- Officially: Republic of the Philippines
- Capital: Manila
Facts
- Population: 104 million
- More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines, but the bulk of the population lives on just 11 of them.
- Major languages: Filipino, English (both official)
- Major religion: Christianity
- Life expectancy: 66 years (men), 73 years (women)
- Currency: Philippine peso
Geography
- Area: 300,000 sq km (115,831 sq miles)
- More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines
- The country is mountainous and prone to earthquakes and eruptions from around 20 active volcanoes
- The area is often hit by typhoons and other major storms
Notes
- President Rodrigo Duterte
- The beaches on the island of Boracay are consistently rated as some of the best in the world.
- In 2018 the President closed the island to tourists in an effort to build infrastructure and crack down on overdevelopment.
Tourism
- Hotspots: Manila, Cebu and Boracay
- Batanes region and Bohol are becoming popular with tourists
Overlanding
- It may be possible to ferry from Malaysian Borneo to the southern Filipino island of Mindanao. However, there are strong government advisories about travel to this area. (2019)
Government Advice
News
Last Updated on November 15, 2018