AREA:
300,000 sq km (115,831 sq miles).
POPULATION: 71,538,593 (official estimate 1997).
POPULATION DENSITY:
238.5 per sq km.
CAPITAL: Manila.
Population: 10,000,000 (1994).
GEOGRAPHY: The Philippines lie
off the southeast coast of Asia between Taiwan and
Borneo in the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea. They
are composed of 7107 islands and islets, 2773 of which
are named. The two largest islands, Luzon in the north
and Mindanao in the south, account for 65% of the
total land area and contain 60% of the country's population.
Between the two lie the Visayas Islands.
LANGUAGE: Filipino, based on
Tagalog, is the national language. English is widely
spoken, Spanish less so. The Philippines is the third-largest
English-speaking country in the world. There are over
111 cultural and racial groups, each with its own
language or dialect.
RELIGION: 85% Roman
Catholic; the rest are made up mostly of Muslims,
other Christian denominations, Buddhists and Taoists.
TIME: GMT + 8.
ELECTRICITY: 220
volts (110 volts in Baguio) AC, 60Hz. 110 volts is
available in most hotels. Flat and round 2- and 3-pin
plugs are in use.
COMMUNICATIONS:
Telephone: IDD
is available to main towns. Country code: 63. International
calls to the smaller towns must be booked through
the operator. Outgoing international code: 00.
Fax: All 3- to 5-star
hotels, most government offices and most businesses
have facsimile services.
Telegram: Telegrams
can be sent from Eastern Telecommunications Philippines
Incorporated offices.
Post: Airmail to
Europe takes at least 5 days. Post office hours: 0800-1700
Monday to Friday.
Press: There are
about 20 daily newspapers. English-language daily
newspapers include the Philippine Daily Inquirer,
Manila Bulletin, Abante, Manila Chronicle, Philippine
Star, Manila Standard, The Manila Times, The Philippine
Daily Inquirer and Today.
BBC World Service and Voice
of America frequencies: From time to time
these change.
BBC:
MHz 15.36 11.96 9.740 7.110
Voice of America:
MHz 17.73 11.87 9.770 7.125
