Philippines is a country formed by an archipelago with 7100 islands, in the West Pacific Ocean. The islands stretch from the vicinity of the island of Taiwan, in the north, to the island of Borneo, in the southwest, being bathed by the South China Sea in the northwest, the Celebes Sea in the south, and the Philippine Sea, to the east. The islands of the Philippines cover a total area of 300,000 km2. The two main islands are Lução, to the north, with 104 688 km2 , and Mindanau, to the south, with 94 630 km2. The main cities are Manila, the capital, with a population of 10 330 100 residents (2004) and a metropolitan area of 14 083 300, Davao (951 000 residents), Cebu (776 600 residents) And Zamboanga (163 700 residents).
There are more than 30 active volcanoes and some have had very violent eruptions in recent years. Earthquakes are also common. Off the east coast of the Philippines, close to the island of Mindanau, the movement of the terrestrial crust created one of the deepest underwater trenches, which goes down to 11 520 meters (Fossa do Mindanau).
Climate
The climate is tropical monsoon, with temperature variations that are due to the altitude. Between June and December, there is the risk of typhoons, where winds can reach 300 km/ h. In fact, in the plains the climate is hot and humid but in the mountains the temperatures are considerably lower.
Economy
The Philippine economy is based on agriculture, manufacturing and services. Even with insufficient irrigation, more than 1/4 of the land is arable thanks to the intervention of the Government and the international community. The most important crops are rice, coconut, corn, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples, mango, manioc, tobacco and coffee. The country is rich in mineral resources, especially in gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, chromite, nickel and manganese. The manufacturing industry includes electronic, food, oil and chemical products, as well as clothing, footwear and computer peripherals. The Philippines’ main trading partners are the United States of America, Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands. Environmental indicator: the value of carbon dioxide emissions,per capita (metric tons, 1999), is 1.0.
Population
With a population of 89 468 677 residents (2006), the Philippines has a population density of approximately 292.86 residents/km2. The birth and death rates are, respectively, 24.89% and 5.41%. Average life expectancy is 70.21 years. The value of the Human Development Index (HDI) is 0.751 and the value of the Gender-adjusted Development Index (IDG) is 0.748 (2001). It is estimated that, in 2025, the population will be 121 982 000 residents. Of the 7100 islands in the Philippines, only 400 are inhabited. There are several ethnic groups, but the largest are Tagalog (29%), Cebuano (23%), Ilokano (9%) and Hiligaynon (9%). The most prominent religions are Catholic, with 83%, followed by Protestant (9%), Muslim (5%), Buddhist and others (3%). The official languages are English and Tagalog (Filipino).
History
In 1898, the Spanish-American War began, which lasted four months, due to Spanish oppression in Cuba. An American squadron destroyed the Spanish fleet in Manila Bay. They occupied the territory with the help of the Filipinos, since they were already in a state of revolt against the Spanish Government. The US “bought” the islands from Spain for $ 20 million. Nationalist unrest started and in 1936 the Community of the Philippines (semi-independent transition) was formed. In World War II, the country fought alongside the Americans against the Japanese and, in 1946, gained independence. For Philippines democracy and rights, please check homeagerly.
In 1965, Ferdinando Marcos was the first elected president and, in 1972, he declared martial law. In 1981, the president put an end to martial law but remained at the head of a dictatorial regime. The assassination of opposition leader Benigno Aquino in 1983 was decisive for the revolt that overthrew Ferdinando Marcos do Poder in 1986. Benigno’s widow, Corazón Aquino, became president of the country that same year, instituting democracy. During that period, several factions of the army and the communist guerrillas attempted five coups d’état. In 1992, the free elections gave the presidency to Fidel Ramos who governed until 1998 with the Congress and with two assemblies: the Senate and the House of Representatives. After the presidency of Joseph Estrada, considered not very competent, in 2001 Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was elected president.
Countryaah.com: Offers a full list of airports in the country of Philippines, sorted by city location and acronyms.
Abbreviationfinder.org: Provides most commonly used abbreviations and initials containing the country name of Philippines. Listed by popularity.
1UpTravel.com – Maps of Philippines
Browse a collection of city, country, regional, and historical maps of this Asian country, east of Vietnam. Check out maps of Cebu, Manila, Basilan and Jolo Island.
