The Philippines
The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia made up of 7641 islands. The country is divided into 3 island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia made up of 7641 islands. The country is divided into 3 island groups: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Overview
Official Name
Republic of the Philippines
Capital
Manila
Independence Day
12 June 1946
Population, Territory and Currency
108,116,615 (2019)
300,000 square km
Peso (PHP)
Price per meal: ~₱242 (SGD$6.80)
Demographics
69.3 Life expectancy
Source: World Health Organisation (2019)
47.4% Urban population
Source: United Nations (2019)
50.2% Of the population are male
Source: World Bank (2019)
18.8% Are youths aged 15-24
Source: United Nations (2019)
The Flag
A horizontal bicolour flag with equal bands of blue and red, with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist. In the centre of the triangle is a golden-yellow sun with 8 rays representing a province, and at each vertex of the triangle is a 5 pointed star each representing the country’s 3 main island group. The white triangle represents liberty and equality.
Key Historical Events
1890s
Insurrection against Spanish rule.
1898
Japanese Occupation, retaken by the United States.
1946
Independence. Renamed the Republic of the Philippines.
1972
Ferdinand Marcos declares martial law.
1983
Anti-Marcos lawyer Benigno Aquino is assassinated.
1986
Marcos ousted in "people power" revolt.
2001
President Joseph Estrada is forced out by a military-backed "people power" uprising.
Economic Profile
The Philippines economy recorded a 6.5 percent growth in the second quarter of 2017, and was reported to have overtaken Vietnam’s 6.2 percent growth and Indonesia’s 5 percent growth. A newly industrialised country, the Philippines’ economy has been transitioning from being agriculturally focused to one focused more on services and manufacturing.
Industry
Industrial
The industry sector recorded the fastest growth of 7.3%. It employs 14% of the workforce and accounts for 30% of the national GDP.
Tourism
The tourism industry is one of the country’s fastest-growing industries due to an increasing number of tourist arrivals.
Manufacturing
In the manufacturing industry, petroleum, transport equipment, beverage industries and food are the top contributors to economic growth.
Places of Interest
Boracay White Beach
Located in Western Visayas
Apart from its white sand beaches, Boracay is also famous for being one of the worlds top destinations for relaxation.
Underground River
National Park
Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1999) and New7Wonders of nature (2012). The park has a limestone karst mountain with an underground river cave.
Local Food
Adobo
Considered by many to be a Filipino national dish, it consists of slowly simmered chicken/pork/seafood marinated in vinegar, soy sauce and garlic.
Kinilaw
The literal translation means ‘eaten raw’. This dish is a raw seafood dish accompanied with vinegar, vegetables and spices.
Kare Kare
A popular dish in the Philippines served during special occasions, it is a type of Filipino stew with a rich and thick peanut sauce.
