 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.
Map of the Philippines
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