📜 A long story
Philippines, 1800 → today
The Philippines grew from 2.5 million in 1800 to 115 million; a newborn can expect 29.8 more years of life than in 1938, and output per person is 9× its 1820 level, adjusted for inflation.
Told with long-run reconstructions, not the yearly series used elsewhere on the site: each chapter names its source. Scroll to move through the years.
☺ Chapter 1 · Population
How many people live there?
1800
In 1800, about 2.5 million people lived in the Philippines.
1900
6.64 million people.
2.7× the 1800 level
Reached twice the 1800 level in 1872.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 19% between 1801 and 1809 (2.44 million → 1.98 million).
1950
18.9 million people.
2.8× the 1900 level
Reached 5 times the 1800 level in 1934.
2023
115 million people, the latest year in this series.
6.1× the 1950 level
Reached 10 times the 1800 level in 1958.
Reached 20 times the 1800 level in 1982.
Long-run series: before 1950, reconstructions by HYDE and Gapminder, filled in between benchmark years by those sources. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates.
✚ Chapter 2 · Life expectancy
How long do people live?
1938
In 1938, a newborn in the Philippines could expect to live 40 years, on average.
2023
69.8 years, the latest year in this series.
+30 years since 1938
Passed 50 years in 1950 (no data between 1938 and 1950, so it may have happened earlier).
Passed 60 years in 1963.
Passed 70 years in 2017.
Long-run series: before 1950, historical estimates (Riley, Clio Infra, Human Mortality Database), only for years they cover. Dashed stretches are years without data.
◎ Chapter 3 · GDP per person (PPP)
How much is produced per person?
1820
In 1820, the Philippines produced about Int$931 per person, in 2011 prices.
1902
Int$1,070.
1.1× the 1820 level
1950
Int$1,710.
1.6× the 1902 level
Reached twice the 1820 level in 1918.
2022
Int$8,370, the latest year in this series.
4.9× the 1950 level
Reached 5 times the 1820 level in 2005.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 19% between 1982 and 1985 (Int$3,860 → Int$3,140).
Long-run series (Maddison Project) in 2011 international dollars: adjusted for inflation, so not the same unit as today’s PPP figure. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
❦ Chapter 4 · CO₂ per person
How much CO₂ does each person emit?
1907
In 1907, fossil fuels and industry in the Philippines emitted about 0.00098 t of CO₂ per person.
1950
0.2 t.
194× the 1907 level
Reached twice the 1907 level in 1908.
Reached 5 times the 1907 level in 1909.
Reached 10 times the 1907 level in 1920.
Reached 20 times the 1907 level, reached 50 times the 1907 level in 1950.
The sharpest fall in the data: down 94% between 1909 and 1912 (0.0071 t → 0.00045 t).
2024
1.5 t, the latest year in this series.
7.9× the 1950 level
Long-run series: fossil CO₂ emitted within each country’s borders (Global Carbon Budget); early estimates are less certain. Log scale: equal steps up mean equal growth rates. Dashed stretches are years without data.
☕ Chapter 5 · Years of schooling
How long do people go to school?
1870
In 1870, people aged 15–64 in the Philippines had spent 0.03 years in school, on average.
1900
0.2 years.
+0.16 years since 1870
1950
2.4 years.
+2.2 years since 1900
Passed 2 years in 1950.
2015
9.1 years, the latest year in this series.
+6.8 years since 1950
Passed 4 years in 1965.
Passed 6 years in 1980.
Passed 8 years in 2005.
Long-run series (Lee & Lee, Barro & Lee) for people aged 15–64, every 5 years until 2015: a different age group than today’s figure (25 and older).