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undefined The Phillipines

Oficially republic of the Philippines. Republic was established in 1995 with a population of 73,265,000. It is 115,830 sq mi, SW Pacific, in the Malay Archipelago off the SE Asia mainland. It is made up of over 7,000 islands and rocks, of which only about 400 are permanently inhabited. The 11 largest islands are - Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, and Masbate - contain about 95% of the total land area. The northernmost point of land, the islet of Y'Ami in the Batan Islands, is separated from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel (about 50 mi wide). Manila, on Luzon, is the capital, the largest city, and the heart of the country.

Land

The Philippines extend 1,152 mi from north to south, between Taiwan and Borneo, and 688 mi from east to west, and are bounded by the Philippine Sea on the east, the Celebes Sea on the south, and the South China Sea on the west. They comprise three natural divisions-the northern, which includes Luzon and attendant islands; the central, occupied by the Visayan Islands and Palawan and Mindoro; and the southern, containing Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago.

The Philippines are chiefly of volcanic origin. Most of the larger islands are traversed by mountain ranges, with Mt. Apo (9,690 ft), on Mindanao, the highest peak. Narrow coastal plains, wide valleys, volcanoes, dense forests, and mineral and hot springs further characterize the larger islands. Earthquakes are common. Of the navigable rivers, Cagayan, on Luzon, is the largest; there are also large lakes on Luzon and Mindanao.

The Philippines are entirely within the tropical zone. Manila, with a mean daily temperature of 79.5°F , is typical of the climate of the lowland areas-hot, humid, and enervating. The highlands, however, have a bracing climate; e.g. Baguio, the summer capital, on Luzon, has a mean annual temperature of 64°F.

Administratively the republic is divided into 72 provinces and 61 chartered cities. In addition to Manila, other important centers are Quezon City, also on Luzon; Cebu, on Cebu Island; lloilo, on Panay; Davao and Zamboanga, on Mindanao; and Jolo, on Jolo Island in the Sulu Archipelago.

People

The great majority of the people of the Philippines belong to the Malay group and are known as Filipinos. Other groups include the Negritos (negroid pygmies) and the Dumagats (similar to the Papuans of New Guinea), and there is a small Chinese minority. The Filipinos live mostly in the lowlands and constitute one of the largest Christian groups in Asia. Roman Catholicism is professed by over 80% of the population; 5% are Aglipayans, members of the Philippine Independent Church, a nationalistic offshoot of Catholicism (see Aglipay, Gregorio); 5% are Muslims (concentrated on Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago; see Moros; and 4% are Protestants.

Some 70 native languages are spoken in the Philippines. The official national language is Pilipino, a form of Tagalog. A considerable number of Filipinos speak English, the nation's second language.

Economy

With their tropical climate, heavy rainfall, and naturally fertile volcanic soil, the Philippines are predominantly agricultural. Rice, corn, and coconuts take up about 80% of all cropland. Sugarcane, sweet potatoes, manioc, bananas, hemp, tobacco, and coffee are also important crops. Carabao (water buffalo), pigs, chickens, goats, and ducks are widely raised, and there is dairy farming. Fishing is a common occupation; the Sulu Archipelago is noted for its pearls and mother-of-pearl shell.

The islands have one of the world's greatest stands of commercial timber. There are also mineral resources such as nickel, zinc, copper, cobalt, gold, silver, iron ore, and chromite. Nonmetallic minerals include rock asphalt, gypsum, asbestos, sulfur, and coal. Limestone, adobe, and marble are quarried, and petroleum is mined.

Manufacturing is concentrated in metropolitan Manila, near the nation's prime port, but there has been considerable industrial growth on Cebu, Negros, and Mindanao in recent years. Textiles, pharmaceuticals, and chemicals are manufactured, and the assembly of electronics and automobiles is important. Other industries include food processing and petroleum refining. The former U.S. military base at Subic Bay was redeveloped in the 1990s as a free-trade zone. Chief exports are electronics and telecommunications equipment, lumber and plywood, machinery, garments, coconut products, copper, and sugar. The main imports are raw materials, production equipment, and intermediate goods for processing. The chief trading partners are the United States and Japan.

Government

The Philippines is governed under the constitution of 1987. The president, who is both chief of state and head of the government, is elected by popular vote for a six-year term. The bicameral legislature consists of a 24-seat senate and a 204-seat house of representatives, both of whose members are popularly elected. There is an independent judiciary headed by a supreme court.