Philippines

The Philippines is an archipelago located in Southeastern Asia between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam, covering an area of approximately 300,000 square kilometers. As of 2024, the Philippines has a population of about 118.28 million, with Tagalog, Bisaya, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Cebuano, and numerous other languages spoken. The country is mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands and has a tropical marine climate with northeast and southwest monsoons. Manila serves as the capital, and the government operates as a presidential republic.

The Philippines has an emerging economy with a GDP of $461.62 billion and a GDP per capita of $10,400, driven by semiconductors and electronics assembly, business process outsourcing, food and beverage manufacturing, construction, chemical products, petroleum and fuel, textile and garments, and transport equipment. Key agricultural products include sugarcane, rice, coconuts, maize, bananas, vegetables, tropical fruits, plantains, pineapples, and cassava, while natural resources include timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, and copper. The unemployment rate is 2.2% as of 2025, with a life expectancy of 69.9 years and a literacy rate of 98.5%.