Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer sailing for Spain, who named the islands after King Philip II of Spain, claimed the Philippines in the name of Spain in 1521. They were then called Las Felipinas. The Americans took control of the Philippines upon defeating Spain in the Spanish-American war of 1898. During World War II, the Japanese occupied the islands. Toward the end of the war, the Americans returned, and following the war, the Philippines were granted independence.

The country known today as the Republic of the Philippines lies right in the heart of Southeast Asia, between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. The Philippines has 7,107 islands extending more than 1,700 kilometers (1,056mi) in the direction of the Equator.

The islands are divided into three main areas: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon is the major northern island; it is there that you will find the capital, Manila. The Visayas, is the middle cluster of islands featuring tropical beaches scattered throughout warm seas. Mindanao is the southernmost group of islands and has a diverse topography. There are five major mountain systems and the same number of peninsulas as well as valleys, lakes and regions of dense forests and swamps.

A visit to the Philippines is a travel bargain. Your expenses are relatively low, and the offerings are varied with good facilities. Take your pick from the hectic city life of Manila or the unspoiled natural beauty of the countryside. The bonus is that, unlike many other destinations in Asia, the country is not overrun by tourism.

The climate of the Philippines is tropical with an average year-round temperature of 32ºC (90ºF). Summer is from March to May and is always hot and dry. The average daily maximum in summer ranges from 92 to 94ºF (33 to 34ºC). June to October is the wet season with heavy monsoon rains and typhoons in most parts of the country. The coolest weather in the Philippines is from November to February, when the daily maximum is around 84 to 88ºF (29 to 31ºC).

Square Miles:

Land area: 119,268 square miles (298,170 sq. km)

Borders: South China Sea to the west and north, Pacific Ocean to the east and south.

Coastline: 207,749 miles (334,539km)

Terrain: Many of the islands in the Philippines are extinct volcanoes and atolls. On the larger islands are many mountains, tropical rain forests, rich valleys and swamp regions. There are narrow to extensive coastal lowlands. The Philippines does still have thermal activity consisting of active volcanoes and hot springs.

Population: Estimated to 84 million at 2005

The country is marked by a true blend of cultures; truly in the Philippines, East meets West. The background of the people is Indonesian and Malay. There are Chinese and Spanish elements as well. The history of American rule and contact with merchants and traders culminated in a unique blend of East and West, both in the appearance and culture of the people of the Filipinos, or people of the Philippines.

Halo-halo is a Filipino word that means mixture. While it describes a popular dessert, it could also describe the Filipino. They look like Asians, write and speak English like Americans, worship like Spaniards, and have an outlook that is international.

Like the Southern Chinese, the Thais, Malays, Indonesians and some Burmese, the modern-day Filipino traces his remotest genetic lines back to an Australoid and Mongoloid stock. You will also find a touch of Caucasian, Chinese, Indian and Arabic in their gene pool as well. But to truly understand the Filipino, you have to look at the land. The historic isolation between islands and the topographic isolation on each island,become the primary influence governing regional traits and societal behavior.

Hospitality, a trait displayed by every Filipino, makes these people legendary in Southeast Asia. Seldom can you find such hospitable people who enjoy the company of their Western visitors. Perhaps due to their long association with Spain, Filipinos are emotional and passionate about life in a way that seems more Latin than Asian.

The Spaniards introduced Christianity (the Roman Catholic faith) and succeeded in converting the overwhelming majority of Filipinos. At least 80% of the total population belongs to the Roman Catholic faith.

The American occupation was responsible for teaching the Filipino people the English language. The Philippines is currently the third-largest English speaking country in the world.

Ethnic Groups:

91.5% Christian Malay, 4% Muslim Malay, 1.5% Chinese and 3% other like Spanish, Portuguese and American origin.

Languages:

The national language is Pilipino, which is based on the language of Tagalog, although there are at least one or two dialects spoken in every region. English is both spoken and understood throughout the country, especially in business negotiations and in the government. Older members of the Filipino-Chinese community speak Hokkien, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Religion: 83% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist and other.

There are several ethnic groups and more than 65 so-called cultural minorities in the Philippines, which speak their own dialects or languages. Among these ethnic groups are the Tagalog, the Ilocano, the Pangasinanian, the Pampangueño, the Bicolano, the Cebuano, the Ilongo, and the Waray-Waray. They comprise more than 90 percent of all Filipinos and are the Christians. About 84 percent of Filipinos are Roman Catholics.

The Tagalogs live in Manila and in central and southern Luzon. Although they speak Tagalog, they have intonations of their own, as do the Batangueños from Batangas Province. The Tagalogs mostly live in such provinces as Nueva Ecija (the Ilocanos also live in some towns in the northern part of the province), Bulacan, Rizal, Batangas, Quezon, Laguna, and Mindoro (Oriental and Occidental). The Tagalogs dominate the people in Manila. There are, however, many people in the city who have come from different parts of the country, including Luzon, to live in the big city. Many also have come from the Bicol region and the Visayan islands.

The Pampangueños or Kapampangans live in central Luzon, particularly in Pampanga Province. It is bounded on the north by Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, on the east by Bulacan, on the west by Zambales and on the south by Bataan and Manila Bay. Angeles City is a highly urbanized city. It has an area of 60 sq km and a population around 250 000.

Pampanga was already the site of thriving settlements along river banks or "Pampang" before the Spaniards came. The inhabitants were referred to as "Kapampagas" or the people by the river bank". Martin de Goiti explored Pampanga. The province was established in 1571, comprised of most of what is now Central Luzon. In 1754, a strip from Dinalupihan to Orion, was ceded to Bataan. In 1848, the province lost five towns to Nueva Ecija, and San Miguel to Bulacan. By 1860, its northern district was made into a seperate comandancia. The district was made a part of Pangasinan in 1874, and the towns of Mabalacat, Magalang, Porac and Floridablanca were returned to Pampanga. Since the early 20th century, the province has been a hotbed of agrarian troubles, mainly because of its many estates under powerful landlords. During World War II, Pampanga was the base for a guerilla unit known as the "Hukbalahap" which resisted the Japanese. Thu Huks later formed the nucleus of local communist insurgency after the war, but it was suppressed in the early 1950s. It resurfaced as the New People's Army in the 1960s. Pampanga was the home province of Diosdado Macapagal, ninth president of the Republic.

The Ilocanos live in the Ilocos region in northern Luzon, particularly Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte, but many of them have migrated in large numbers to central Luzon, and, of course, to the United States. Most of the oldtimers in the United States in the late 1920s and early 1930s came from the Ilocos region. The Ilongos live in western Negros, in southern Mindoro, and on the island of Panay. The Cebuanos predominate in Cebu, western Leyte, Bohol, eastern Negros, and in some coastal areas of Mindanao.

The Bicolanos are in the southeastern Luzon and nearby islands, including the provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, etc. The Pangasinanians live in the Lingayen Gulf region of Luzon, including Pangasinan Province; however, many Pangasinanians have migrated into other towns in central Luzon. The Waray-Warays are in the provinces of Samar and eastern Leyte.

Other Groups. Chinese and other groups also live in the Philippines. The Chinese comprise 1.5 percent of the population, and are active in business.

Cultural Minorities. There are more than 65 cultural minorities, similar to the Indian tribes in the United States, who live in reservations and in the mountains.

They include the Muslim groups, which are comprised of the Maranao, the Samal, the Maguindanao, the Tausug, etc. They live in the Sulu Archipelago and southern Mindanao.

There are also the so-called upland tribal groups who live in the mountain regions of the country, such as in the Mountain Province of Luzon. In northern Luzon, the other ethnic groups include the Bontoc, the Kalinga, the Ifugao, the Kankanay, the Ibaloi, the Isneg, the Ilongot, the Tinguian, and the Gadang.

The Mangyan group lives in Mindanao and the Batak and the Tagbanua live in Palawan. In Mindanao there are groups known as the Tiruray, the T. Boli, the Bagobo, the Mandaya, the Bukidnon, the Subanun, and the Manobo. The Negritoes, popularly known as the Agta or the Aeta live in the mountainous areas of Luzon, Negros, Panay, and Mindanao.

Population: 81,159,644 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 37% (male 15,344,555; female 14,807,320)
15-64 years: 59% (male 23,777,245; female 24,285,565)
65 years and over: 4% (male 1,312,646; female 1,632,313) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.07% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 27.85 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 6.13 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: -1.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 29.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 67.48 years
male: 64.65 years
female: 70.46 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.48 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Filipino(s)
adjective: Philippine

Ethnic groups: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%

Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages: Pilipino (official, based on Tagalog), English (official)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 94.6%
male: 95%
female: 94.3% (1995 est.)

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of the Philippines
conventional short form: Philippines
local long form: Republika ng Pilipinas
local short form: Pilipinas

Data code: RP

Government type: republic

Capital: Manila

Independence: 4 July 1946 (from US)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 June (1898) (from Spain)

Constitution: 2 February 1987, effective 11 February 1987

Legal system: based on Spanish and Anglo-American law; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

ECONOMY

Economy - overview: In 1998 the Philippine economy - a mixture of agriculture, light industry, and supporting services - deteriorated as a result of spillover from the Asian financial crisis and poor weather conditions. Growth fell to about -0.5% in 1998 from 5% in 1997, but recovered to 2.9% in 1999. The government has promised to continue its economic reforms to help the Philippines match the pace of development in the newly industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $282 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.9% (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $3,600 (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 20%
industry: 32%
services: 48% (1997 est.)

Population below poverty line: 32% (1997 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
lowest 10%: 2.4%
highest 10%: 33.5% (1994)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6.8% (1999)

Labor force: 32 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 39.8%, government and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, manufacturing 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.)

Unemployment rate: 9.6% (October 1998)

Budget:
revenues: $14.5 billion
expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)

Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 1.7% (1999 est.)

Electricity - production: 39.623 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source:
fossil fuel: 70.12%
hydro: 10.75%
nuclear: 0%
other: 19.13% (1998)

Electricity - consumption: 36.849 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1998)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish

Exports: $34.8 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: electronic equipment, machinery and transport equipment, garments, coconut products

Exports - partners: US 34%, EU 20%, Japan 14%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 6%, UK 6%, Hong Kong 4% (1998)

Imports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, consumer goods, fuels

Imports - partners: US 22%, Japan 20%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4% (1998 est.)

Debt - external: $51.9 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient: ODA, $1.1 billion (1998)

Currency: 1 Philippine peso (P) = 100 centavos

Exchange rates: Philippine pesos (P) per US$1 - 40.427 (January 2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996), 25.714 (1995)

Fiscal year: calendar year

General:

Filipinos often use their eyes, lips, and hands to convey a wide range of messages. Raised eyebrows and a smile indicate a silent "hello" or a "yes" in answer to a question. Fixed eye contact between men is considered an aggressive gesture. The proper method to summon somebody is with a downward wave.

Filipinos place great emphasis on polite language and gentle conversation. Voice tone is always soft and gentle, and direct questions should be avoided.

Filipinos value their self-esteem, so never criticize or argue with them publicly. Most men, when so provoked, will fight for the preservation of their pride or self-esteem.

Avoid topics such as politics, religion, corruption and foreign aid. Filipinos enjoy conversations about their families.

This diversity makes Filipinos all the more interesting. However, what is apparent isn't how different they are from each other, but rather how alike they are. Brought together by a common history and looking forward to a common future, it is not surprising to find a sharing of certain traits. Their warmth, grociousness and hospitality—all part of the Filipino psyche—will make your stay a delight.

Business:

English is the language used to conduct business.

Punctuality is expected for meetings, it is better to arrive a little late for a dinner invitation.

Greet business people with a handshake.

Women feel comfortable conducting business here, as sexual equality is more widespread in the Philippines than in other Asian countries.

Make sure you have your business cards, as Filipinos like to know who they are dealing with.

The unit of currency in the Philippines is the peso (P). Notes are issued by the Central Bank in denominations of P5, P10, P20, P50, P100, P500 and P1,000. Coins are issued for 5c (centavos), 10c, 25c, 50c, P1, P2 and P5.

Exchange rates: As of September 24, 2005 the rate is approximately $1 = 56 peso.

Most foreign currencies can be exchanged at banks, hotels and authorized foreign exchange dealers. Outside of Manila, the use of the Philippine pesos for payments is preferred.

Travelers checks issued by American Express, Bank of Tokyo, Bank of America, Barclays and Citibank are widely accepted. Major credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club can be used to pay for most goods and services.

Capital: Manila

Flag: Two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side. In the center of the triangle is a sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, and in each corner of the triangle is a small, yellow, five-pointed star.

Shop Hours: Most shops operate from 10am to 7:30pm daily and are closed on public holidays.

Bank Hours: Banks are open 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday and are closed on public holidays.

Holidays:

January 1 - New Year's Day

Maundy Thursday

Good Friday

April 9 - Day of Valor

April 14 - Good Friday

May 1 - Labor Day

June 12 - Independence Day

June 23 - Manila Day

November 1 - All Saint's Day

November 30 - Bonifacio Day

December 25 - Christmas Day

December 30 - Rizal Day

Time: Local time is GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) plus 8 hours.

Tipping:

As in the U.S., tipping is expected for many services. When in doubt, do as you would at home.

Restaurants: Most upscale restaurants automatically add a 10% to 15% service charge to the total amount of the bill and a 4% to 10% sales tax for food and drinks. In restaurants, when no service charge has been added, at least 10% of the bill is expected as a tip.

Porters: In hotels, tip doormen and porters P10-P20.

Taxis: 10% of the final fare.

Basketball is the country's premier sport. Tournaments are held by the professional Philippine Basketball Association, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and the Philippine Amateur Basketball League. Major teams play 2 to 3 times a week and major courts are at the Ultra Center in Pasig and at the Rizal Coliseum in Malate. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought at the coliseum in advance or at the day of the game. On championship games, reserve or buy your tickets ahead of time since they are always sold out a day or two before the game.

Another sport who is widespread and very popular is Pool Billiards with World stars like Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamente and Alex Pagulayan to mention a few.

One of the Filipino people's favorite pastime, especially in the provinces. Is the cockfight. Cockfights are held every Sunday in several cockpits around Manila and are abundant in the provinces. The highly prized birds are fitted with sharpened blades and displayed to the highly emotional crowd before bets are verbally placed with the calador. This sport can get rather bloody and is offensive to many first time spectators.

The Philippine archipelago is reputed to have more sites for scuba diving than any other country in the world. With at least 28,000 square kilometers (10,808 sq.mi) of the best coral reefs, its undersea world has an incredible amount to offer a scuba diver. Warm, crystal-clear water in various shades of blue, with an amazing visibility to depths of up to 200 feet (61m). Beneath the waters are undiscovered reefs and mysterious shipwrecks waiting to be explored. There are many dive sites, dive shops, dive boat operators and dive tour operators; contact the tourist office for more detailed information.

Sportsfishing has become a very popular sport in the waters surrounding the Philippines. The country ranks 12th in the world for fish production, with almost two million square kilometers (770,000 sq.mi) of fishing grounds. Some 2,400 fish species inhabit these grounds, and many are perfect for sports fishing. Big game fish such as the blue marlin and the giant tuna, as well as the smaller but very aggressive grouper, or lapu lapu, are also plentiful.

Imagine playing golf amid coconut palms, jungle foliage and deep gorges, or better yet, on a seaside golf course overlooking the South China Sea and Manila Bay. This is golf at its best - golf in the Philippines. Compared to other countries, green fees are unbelievably reasonable. In Metro Manila there are over 10 golf courses.

A wide choice of food establishments awaits visitors, whether they will be dining in Metro Manila or in the various provinces in the country. When in the Philippines, it is worth seeking out kamayan (eating with your hands) restaurants for a true cultural experience. Because of its coastline, the Philippines boast of seafood galore. In fact, most restaurants offer seafood cooked one way or another. The most popular form of cooking, though, is broiling.

Filipino food is an intriguing blend of Malaysian, Chinese, Spanish and American cuisines. For instance, the use of coconut milk as an ingredient is a gastronomic legacy from the Filipinos' Malay ancestors. Popular dishes such as lumpia (egg rolls) and pancit (noodles) are Chinese. Even the country's most famous dish lechon (roast pig), originated in China. Some traditional dishes are still called by their Spanish names such as mechado (beef with pork fat), menudo (diced meat and potatoes stewed in tomato sauce) and pochero (pork, green beans, cabbage and other selected vegetables).

Within each region, you will find specialized dishes. Baguio is famous for serving the best in fruit and vegetables from the Trinidad Valley. Pamanga is known for tocino (sweet preserved meats), Bicol, the coconut-growing region, uses gata (coconut milk) in cooking, along with many spices. Don't miss Zamboanga for its excellent prawns, crabs and lobsters.

Ordering in restaurants is easy since the menus are in English, although most of the dishes are simply described by their method of cooking. Remember, you're not finished with your meal until you have had dessert. Choose from the wide variety of baked delights, Philippine-made ice cream, or fresh fruits, since the Philippines offers one of Asia's largest selection of tropical fruits.

Beer in the country is probably the finest and the cheapest in the East. Locally brewed San Miguel Beer is very good; several new brews such as the lighter Carlsberg and less expensive Manila Beer are now challenging it. Five-year-old Tanduay and locally produced gins and vodkas are all first-class spirits.

People who live outside the larger towns often drink tuba, a very strong coconut wine, rather than the more expensive beers or liquors. The alcohol content is not very high, but the effect is very similar to that of tequila. Lambanog is boiled tuba distilled in the true Kentucky moonshine manner. Tapey is an alcoholic beverage made from rice or corn, popular with the hill tribes of northern Luzon. Basi, a homemade wine from Ilocos Norte, is made from sugarcane juice to which barks and berries have been added.

Filipino musicians are among the best in Asia. Metro Manila bustles with nightlife and is often heralded as Asia's entertainment capital. There is a wide variety of music to choose from: pop, rock, jazz or Broadway, as well as a wide range of bistros, nightclubs, pubs, bars and cafes at which you can hear it. Traditional Filipino music and dance are offered at theaters or hotel restaurants where cultural dance troups perform regularly. For the culturally inspired, the Cultural Center of the Philippines is your best bet.