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The
Philippines consists of 7,107 islands, of which only
2,000 are inhabited. Only about 500 of the islands are
larger than a square kilometer and 2,500 of them are
not even named. The total area of the Philippines is
299,404 square kilometers. The highest mountain is Mt.
Apo, near Davao in Mindanao, at 2,953 metres.
The islands of the Philippines can be conveniently divided
into three groups. First, there is Luzon, the largest
and northernmost island and the site of the capital,
Manila. The nearby islands of Mindoro and Marinduque
are generally included with Luzon. At the other end
of the archipelago is the second largest island, Mindanao.
Third, there is the tightly-packed island group known
as the Visayas. There are seven major islands in this
group - Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar and
Masbate. Cebu is the central island of the group and
Cebu City is a major tourist destination.
There are over 30 volcanoes
in the Philippines, 10 of which are classified as being
active. The longest rivers are the Cagayan River, the
Rio Grande de Pampanga and the Agno in Luzon; the Rio
Grande de Mindanao and the Agusan River in Mindanao.
Today, there are about 67 million Filipinos; approximately
8 million of whom live in Metro Manila. Filipinos are
basically of Malay stock with Chinese and Spanish ancestries.
Although an ever growing number of Filipinos are becoming
urbanized, a great majority of Filipinos still till
the land and live off it comfortably. Known for their
hospitality, Filipinos are a warm and friendly people.
Visitors are welcomed like members of the family and
it is no surprise to find house guests being offered
the best room in a Filipino home. Smiles are abundant
in the islands.
NOTE: More information about the Philippines will
be posted later. This page is perpetually under construction.
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