The Philippines is an island nation in the western Pacific Ocean. there are over 7,100 islands, but only about 900 of them are inhabited. The country has the world’s fourth longest coastline, and offers miles of sandy beaches, coral reefs and magnificent scenery.
| Capital: | Manilla |
| Biggest city: | Quezon City |
| State: | republic |
| Language: | Filipino, English |
| Religion: | catholicism |
| Surface: | 300,000 km² |
| Population: | 96.2 million (2013) |
| Population density: | 327 residents per km² |
| Life expectancy: | 71 years |
| Illiteracy: | 7% |
| Currency: | Philippine Peso (PHP) 1 peso = 0.16 kr |
| GDP per capita: | $ 3 600 (2010) |
| Time difference: | +7 hours |
| Electricity: | 110/220 V AC 60Hz |
| National Day: | June 12 |
| Country area code: | 63 |
| 2-Letter country abbreviation: | PH (See more abbreviations on Abbreviationfinder) |
| Business: | service sector 48%, agriculture 42%, industry 10% |
| Climate: | tropical; rainy season from June to November |
The country’s tropical islands are mostly volcanic, mountainous and largely covered with rainforest. The highest point of the Philippines is the volcano Apo which rises 2,954 m above sea level. There are active volcanoes, such as Mayon and Pinatubo, whose crater lake is a popular attraction.
The Spanish colonial rule, which lasted for almost 400 years, has left influences on Latin American culture, and a century of American influence (after the Spanish-American War of 1898) has led to a striking Americanization. English is the only common language in this country, where 87 native Austronesian languages are spoken.
In the 1960s, the Philippines was the second richest country in Asia after Japan. Today, a third of the population lives below the poverty line. The big cities are often surrounded by slums, and in Manila alone there are an estimated 75,000 street children.
The Philippines is in conflict with China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan, all of which claim the oil- and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands – a group of coral islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The islands have no permanent residence, but several of the states have military facilities here. The Philippines also claims the Scarborough Shoal archipelago, which is currently controlled by China.
The films “Apocalypse Now”, “Pluto” and “Born on the Fourth of July” are all largely shot in the Philippines.
WORLD HERITAGE
The following objects in the Philippines are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The year in which the item was added to the list is indicated in parentheses.
- Baroque Churches of the Philippines (1993)
- Tubbataha Marina National Park (1993)
- The rice terraces in Cordilleras (1995)
- The City of Vigan (1999)
- Puerto Princesa National Park, with underground river (1999)
- Hamiguitan Wilderness Reserve (2014)
ELECTRICAL OUTLET
Electricity and electrical outlets in the Philippines
Voltage: 220 V
Frequency: 60 Hz
Type of plug: A, B, C
Need an adapter: No, you do not need an adapter.
CLIMATE AND WEATHER
Weather in Manilla
| Climate | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Christmas | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Average temperature °C | 27 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 28 |
| Day °C | 30 | 31 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 32 | 31 | 30 | 31 | 31 | 31 | 30 |
| Night °C | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 23 | 22 |
| Rain (mm) | 10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 60 | 90 | 120 | 140 | 110 | 80 | 50 | 20 |
| Rainy days | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 22 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 11 |
| Soltim / day | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Cebu City
Cebu City is the administrative capital of the province of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines. It is located in the Central Visayas region and consists of the island of Cebu and some smaller islands. The province is divided into 47 municipalities and 6 cities and has just over 3.8 million residents (2006).
The city of Cebu City has 798,809 residents (2007), and is divided into 80 small districts, barangayer, all of which are classified as urban areas.
Manilla
According to Countryaah, Manila is the capital of the Philippines. The city is located on the west coast of the island of Luzon and has 1.6 million residents (2007). When we talk about Manila’s metropolitan area, we usually mean the capital region Metro Manila, which has just over 11.5 million residents (2007). In addition to Manila, it includes a number of major cities such as Quezon City, Kalookan City and Pasig. However, this definition of the metropolitan area is becoming obsolete, as the area is beginning to expand far into the surrounding provinces. Around Manila, a cohesive band of urban barangayas stretches into the five provinces of Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga and Rizal, and together with Metro Manila, this region had about 24 million residents at the 2007 census.
Manila is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city is home to the Philippines’ largest port. Each district in the port area usually has its own market. Tourism in the city is large and revenue-driven. Every year, the city is visited by over a million tourists.
Quezon City
Quezon City is a city on the island of Luzon in the Philippines with 2.6 million residents (2007). The city was the capital of the country between 1948 and 1976 and was subsequently succeeded by Manila. Quezon City is the country’s most populous city, and is also part of Manila’s metropolitan area.