Welcome to Philippines: The Blessed Nation

The Philippine Islands are a cluster of more than seven thousand (7000) islands, lying north of the Malay Peninsula in South East Asia. From north to south, the archipelago extends over nearly 1850 kilometers. Philippines is of volcanic origin, it has more than 20 active volcanoes, and regularly experiences earthquakes.

The total land area of the Philippines is about 300,000 square kilometers, and the largest city (as well as its capital) is Manila. The two largest islands are Luzon in the northern region, and Mindanao in the southern region, with a host of smaller islands in between, including some unnamed and uninhabited patches of land.

A large part of the terrain is mountainous; the volcanic eruptions in the area have given the Philippines, fertile soils and spectacular landscapes and underwater areas. Unfortunately, deforestation and uninhibited harvesting of both flora and marine life have deprived the Philippines of its once rich and diverse resources.

The predominant ethnic groups on the islands are of Malayan origin, with some Chinese influence. There are also the Mestizos (Filipino-Spanish and Filipino-American) who are evidence of the long Spanish and American occupation of the country. The islands got their name from the Spanish - they named the country Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain. Due to extensive proselytization by the Church ministry during the Spanish era, the Philippines are the only Christian nation in Asia, with over 82% of its population following the Roman Catholic faith. The Filipinos are a very outgoing and friendly (sociable) people, whose ethos is ruled by 'bayanihan' - a communal spirit which binds them together, and embraces all visitors to their country as well.

The Philippine nation has always received bad media of its dictatorship, corruption, terrorist attacks and economic problems tend to overshadow its image due to its volatile post-independence governance. The forces of nature do not help either as the Philippines islands are regularly struck by natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions. However, the Philippines are a relatively safe and cheap place to visit (if one avoids the trouble prone areas in the south) with long beaches, interesting mountain treks and hikes, and spectacular underwater experiences.

The climate is mostly hot and humid - averaging at about 80 degrees with humidity of 77%. Visitors may like to take note that the best season to visit is during the months of November to March - which is the dry season. The months of May to October are very hot and humid.

The low lands of the islands are blessed with fertile soil and provide crops of rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples and mangoes. Pork, eggs, beef and an abundance of fish are also produced. Industries are actively centertering around textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining and fishing.

• Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
• Area: 299,000 sq km
• Population: 84.61 million
• Capital City: Manila (pop: 11 million)
• Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
• GDP: US$310 billion
• GDP per capita: US$3,700
• Annual Growth: 3.9%
• Inflation: 4.4%