Facts about Philippines
The Philippines is divided into three geographical areas: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
On December 8, 1941, Japan launched a surprise attack on the Philippines, just 10 hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
The Philippines was governed from Mexico from 1565 to 1821, before it was administered directly from Spain.
The Philippines is one of only two Roman Catholic countries in Asia, the other being East Timor.
Muslim, Chinese and Indian traders made contact with the Philippines during the course of the next thousand years.
The government of the Philippines is organized as a presidential unitary republic, where the president functions as head of state, the head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the armed forces.
The Philippines achieved independence from the United States on July 4, 1946.
World War II had left the Philippines demoralized and severely damaged.
The Negritos or Aetas, who are considered as the aboriginal inhabitants of the Philippines, currently number fewer than 30,000 people (0.03 percent).
The Spanish colonization of the Philippines, governed from Mexico, lasted for more than 350 years, thus there is a significant presence of Spanish and Mexican influence in the Filipino culture.
Philippines soldiers are considered one of the most battle-hardened armies in the world due to their long exposure to counter-insurgency and anti-secessionist campaigns.
The Philippines' consistently large budget deficit has produced a high debt level, and this has forced Manila to spend a large amount on debt servicing.
Spain then ceded the Philippines, together with Cuba, Guam and Puerto Rico to the United States.
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas), is an island nation located in the Malay Archipelago in Southeast Asia.
The Philippines also faces higher oil prices, higher interest rates on its dollar borrowings, and higher inflation.
Thousands of citizens converged at the EDSA Shrine to protest against Estrada, following his aborted impeachment trial at the Senate of the Philippines.
The Philippines is in a dispute with Taiwan, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia over the oil and natural gas-rich Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, and with Malaysia over Sabah.
The oldest human fossil found in the Philippines is the 22,000-year-old skull cap of a "Stone-Age Filipino" discovered inside Tabon Cave, Palawan, in 1962, and dubbed the "Tabon Man."
The Spanish American War, which began in Cuba in 1898, soon reached the Philippines when Commodore George Dewey defeated the Spanish squadron at Manila Bay.
Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines sustains frequent seismic and volcanic activities.
The United States is one of the Philippines’ closest economic and political allies.
Many months before the expiration of the U.S.-Philippines Military Bases Agreement of 1947, intense negotiations between the governments of the United States and the Philippines began to renew the American lease.
The country's status as a colony changed when it became the Commonwealth of the Philippines in 1935, which provided for more self-governance.
Aguinaldo declared the independence of the Philippines on June 12, 1898, and was proclaimed head of state.
The Philippines is a developing country with one of the busiest call-center industries in Asia, generating thousands of jobs.
Ananse, the Spider man from Ashanti culture of West Africa, is known as the keeper of stories.
As it progressed, belt of volcanoes were formed on above the dominant plate. When the subduction occurred underwater, like when an oceanic plate descends beneath another oceanic plate, the belt of volcanoes formed results in island arcs. The Philippines is an assembly of several island arcs.Jun 10, 2014
The country is known for having its rich biodiversity as its main tourist attraction. Its beaches, mountains, rainforests, islands and diving spots are among the country's most popular tourist destinations. The country's rich historical and cultural heritage are also one of the attractions of Philippines.
Philippines Entry Requirements. ... U.S. citizens may enter the Philippines for purposes of tourism without a visa if they present their U.S. passport, valid for at least six months after their date of entry into the Philippines, and a return ticket to the United States or an onward ticket to another country.
Visas. You can enter the Philippines without a visa for an initial period of 30 days. You can also get a tourist visa from the Philippine Embassy before you travel, which will allow an initial 59 day stay. You can apply to extend your stay at the offices of the Bureau of Immigration.
Yes, some vaccines are recommended or required for Philippines. The CDC and WHO recommend the following vaccines for Philippines: typhoid, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, cholera, rabies, Japanese encephalitis, and influenza.
No visa required for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days. Traveller must hold valid ticket for return journey to country of origin or next country of destination and a passport valid for a period of at least six (6) months beyond the stay in the Philippines. No visa required for a stay not exceeding thirty (30) days.
9A Non-Immigrant Visa. Any foreign national may come to the Philippines for business, tourism or medical purposes with a temporary visitor's visa – also known as a tourist visa. Typically, no visa is issued for 21 days upon arrival, except to specific restricted nationalities.
61 Visa Free Countries for Philippine Passport HoldersEUROPEKosovoVisa not required30 daysNiueVisa not required30 daysPalauVisa issued upon arrival30 daysSamoaVisa not required60 days10 more rows
When the subduction occurred underwater, like when an oceanic plate descends beneath another oceanic plate, the belt of volcanoes formed results in island arcs. The Philippines is an assembly of several island arcs. ... The collision resulted in a series of subductions around Philippine archipelago.Jun 10, 2014
History of the Philippines. The history of the Philippines is believed to have begun with the arrival of the first humans using rafts or boats at least 67,000 years ago as the 2007 discovery of Callao Man suggested. Negrito groups first inhabited the isles. Groups of Austronesians later migrated to the islands.
The United States recognized the Philippines as an independent state and established diplomatic relations with it in 1946. Except for the 1942-45 Japanese occupation during World War II, the Philippines had been under U.S. administration since the end of the Spanish-American War in 1898.Dec 15, 2016
Filipinas is both the Spanish and Filipino name for the Philippines. The people are called Filipinos in English, Spanish and Filipino, but many Filipinos still prefer to call themselves Pilipino and their country Pilipinas.Nov 16, 2011
The Philippines is one of the most westernized nations in Southeast Asia, a unique blend of eastern and western culture. Spain (1565-1898) and the United States (1898-1946), colonized the country and have been the largest influences on the Philippine culture. This is about to change.
Philippines: A Third World Country But First In the Outsourcing Industry. Being a third world country is never a hindrance for the Philippines especially in the outsourcing industry. ... The Philippines being one of the world's second-largest English-speaking countries in the globe is not just something one can ignore.
The Philippines was named in honor of King Philip II of Spain. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos, during his expedition in 1542, named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then-Prince of Asturias. Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago.
Like many other countries, the Philippines has pockets where more violence tends to occurs and areas that are generally considered safe. ... There is an active travel warning for the Philippines, but only for some regions. Most other parts of the nation are generally considered as safe as other places in Southeast Asia.Aug 24, 2016
Afterward, Rajah Humabon and his ally Datu Zula convinced Magellan to kill their enemy, Datu Lapu-Lapu, on Mactan. Magellan wanted to convert Lapu-Lapu to Christianity, as he had Humabon, but Lapu-Lapu rejected that. On the morning of 27 April 1521, Magellan sailed to Mactan with a small attack force.
Judicial power is vested in the courts with the Supreme Court of the Philippines as the highest judicial body.Executive Branch. The executive branch is headed by the President who functions as both the head of state and the head of government. ... Legislative Branch. ... Judiciary Branch.
Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until after World War II, when the Philippines was recognized as an independent nation. ... It is one of the only two predominantly Christian nations in Southeast Asia, the other being East Timor.