The
Philippines (/ˈfɪlɨpiːnz/; Filipino:
Pilipinas [ˌpɪlɪˈpinɐs]), officially known as the
Republic of the Philippines (Filipino:
Repúblika ng Pilipinas),
is a sovereign island country in Southeast Asia situated in the western
Pacific Ocean. It consists of 7,107 islands that are categorized
broadly under three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and
Mindanao. Its capital city is Manila while its most populous city is
Quezon City; both are part of Metro Manila.
To the north of the Philippines across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan;
Vietnam sits west across the South China Sea; southwest is the island of
Borneo across the Sulu Sea, and to the south the Celebes Sea separates
it from other islands of Indonesia; while to the east it is bounded by
the Philippine Sea and the island-nation of Palau. Its location on the
Pacific Ring of Fire and close to the equator makes the Philippines
prone to earthquakes and typhoons, but also endows it with abundant
natural resources and some of the world's greatest biodiversity. At
approximately 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 sq mi), the Philippines
is the 64th-largest country in the world.
With a population of about 100 million people, the Philippines is the
seventh-most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated
country in the world. An additional 12 million Filipinos live overseas,
comprising one of the world's largest diasporas. Multiple ethnicities
and cultures are found throughout the islands. In prehistoric times,
Negritos were some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. They were
followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples. Various nations
were established under the rule of Datus, Rajahs, Sultans or Lakans.
Trade with Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Islamic states also occurred.
The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of
Spanish colonization. In 1543, Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos
named the archipelago
Las Islas Filipinas in honor of Philip II
of Spain. With the arrival of Miguel López de Legazpi from Mexico City,
in 1565; the first Spanish settlement in the archipelago was
established. The Philippines became part of the Spanish Empire for more
than 300 years. This resulted in the predominant religion in the country
being Roman Catholicism. During this time, Manila became the Asian hub
of the Manila–Acapulco galleon trade.
As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick
succession the Philippine Revolution, which spawned the short-lived
First Philippine Republic, and the Philippine–American War. Aside from
the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained
sovereignty over the islands. After World War II, the Philippines was
recognized as an independent nation. Since then, the Philippines has had
an often tumultuous experience with democracy, which includes a People
Power Revolution overthrowing a dictatorship. The nation's large
population size and economic potential have led it to be classified as a
middle power. It is a founding member of the United Nations, World
Trade Organization, Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and East
Asia Summit.
Source:
Wikipedia
