<item>• <hi format=ital>territorial sea:</hi> 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 up to 285 nm in breadth
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>International disputes:</hi> involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and possibly Brunei; claims Malaysian state of Sabah
<item><hi format=bold>Climate:</hi> tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
<item><hi format=bold>Terrain:</hi> mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
<item>• <hi format=ital>meadows and pastures:</hi> 4%
<item>• <hi format=ital>forest and woodland:</hi> 40%
<item>• <hi format=ital>other:</hi> 19%
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Irrigated land:</hi> 16,200 sq km (1989 est.)
<item><hi format=bold>Environment:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>current issues:</hi> deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution; air pollution in Manila
<item>• <hi format=ital>natural hazards:</hi> astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; subject to landslides, active volcanoes, destructive earthquakes, tsunamis
<item>• <hi format=ital>international agreements:</hi> party to—Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Whaling; signed, but not ratified—Climate Change, Tropical Timber