Users
Above avgThe percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
World Bank 2023Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Test Your IntuitionAbout Philippines
The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century; they were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. Led by Emilio AGUINALDO, the Filipinos conducted an insurgency against US rule from 1899-1902, although some fighting continued in outlying islands as late as 1913. In 1935, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Manuel QUEZON was elected president and was tasked with preparing the country for independence after a 10-year transition. The islands fell under Japanese occupation during World War II, and US forces and Filipinos fought together during 1944-45 to regain control. On 4 July 1946 the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence.
Twenty-one years of authoritarian rule under Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a "people power" movement in Manila ("EDSA 1") forced him into exile and installed Corazon AQUINO as president. Several coup attempts hampered her presidency, and progress on political stability and economic development faltered until Fidel RAMOS was elected president in 1992. The US closed its last military bases on the islands the same year. Joseph ESTRADA was elected president in 1998. His vice-president, Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, succeded him in 2001 after ESTRADA's stormy impeachment trial on corruption charges broke down and another "people power" movement ("EDSA 2") demanded his resignation. MACAPAGAL-ARROYO was elected president in 2004. Corruption allegations marred her presidency, but the Philippine economy was one of the few to avoid contraction after the 2008 global financial crisis. Benigno AQUINO III was elected as president in 2010, followed by Rodrigo DUTERTE in 2016. During his term, DUTERTE pursued a controversial drug war that garnered international criticism for alleged human rights abuses. Ferdinand MARCOS, Jr. was elected president in 2022 with the largest popular vote in a presidential election since his father's ouster.
For decades, the country has been challenged by armed ethnic separatists, communist rebels, and Islamic terrorist groups, particularly in the southern islands and remote areas of Luzon.
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
- Climate
- tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
- Terrain
- mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
- Natural Resources
- timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
- Natural Hazards
- astride typhoon belt, usually affected by several cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m) has been deemed a Decade Volcano by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Mayon (2,462 m), the country's most active volcano, erupted in 2009 and forced over 33,000 to be evacuated; other historically active volcanoes include Biliran, Babuyan Claro, Bulusan, Camiguin, Camiguin de Babuyanes, Didicas, Iraya, Jolo, Kanlaon, Makaturing, Musuan, Parker, Pinatubo, and Ragang; see note 2 under "Geography - note"
- Size Comparison
- slightly less than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona
- Languages
- Tagalog 39.9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 16%, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo 7.3%, Ilocano 7.1%, Cebuano 6.5%, Bikol/Bicol 3.9%, Waray 2.6%, Kapampangan 2.4%, Maguindanao 1.4%, Pangasinan/Panggalato 1.3%, other languages/dialects 11.2%, unspecified 0.4% (2020 est.)
- Religions
- Roman Catholic 78.8%, Muslim 6.4%, Iglesia ni Cristo 2.6%, other Christian 3.9%, other 8.2%, none/unspecified <0.1 (2020 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Tagalog 26%, Bisaya/Binisaya 14.3%, Ilocano 8%, Cebuano 8%, Illonggo 7.9%, Bikol/Bicol 6.5%, Waray 3.8%, Kapampangan 3%, Maguindanao 1.9%, Pangasinan 1.9%, other local ethnicities 18.5%, foreign ethnicities 0.2% (2020 est.)
- Major Cities
- 14.667 million MANILA (capital), 1.949 million Davao, 1.025 million Cebu City, 931,000 Zamboanga, 960,000 Antipolo, 803,000 Cagayan de Oro City, 803,000 Dasmarinas (2023)
- Government Type
- presidential republic
- Capital
- Manila
- Capital Coordinates
- 14 36 N, 120 58 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Republic of the Philippines
- Name Origin
- named in honor of King PHILLIP II of Spain by Spanish explorer Ruy LOPEZ de VILLALOBOS, who visited the islands in 1543
- Independence
- 4 July 1946 (from the US)
- National Symbols
- three stars and sun, Philippine eagle
- National Anthem
- "Lupang Hinirang" (Chosen Land)
- UNESCO Heritage
- 6 (3 cultural, 3 natural)
- Overview
- growing Southeast Asian economy; commercial rebound led by transportation, construction and financial services; electronics exports recovering from sector slowdown; significant remittances; interest rate rises following heightened inflation; uncertainties due to increased regional tensions with China
- Industries
- semiconductors and electronics assembly, business process outsourcing, food and beverage manufacturing, construction, electric/gas/water supply, chemical products, radio/television/communications equipment and apparatus, petroleum and fuel, textile and garments, non-metallic minerals, basic metal industries, transport equipment
- Agricultural Products
- sugarcane, rice, coconuts, maize, bananas, vegetables, tropical fruits, plantains, pineapples, cassava (2023)
- Export Partners
- China 19%, USA 13%, Hong Kong 12%, Japan 11%, Germany 5% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- integrated circuits, machine parts, gold, insulated wire, semiconductors (2023)
- Import Partners
- China 25%, Indonesia 8%, Japan 8%, S. Korea 6%, USA 6% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- integrated circuits, refined petroleum, cars, crude petroleum, coal (2023)
- Military Forces
- Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force Department of Transportation: Philippine Coast Guard (PCG); Department of the Interior: Philippine National Police Force (PNP) (2025)
- Military Service
- some variations in age based on the branch of service, but generally 18-27 years of age for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 77.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 1.6% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); wind: 0.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); hydroelectricity: 9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); geothermal: 9.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); biomass and waste: 1.2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- multiple national private TV and radio networks; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; more than 400 TV stations; about 1,500 cable TV providers with more than 2 million subscribers; over 1,400 radio stations; was scheduled to move to digital by the end of 2023 (2019)
- Space Program
- has a small space program focused on acquiring satellites and related technologies, largely for climate studies, national security, and risk management; also prioritizing development of space expertise and industry; manufactures and operates satellites (mostly micro- and nano-sized), including remote sensing and scientific/experimental; has relations with a variety of foreign space agencies and industries, including those of China, the ESA (and some of its member states), India, Japan, Russia, and the US (2025)
Deep Dive
67 of 86 metricsEvery stat we track, organized by category
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British Indian Ocean TerritoryShare a Fact
Share something surprising about Philippines!
The total number of people living in the country.
Frequently Asked Questions about Philippines
Philippines has a population of 118.28M, ranking #14 globally by population.
Philippines is located in Asia. It has an area of 342,353 km².
Life expectancy in Philippines is 69.8 years, ranking #151 globally.
Philippines's GDP per capita (PPP) is 11.8K, ranking #131 globally.
Philippines ranks particularly high in Population (#14), Population Density (#29), Land Area (#72).
Philippines has an HDI of 0.720, ranking #119 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
Philippines has a population density of 385.3 people per km², ranking #29 globally.
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