PHP to HKD Live Rate

Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam

Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

13 00 N, 122 00 E

22 15 N, 114 10 E

Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia

total: 300,000 sq km

land: 298,170 sq km

water: 1,830 sq km

country comparison to the world: 74

total: 1,108 sq km

land: 1,073 sq km

water: 35 sq km

country comparison to the world: 184

0 km

total: 33 km

regional border(s) (1): China 33 km

36,289 km

733 km

territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea as wide as 285 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm

continental shelf: to the depth of exploitation

territorial sea: 12 nm

tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands

hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

mean elevation: 442 m

elevation extremes: lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m

mean elevation: NA

elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Tai Mo Shan 958 m

timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper

outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

agricultural land: 41%

arable land 18.2%; permanent crops 17.8%; permanent pasture 5%

forest: 25.9%

other: 33.1% (2011 est.)

agricultural land: 5%

arable land 3.2%; permanent crops 0.9%; permanent pasture 0.9%

forest: 0%

other: 95% (2011 est.)

16,270 sq km (2012)

10 sq km (2012)

population concentrated where good farmlands lie; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one-eighth of the entire national population

population fairly evenly distributed

astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms each year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis

volcanism: significant volcanic activity; Taal (311 m), which has shown recent unrest and may erupt in the near future, 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 forcing 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

occasional typhoons

uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

air and water pollution from rapid urbanization

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling

signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

party to: Marine Dumping (associate member), Ship Pollution (associate member)

note 1: favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

note 2: for decades, the Philippine archipelago was reported as having 7,107 islands; in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that hundreds of new islands had been discovered and increased the number of islands to 7,641 - though not all of the new islands have been verified

consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and more than 200 islands

six times the size of Washington, DC

104,256,076 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

7,191,503 (July 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 100

noun: Filipino(s)

adjective: Philippine

noun: Chinese/Hong Konger

adjective: Chinese/Hong Kong

Tagalog 28.1%, Cebuano 13.1%, Ilocano 9%, Bisaya/Binisaya 7.6%, Hiligaynon Ilonggo 7.5%, Bikol 6%, Waray 3.4%, other 25.3% (2000 census)

Chinese 92%, Filipino 2.5%, Indonesian 2.1%, other 3.4% (2016 est.)

Filipino (official; based on Tagalog) and English (official); eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinan

Cantonese (official) 88.9%, English (official) 4.3%, Mandarin (official) 1.9%, other Chinese dialects 3.1%, other 1.9% (2016 est.)

Catholic 82.9% (Roman Catholic 80.9%, Aglipayan 2%), Muslim 5%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, other Christian 4.5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3%

note: many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation (2016 est.)

total dependency ratio: 58.2

youth dependency ratio: 51

elderly dependency ratio: 7.2

potential support ratio: 13.8 (2015 est.)

total dependency ratio: 35.9

youth dependency ratio: 15.2

elderly dependency ratio: 20.7

potential support ratio: 4.8 (2015 est.)

total: 23.5 years

male: 23.1 years

female: 24 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 169

total: 44.4 years

male: 43.5 years

female: 45 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

1.57% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 70

0.32% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 166

23.7 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

8.9 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 208

6.1 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

7.4 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 117

-2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 162

1.7 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

population concentrated where good farmlands lie; highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one-eighth of the entire national population

population fairly evenly distributed

urban population: 44.2% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 1.57% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

urban population: 100% of total population (2017)

rate of urbanization: 0.64% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

MANILA (capital) 12.946 million; Davao 1.63 million; Cebu City 951,000; Zamboanga 936,000 (2015)

Hong Kong 7.26 million (2014)

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.84 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.72 male(s)/female

total population: 1.01 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

at birth: 1.1 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.12 male(s)/female

15-24 years: 1.08 male(s)/female

25-54 years: 0.74 male(s)/female

55-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female

total population: 0.87 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

23 years

note: median age at first birth among women 25-29 (2013 est.)

29.8 years (2008 est.)

114 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 71

total: 21.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 24.3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 18.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 77

total: 2.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 3 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 216

total population: 69.4 years

male: 65.9 years

female: 73.1 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 162

total population: 83 years

male: 80.4 years

female: 85.9 years (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 7

3.02 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

1.19 children born/woman (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 221

55.1% (2013)

74.8% (2012)

4.7% of GDP (2014)

country comparison to the world: 152

1 beds/1,000 population (2011)

5.33 beds/1,000 population (2016)

improved:

urban: 93.7% of population

rural: 90.3% of population

total: 91.8% of population

unimproved:

urban: 6.3% of population

rural: 9.7% of population

total: 8.2% of population (2015 est.)

improved:

urban: 77.9% of population

rural: 70.8% of population

total: 73.9% of population

unimproved:

urban: 22.1% of population

rural: 29.2% of population

total: 26.1% of population (2015 est.)

0.1% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 108

56,000 (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

NA

<1000 (2016 est.)

NA

degree of risk: high

food or waterborne diseases: bacterial diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever

vectorborne diseases: dengue fever and malaria

water contact disease: leptospirosis (2016)

6.4% (2016)

country comparison to the world: 168

19.9% (2013)

country comparison to the world: 29

2.7% of GDP (2009)

country comparison to the world: 149

3.3% of GDP (2017)

country comparison to the world: 124

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 96.3%

male: 95.8%

female: 96.8% (2015 est.)

total: 13 years

male: 12 years

female: 13 years (2013)

total: 16 years

male: 16 years

female: 16 years (2014)

total: 15%

male: 14.3%

female: 16% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

total: 9.9%

male: 10.9%

female: 8.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 129

1.91 physicians/1,000 population (2016)

conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines

conventional short form: Philippines

local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas

local short form: Pilipinas

etymology: named in honor of King PHILLIP II of Spain by Spanish explorer Ruy LOPEZ de VILLALOBOS, who visited some of the islands in 1543

conventional long form: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

conventional short form: Hong Kong

local long form: Heung Kong Takpit Hangching Ku (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang Tebie Xingzhengqu (Hanyu Pinyin)

local short form: Heung Kong (Eitel/Dyer-Ball); Xianggang (Hanyu Pinyin)

abbreviation: HK

etymology: probably an imprecise phonetic rendering of the Cantonese name meaning "fragrant harbor"

presidential republic

presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

name: Manila

geographic coordinates: 14 36 N, 120 58 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

80 provinces and 39 chartered cities

provinces: 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, Cotabato, 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, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, 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

chartered cities: 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 (2012)

none (special administrative region of the People's Republic of China)

4 July 1946 (from the US)

none (special administrative region of China)

Independence Day, 12 June (1898); note - 12 June 1898 was date of declaration of independence from Spain; 4 July 1946 was date of independence from the US

National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949); note - 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

history: several previous; latest ratified 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

amendments: proposed by Congress if supported by three-fourths of the membership, by a constitution convention called by Congress, or by public petition; passage by either of the 3 proposal methods requires a majority vote in a national referendum; note - the constitution has not been amended since its enactment in 1987 (2017)

history: several previous (governance documents while under British authority); latest drafted April 1988 to February 1989, approved March 1990, effective 1 July 1997 (Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China serves as the constitution); note - since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

amendments: proposed by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the People’s Republic of China State Council, and the Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong; submittal of proposals to the NPC requires two-thirds majority vote by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, approval by two-thirds of Hong Kong’s deputies to the NPC, and approval by the Hong Kong chief executive; final passage requires approval by the NPC

mixed legal system of civil, common, Islamic, and customary law

mixed legal system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure)

accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction with reservations; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of the Philippines

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

see China

18 years of age; universal

18 years of age in direct elections for half of the Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years; note - in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other half of the legislature and a 1,200-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

chief of state: President Rodrigo DUTERTE (since 30 June 2016); Vice President Leni ROBREDO (since 30 June 2016); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government: President Rodrigo DUTERTE (since 30 June 2016); Vice President Leni ROBREDO (since 30 June 2016)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president with the consent of the Commission of Appointments, an independent body of 25 Congressional members including the Senate president (ex officio chairman), appointed by the president

elections/appointments: president and vice president directly elected on separate ballots by simple majority popular vote for a single 6-year term; election last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2022)

election results: Rodrigo DUTERTE elected president; percent of vote - Rodrigo DUTERTE (PDP-Laban) 39%, Manuel "Mar" ROXAS (LP) 23.5%, Grace POE (independent) 21.4%, Jejomar BINAY (UNA) 12.7%, Miriam Defensor SANTIAGO (PRP) 3.4%; Leni ROBREDO elected vice president; percent of vote Leni ROBREDO (LP) 35.1%, Bongbong MARCOS (independent) 34.5%, Alan CAYETANO 14.4%, Francis ESCUDERO (independent) 12%, Antonio TRILLANES (independent) 2.1%, Gregorio HONASAN (UNA) 1.9%

chief of state: President of China XI Jinping (since 14 March 2013)

head of government: Chief Executive Carrie LAM (since 1 July 2017)

cabinet: Executive Council or ExCo appointed by the chief executive

elections/appointments: president indirectly elected by National People's Congress for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 5-17 March 2013 (next to be held in March 2018); chief executive indirectly elected by the Election Committee and appointed by the PRC Government for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 26 March 2017 (next to be held in 2022)

election results: Carrie LAM elected chief executive; Election Committee vote - Carrie LAM 777, John TSANG 365, WOO Kwok-hing 21, invalid 23

note: the Legislative Council voted in June 2010 to expand the Election Committee to 1,200 members

description: bicameral Congress or Kongreso consists of the Senate or Senado (24 seats; members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by majority vote; members serve 6-year terms with one-half of the membership renewed every 3 years) and the House of Representatives or Kapulungan Ng Mga Kinatawan (297 seats; 238 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 59 representing minorities directly elected by party-list proportional representation vote; members serve 3-year terms)

elections: Senate - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2019); House of Representatives - elections last held on 9 May 2016 (next to be held in May 2019)

election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - LP 31.3%, NPC 10.1%, UNA 7.6%, Akbayan 5.0%, other 30.9%, independent 15.1%; seats by party - LP 6, NPC 3, UNA 4, Akbayan 1, other 10; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - LP 41.7%, NPC 17.0%, UNA 6.6%, NUP 9.7%, NP 9.4%, independent 6.0%, others 10.1%; seats by party - LP 115, NPC 42, NUP 23, NP 24, UNA 11, other 19, independent 4, party-list 59

description: unicameral Legislative Council or LegCo (70 seats; 35 members directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by party-list proportional representation vote; 30 members indirectly elected by the approximately 220,000 members of various functional constituencies based on a variety of methods; five at large “super-seat” members directly elected by all of Hong Kong’s eligible voters who do not participate in a functional constituency; members serve 4-year terms)

elections: last held on 4 September 2016; (next to be held in September 2020); note - by-election to be held on 11 March 2018 to fill 4 seats left vacant after 4 legislators were removed from office

election results: percent of vote by block - pro-democracy 36.0%; pro-Beijing 40.2%, localist 19.0%, other 4.8%; seats by block/party - pro-Beijing 40 (DAB 12, BPA 7, FTU 5, Liberal Party 4, NPP 3, other 9); pro-democracy 23 (Democratic Party 7, Civic Party 6, PP-LSD 2, Professional Commons 2, Labor 1, NWSC 1, PTU 1, other democrats 3), localists 6 (ALLin HK 2, CP-PPI-HKRO 1, Demosisto 1, Democracy Groundwork 1, other localist 1), non-aligned independent 1; note - 2 localists were barred from taking office in November 2016 and 4 pro-democracy legislators were removed in July 2017

highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of a chief justice and 14 associate justices)

judge selection and term of office: justices are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the Judicial and Bar Council, a constitutionally created, 6-member body that recommends Supreme Court nominees; justices serve until age 70

subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan (special court for corruption cases of government officials); Court of Tax Appeals; regional, metropolitan, and municipal trial courts; sharia courts

highest court(s): Court of Final Appeal (consists of the chief justice, 3 permanent judges, and 20 non-permanent judges); note - a sitting bench consists of the chief justice and 3 permanent judges and 1 non-permanent judge

judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the Hong Kong Chief Executive upon the recommendation of the Judicial Officers Recommendation Commission, an independent body consisting of the Secretary for Justice, other judges, and judicial and legal professionals; permanent judges appointed until normal retirement at age 65, but can be extended; non-permanent judges appointed for renewable 3-year terms without age limit

subordinate courts: High Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and Court of First Instance); District Courts (includes Family and Land Courts); magistrates' courts; specialized tribunals

Akbayon [Machris CABREROS]

Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (Struggle of Filipino Democrats) or LDP [Edgardo ANGARA]

Lakas ng EDSA-Christian Muslim Democrats or Lakas-CMD [Ferdinand Martin ROMUALDEZ]

Liberal Party or LP [Francis PANGILINAN]

Nacionalista Party or NP [Manuel "Manny" VILLAR]

Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC [Eduardo COJUNGCO, Jr.]

National Unity Party or NUP [Albert GARCIA]

PDP-Laban [Aquilino PIMENTEL III]

People's Reform Party or PRP [Narcisco SANTIAGO]

Puwersa ng Masang Pilipino (Force of the Philippine Masses) or PMP [Joseph ESTRADA]

United Nationalist Alliance or UNA

parties:

ALLinHK (alliance of 6 localist groups)

Business and Professional Alliance or BPA [LO Wai-kwok]

Civic Party [Alvin YEUNG]

Civic Passion or CP [CHENG Chung-tai] (part of Civic Passion-Proletariat Political Institute-Hong Kong Resurgence Order alliance or CP-PPI-HKRO that dissolved after the 2016 election)

Democracy Groundwork [LAU Siu-lai]

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB [Starry LEE Wai-king]

Democratic Party [WU Chi-wai]

Demosisto [Nathan LAW]

Federation of Trade Unions or FTU [Stanley NG Chau-pei]

Labor Party [Steven Kwok Wing-kin]

League of Social Democrats or LSD [Avery NG Man-yuen]

Liberal Party [Felix CHUNG Kwok-pan]

Neighborhood and Workers Service Center or NWSC [LEUNG Yui-chung]

New People's Party or NPP [Regina IP Lau Su-yee]

People Power or PP [Raymond CHAN]

Youngspiration [Sixtus "Baggio" LEUNG Chung-hang]

others:

Professional Commons (think tank) [Charles Peter MOK]

Professional Teachers Union or PTU

note: political blocks include: pro-democracy - Civic Party, Democratic Party, Labor Party, LSD, NWSC, PP, Professional Commons, PTU; pro-Beijing - DAB, FTU, Liberal Party, NPP, BPA; localist - ALLinHK, CP, Democracy Groundwork, Demosisto; there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies

Black and White Movement or BWM [Vicente ROMANO]

People Action (Kilosbayan)

Chinese General Chamber of Commerce (pro-China)

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong

Civic Act-up (pro-democracy)

Federation of Hong Kong Industries

Hong Kong Alliance in Support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement in China [Albert HO] (pro-China)

Hong Kong and Kowloon Trade Union Council or HKTUC (pro-democracy)

Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce or HKGCC

Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union or HKPTU [FUNG Wai-wah]

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, CD, CICA (observer), CP, EAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, MINUSTAH, NAM, OAS (observer), OPCW, PCA, PIF (partner), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, Union Latina, UNMIL, UNMOGIP, UNOCI, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Manuel del Gallego ROMUALDEZ (since 29 November 2017)

chancery: 1600 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] (202) 467-9300

FAX: [1] (202) 328-7614

consulate(s) general: Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, Saipan (Northern Mariana Islands), San Francisco, Tamuning (Guam)

none (Special Administrative Region of China); Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US Government and other US entities

commissioner: Clement C.M. LEUNG

office: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036

telephone: [1] 202 331-8947

FAX: [1] 202 331-8958

HKETO offices: New York, San Francisco

chief of mission: Ambassador Sung KIM (since 6 December 2016)

embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Manila 1000

mailing address: PSC 500, FPO AP 96515-1000

telephone: [63] (2) 301-2000

FAX: [63] (2) 301-2017

chief of mission: Consul General Kurt W. TONG (since 27 August 2016); note - also accredited to Macau

consulate(s) general: 26 Garden Road, Hong Kong

mailing address: Unit 8000, Box 1, DPO AP 96521-0006

telephone: [852] 2523-9011

FAX: [852] 2845-1598

two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red; a white equilateral triangle is based on the hoist side; the center of the triangle displays a yellow sun with eight primary rays; each corner of the triangle contains a small, yellow, five-pointed star; blue stands for peace and justice, red symbolizes courage, the white equal-sided triangle represents equality; the rays recall the first eight provinces that sought independence from Spain, while the stars represent the three major geographical divisions of the country: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao; the design of the flag dates to 1897

note: in wartime the flag is flown upside down with the red band at the top

red with a stylized, white, five-petal Bauhinia flower in the center; each petal contains a small, red, five-pointed star in its middle; the red color is the same as that on the Chinese flag and represents the motherland; the fragrant Bauhinia - developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century - has come to symbolize the region; the five stars echo those on the flag of China

three stars and sun, Philippine eagle; national colors: red, white, blue, yellow

orchid tree flower; national colors: red, white

name: "Lupang Hinirang" (Chosen Land)

lyrics/music: Jose PALMA (revised by Felipe PADILLA de Leon)/Julian FELIPE

note: music adopted 1898, original Spanish lyrics adopted 1899, Filipino (Tagalog) lyrics adopted 1956; although the original lyrics were written in Spanish, later English and Filipino versions were created; today, only the Filipino version is used

note: as a Special Administrative Region of China, "Yiyongjun Jinxingqu" is the official anthem (see China)

special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

The economy has been relatively resilient to global economic shocks due to less exposure to troubled international securities, lower dependence on exports, relatively resilient domestic consumption, large remittances from about 10 million overseas Filipino workers and migrants, and a rapidly expanding services industry. During 2017, the current account balance fell into the negative range, the first time since the 2008 global financial crisis, in part due to an ambitious new infrastructure spending program announced this year. However, international reserves remain at comfortable levels and the banking system is stable.

Efforts to improve tax administration and expenditures management have helped ease the Philippines' debt burden and tight fiscal situation. The Philippines received investment-grade credit ratings on its sovereign debt under the former AQUINO administration and has had little difficulty financing its budget deficits. However, weak absorptive capacity and implementation bottlenecks have prevented the government from maximizing its expenditure plans. Although it has improved, the low tax-to-GDP ratio remains a constraint to supporting increasingly higher spending levels and sustaining high and inclusive growth over the longer term.

Economic growth has accelerated, averaging over 6% per year from 2011 to 2017, compared with 4.5% under the MACAPAGAL-ARROYO government; and competitiveness rankings have improved. Although 2017 saw a new record year for net foreign direct investment inflows, FDI to the Philippines has continued to lag regional peers, in part because the Philippine constitution and other laws limit foreign investment and restrict foreign ownership in important activities/sectors - such as land ownership and public utilities.

Although the economy grew at a rapid pace under the AQUINO government, challenges to achieving more inclusive growth remain. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of the rich. The unemployment rate declined from 7.3% to 5.7% between 2010 and 2017; while there has been some improvement, underemployment remains high at around 17% to 18% of the employed population. At least 40% of the employed work in the informal sector. Poverty afflicts more than a fifth of the total population but is as high as 75% in some areas of the southern Philippines. More than 60% of the poor reside in rural areas, where the incidence of poverty (about 30%) is more severe - a challenge to raising rural farm and non-farm incomes. Continued efforts are needed to improve governance, the judicial system, the regulatory environment, the infrastructure, and the overall ease of doing business.

2016 saw the election of President Rodrigo DUTERTE, who has pledged to make inclusive growth and poverty reduction his top priority. DUTERTE believes that illegal drug use, crime and corruption are key barriers to economic development. The administration wants to reduce the poverty rate to 17% and graduate the economy to upper-middle income status by the end of President DUTERTE’s term in 2022. Key themes under the government’s Ten-Point Socioeconomic Agenda include continuity of macroeconomic policy, tax reform, higher investments in infrastructure and human capital development, and improving competitiveness and the overall ease of doing business. The administration sees infrastructure shortcomings as a key barrier to sustained economic growth and has pledged to spend $165 billion on infrastructure by 2022. Although the final outcome has yet to be seen, the current administration is shepherding legislation for a comprehensive tax reform program to raise revenues for its ambitious infrastructure spending plan and to promote a more equitable and efficient tax system. However, the need to finance rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts in the southern region of Mindanao following the 2017 Marawi City siege may compete with other spending on infrastructure.

Hong Kong has a free market economy, highly dependent on international trade and finance - the value of goods and services trade, including the sizable share of reexports, is about four times GDP. Hong Kong has no tariffs on imported goods, and it levies excise duties on only four commodities, whether imported or produced locally: hard alcohol, tobacco, hydrocarbon oil, and methyl alcohol. There are no quotas or dumping laws. Hong Kong continues to link its currency closely to the US dollar, maintaining an arrangement established in 1983.

Excess liquidity, low interest rates and a tight housing supply have caused Hong Kong property prices to rise rapidly. The lower and middle-income segments of the population increasingly find housing unaffordable.

Hong Kong's open economy has left it exposed to the global economic situation. Its continued reliance on foreign trade and investment makes it vulnerable to renewed global financial market volatility or a slowdown in the global economy.

The mainland has long been Hong Kong's largest trading partner, accounting for about half of Hong Kong's total trade by value. Hong Kong's natural resources are limited, and food and raw materials must be imported. As a result of China's easing of travel restrictions, the number of mainland tourists to the territory surged from 4.5 million in 2001 to 47.3 million in 2014, outnumbering visitors from all other countries combined. After peaking in 2014, overall tourist arrivals dropped 2.5% in 2015 and 4.5% in 2016. The tourism sector rebounded in 2017, with visitor arrivals rising 3.2% to 58.47 million. Travelers from Mainland China totaled 44.45 million, accounting for 76% of the total.

The Hong Kong Government is promoting the Special Administrative Region (SAR) as the preferred business hub for renminbi (RMB) internationalization. Hong Kong residents are allowed to establish RMB-denominated savings accounts, RMB-denominated corporate and Chinese government bonds have been issued in Hong Kong, RMB trade settlement is allowed, and investment schemes such as the Renminbi Qualified Foreign Institutional Investor (RQFII) Program was first launched in Hong Kong. Offshore RMB activities experienced a setback, however, after the People’s Bank of China changed the way it set the central parity rate in August 2015. RMB deposits in Hong Kong fell from 1.0 trillion RMB at the end of 2014 to 559 billion RMB at the end of 2017, while RMB trade settlement handled by banks in Hong Kong also shrank from 6.8 trillion RMB in 2015 to 3.9 trillion RMB in 2017.

Hong Kong has also established itself as the premier stock market for Chinese firms seeking to list abroad. In 2015, mainland Chinese companies constituted about 50% of the firms listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and accounted for about 66% of the exchange's market capitalization.

During the past decade, as Hong Kong's manufacturing industry moved to the mainland, its service industry has grown rapidly. In 2014, Hong Kong and China signed a new agreement on achieving basic liberalization of trade in services in Guangdong Province under the Closer Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), adopted in 2003 to forge closer ties between Hong Kong and the mainland. The new measures, which took effect in March 2015, cover a negative list and a most-favored treatment provision. On the basis of the Guangdong Agreement, the Agreement on Trade in Services signed in November 2015 further enhanced liberalization, including extending the implementation of the majority of Guangdong pilot liberalization measures to the whole Mainland, reducing the restrictive measures in the negative list, and adding measures in the positive lists for cross-border services as well as cultural and telecommunications services. In June 2017, the Investment Agreement and the Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation (Ecotech Agreement) were signed under the framework of CEPA.

Hong Kong’s economic integration with the mainland continues to be most evident in the banking and finance sector. Initiatives like the Hong Kong-Shanghai Stock Connect, the Hong Kong- Shenzhen Stock Connect the Mutual Recognition of Funds, and the Bond Connect scheme are all important steps towards opening up the Mainland’s capital markets and have reinforced Hong Kong’s role as China’s leading offshore RMB market. Additional connect schemes such as ETF Connect (for exchange-traded fund products) are also under exploration by Hong Kong authorities. In 2017, Chief Executive Carrie LAM announced plans to increase government spending on research and development, education, and technological innovation with the aim of spurring continued economic growth through greater sector diversification.

$874.5 billion (2017 est.)

$820.4 billion (2016 est.)

$767.2 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 30

$453 billion (2017 est.)

$437.5 billion (2016 est.)

$428.8 billion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 44

$321.2 billion (2017 est.)

$334.1 billion (2017 est.)

6.6% (2017 est.)

6.9% (2016 est.)

6.1% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

3.5% (2017 est.)

2% (2016 est.)

2.4% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 89

$8,200 (2017 est.)

$7,900 (2016 est.)

$7,500 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 152

$61,000 (2017 est.)

$59,400 (2016 est.)

$58,700 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 18

25.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

24.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

23.7% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 47

24.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

26.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

24.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 52

household consumption: 72.7%

government consumption: 10.9%

investment in fixed capital: 25.2%

investment in inventories: -0.2%

exports of goods and services: 32.1%

imports of goods and services: -40.7% (2017 est.)

household consumption: 66.6%

government consumption: 10%

investment in fixed capital: 22.3%

investment in inventories: 0.7%

exports of goods and services: 191.9%

imports of goods and services: -191.3% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 9.4%

industry: 30.8%

services: 59.8% (2017 est.)

agriculture: 0.1%

industry: 7.2%

services: 92.7% (2017 est.)

rice, fish, livestock, poultry, bananas, coconut/copra, corn, sugarcane, mangoes, pineapple, cassava

fresh vegetables and fruit; poultry, pork; fish

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

trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

6.5% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

3% (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

44.46 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 16

3.965 million (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 95

agriculture: 26.9%

industry: 17.5%

services: 55.6% (2016 est.)

manufacturing: 3.8%

construction: 2.8%

wholesale and retail trade, restaurants, and hotels: 53.3%

financing, insurance, and real estate: 12.5%

transport and communications: 10.1%

community and social services: 17.1%

note: above data exclude public sector (2013 est.)

6% (2017 est.)

5.5% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 86

2.6% (2017 est.)

2.7% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 24

21.6% (2017 est.)

19.6% (2012 est.)

lowest 10%: 3.2%

highest 10%: 29.5% (2015 est.)

lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

44.4 (2015 est.)

46 (2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 46

53.7 (2011 est.)

53.3 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

revenues: $44.74 billion

expenditures: $53.55 billion (2017 est.)

revenues: $66.19 billion

expenditures: $62.86 billion (2017 est.)

13.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 198

19.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 155

-2.7% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 103

1% of GDP (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 15

41.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

42.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 131

43.6% of GDP (2017 est.)

44.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 122

calendar year

1 April - 31 March

3.1% (2017 est.)

1.8% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 130

2% (2017 est.)

2.6% (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 93

3.56% (31 December 2016 est.)

6.19% (31 December 2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 101

0.5% (31 December 2013 est.)

0.5% (31 December 2012 est.)

country comparison to the world: 133

6% (31 December 2017 est.)

5.64% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 127

5.1% (31 December 2017 est.)

5% (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 144

$68.16 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$61.62 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 48

$310.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$285.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 17

$199 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$183.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 41

$1.736 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.613 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 10

$207.4 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$184.6 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 46

$719.2 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$676.5 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 22

$290.4 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$286.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$318 billion (31 December 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

$3.185 trillion (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.233 trillion (31 December 2014 est.)

$3.101 trillion (31 December 2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$-315 million (2017 est.)

$601 million (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

$10.06 billion (2017 est.)

$14.88 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 21

$53.22 billion (2017 est.)

$43.44 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 51

$540 billion (2017 est.)

$502.5 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

semiconductors and electronic products, machinery and transport equipment, wood manufactures, chemicals, processed food and beverages, garments, coconut oil, copper concentrates, seafood, bananas/fruits

electrical machinery and appliances, textiles, apparel, watches and clocks, toys, "jewelry, goldsmiths' and silversmiths' wares, and other articles of precious or semi-precious materials"; Hong Kong plays an important role as entrep?t to the Chinese mainland; in 2017, 58% of Hong Kong’s re-exports originated in mainland China, and 54% were destined for the Chinese mainland

Japan 16.2%, US 14.8%, Hong Kong 13.7%, China 11.1%, Singapore 6.1%, Thailand 4.2%, Germany 4.1%, South Korea 4% (2017)

China 54.3%, US 8.5%, India 4.1% (2016)

$90.42 billion (2017 est.)

$77.52 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

$561.4 billion (2017 est.)

$520.1 billion (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 8

electronic products, mineral fuels, machinery and transport equipment, iron and steel, textile fabrics, grains, chemicals, plastic

raw materials and semi-manufactures, consumer goods, capital goods, foodstuffs, fuel (most is reexported)

China 18.1%, Japan 11.4%, South Korea 8.7%, US 8%, Thailand 7.1%, Indonesia 6.8%, Singapore 5.9%, Taiwan 5.3% (2016)

China 45.5%, Taiwan 9.8%, South Korea 6.7%, Japan 6.3%, US 4.4% (2016)

$81.53 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$80.69 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 30

$398.3 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$386.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

$80.88 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$75.01 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 56

$494.5 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$505.9 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

$67.25 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$64.25 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

$1.901 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.786 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

$47.58 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

$45.38 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

$1.806 trillion (31 December 2017 est.)

$1.723 trillion (31 December 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Philippine pesos (PHP) per US dollar -

50.21 (2017 est.)

47.49 (2016 est.)

47.49 (2015 est.)

45.5 (2014 est.)

44.4 (2013 est.)

Hong Kong dollars (HKD) per US dollar -

7.8 (2017 est.)

7.76 (2016 est.)

7.76 (2015 est.)

7.75 (2014 est.)

7.75 (2013 est.)

population without electricity: 20,600,000

electrification - total population: 88%

electrification - urban areas: 94%

electrification - rural areas: 82% (2013)

electrification - total population: 100% (2016)

90.8 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

35.75 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 61

74.15 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

41.74 billion kWh (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 188

1.205 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

0 kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 192

11.62 billion kWh (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 23

21.21 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

12.63 million kW (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 55

67.5% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 108

100% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 9

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 172

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 107

16.9% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 97

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 180

15.6% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 46

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 187

20,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

0 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

4,942 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 63

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 136

215,800 bbl/day (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 29

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 139

138.5 million bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 68

0 bbl (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 147

169,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 56

0 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 156

390,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 38

388,500 bbl/day (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 39

13,140 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 78

9,625 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 84

186,100 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 33

332,000 bbl/day (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 25

2.6 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 57

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 148

3.196 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 77

4.49 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

0 cu m (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 171

0 cu m (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 120

0 cu m (2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 179

3.243 billion cu m (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 42

98.54 billion cu m (1 January 2017 est.)

country comparison to the world: 53

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 151

88 million Mt (2014 est.)

country comparison to the world: 44

90 million Mt (2013 est.)

country comparison to the world: 43

total subscriptions: 3,835,910.54

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 4 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

total subscriptions: 4,318,346

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 60 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 36

total: 113 million

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 14

total: 17,584,969

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 245 (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

general assessment: good international radiotelephone and submarine cable services; domestic and interisland service adequate

domestic: telecommunications infrastructure includes the following platforms: fixed line, mobile cellular, cable TV, over-the-air TV, radio and Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), fiber-optic cable, and satellite for redundant international connectivity

international: country code - 63; a series of submarine cables together provide connectivity to the US, and to countries like Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan, Japan, Brunei, and Malaysia, among others; multiple international gateways (2016)

general assessment: modern facilities provide excellent domestic and international services

domestic: microwave radio relay links and extensive fiber-optic network

international: country code - 852; multiple international submarine cables provide connections to Asia, US, Australia, the Middle East, and Western Europe; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (1 Pacific Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean); coaxial cable to Guangzhou, China (2015)

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, and some 1,400 radio stations; the Philippines adopted Japan’s Integrated Service Digital Broadcast – Terrestrial standard for digital terrestrial television in November 2013 and is scheduled to complete the switch from analog to digital broadcasting by the end of 2023 (2016)

4 commercial terrestrial TV networks each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters of terrestrial radio, one of which is government funded, operate about 12 radio stations; note - 4 digital radio broadcasters operated in Hong Kong from 2010 to 2017, but all digital radio services were terminated in September 2017 due to weak market demand (2018)

.ph

.hk

total: 56,956,436

percent of population: 55.5% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 13

total: 6.066 million

percent of population: 85% (July 2016 est.)

country comparison to the world: 69

number of registered air carriers: 11

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 158

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 32,230,986

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 484,190,968 mt-km (2015)

number of registered air carriers: 7 (registered in China)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 253 (registered in China)

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 41,867,157

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 11.294 billion mt-km (2015)

RP (2016)

B-H (2016)

247 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 24

2 (2013)

country comparison to the world: 201

total: 89

over 3,047 m: 4

2,438 to 3,047 m: 8

1,524 to 2,437 m: 33

914 to 1,523 m: 34

under 914 m: 10 (2017)

total: 2

over 3,047 m: 1

1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2017)

total: 158

1,524 to 2,437 m: 3

914 to 1,523 m: 56

under 914 m: 99 (2013)

2 (2013)

9 (2013)

gas 530 km; oil 138 km (non-operational); refined products 185 km (2017)

total: 77 km

narrow gauge: 28 km 1.067-m gauge

standard guage: 49 km 1.435-m guage (2017)

country comparison to the world: 89

total: 216,387 km

paved: 61,093 km

unpaved: 155,294 km (2014)

country comparison to the world: 24

total: 2,100 km

paved: 2,100 km (2015)

country comparison to the world: 174

3,219 km (limited to vessels with draft less than 1.5 m) (2011)

country comparison to the world: 30

total: 1,508

by type: bulk carrier 64, container ship 33, general cargo 627, oil tanker 184, other 600 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 18

total: 2,576

by type: bulk carrier 1,142, container ship 471, general cargo 226, oil tanker 346, other 391 (2017)

country comparison to the world: 9

major seaport(s): Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Liman, Manila

container port(s) (TEUs): Manila (3,976,000) (2015)

major seaport(s): Hong Kong

1.28% of GDP (2016)

1.14% of GDP (2015)

1.09% of GDP (2014)

1.24% of GDP (2013)

1.16% of GDP (2012)

country comparison to the world: 90

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP): Army, Navy (includes Marine Corps), Air Force (2013)

no regular indigenous military forces; Hong Kong garrison of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force; these forces are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Command (2016)

17-23 years of age (officers 20-24) for voluntary military service; no conscription; applicants must be single male or female Philippine citizens with either 72 college credit hours (enlisted) or a baccalaureate degree (officers) (2013)

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; during 2016, 10 attacks were reported in and around the Philippines including six ships that were boarded, one hijacked, one fired upon, and 18 crew were kidnapped for ransom; an emerging threat area lies in the Celebes and Sulu Seas between the Philippines and Malaysia where 12 crew were kidnapped in three incidents during the last quarter of 2016; it is believed the pirates involved are associated with the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) terrorist organization; during the first six months of 2017, 13 attacks were reported including 10 ships that were boarded, one was fired upon, 10 crew were kidnapped for ransom and two killed; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

defense is the responsibility of China

Philippines claims sovereignty over Scarborough Reef (also claimed by China together with Taiwan) and over certain of the Spratly Islands, known locally as the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands, also claimed by China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants; in March 2005, the national oil companies of China, the Philippines, and Vietnam signed a joint accord to conduct marine seismic activities in the Spratly Islands; Philippines retains a dormant claim to Malaysia's Sabah State in northern Borneo based on the Sultanate of Sulu's granting the Philippines Government power of attorney to pursue a sovereignty claim on his behalf; maritime delimitation negotiations continue with Palau

Hong Kong plans to reduce its 2,800-hectare Frontier Closed Area (FCA) to 400 hectares by 2015; the FCA was established in 1951 as a buffer zone between Hong Kong and mainland China to prevent illegal migration from and the smuggling of goods

IDPs: 445,000 (government troops fighting the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the Abu Sayyaf Group, and the New People's Army; clan feuds; natural disasters) (2017)

stateless persons: 4,636 (2016); note - stateless persons are descendants of Indonesian migrants

domestic methamphetamine production has been a growing problem in recent years despite government crackdowns; major consumer of amphetamines; longstanding marijuana producer mainly in rural areas where Manila's control is limited

despite strenuous law enforcement efforts, faces difficult challenges in controlling transit of heroin and methamphetamine to regional and world markets; modern banking system provides conduit for money laundering; rising indigenous use of synthetic drugs, especially among young people