About the Philippines: The Philippines is an archipelago in Southeast Asia composed of more that 7,100 islands. Many of the volcanic islands that constitute the archipelago are isolated. The 11 largest islands namely Luzon, Masbate, Mindoro, Palawan, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Negros, Panay, and Mindanao, account for more than 94% of the total land area.

The topography is generally hilly, rising to a high point of about 3 kilometers at Mount Apo, a volcano in the island of Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao islands only have wide lowland areas. There are various dormant and active volcanos, particularly Mount Pinatubo in Central Luzon, which made a big noise in 1991.

Wildlife incorporates the carabao (water buffalo), monkeys, reptiles, and tropical birds. There are rich deposits of gold, lead, manganese, silver, nickel, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron ore and coal and an excellent hydroelectric and geothermal power impending. Volcanic steam provides an increasing factor of the nation’s power supply demands.

There are two distinct seasons, the Dry and the Wet. The dry season is somewhere between the month of March to June whereas the wet season is from the month of July to October. The period in between is neither too hot nor too wet for comfort. Humidity is relatively high, about 80%. The climate is warm but healthy. It was considered that it is one of the most favorable tropical climates all over the world.

The mean annual lowland temperature is about 27°C (80°F). Temperatures fluctuate more between day and night and high and low altitudes than between seasons.

The Filipino people is a mixture of races. Racially, most Filipinos are a mixture of Malaya and Mongoloid races, with some mixture of Chinese, Indian, Arab, Spanish, and American elements. The Spanish expression ‘mestizo’ is used to describe anyone of mixed blood.

Although the Filipino people speak a variety of languages and are spread across many islands, they have a rather high degree of cultural resemblance. The long fight for self-government, the utilize of Filipino (which is the national language) and English languages in the schools, the persuade of Christianity, and the rural-to-urban relocation have contributed to union. Least saturated are the Muslims of the south, the upland hill tribes, and recent Chinese immigrants.

Generally, Filipinos have these qualities: friendly, hospitable, devoted to family, respectful of authorities, devoted, sentimental and happy. They could easily adjust to new situations almost certainly because of the fact that they had been under several colonial rules in the past.

More than the usual – this is how the Philippine is positioned in the tourism block. The country is an archipelago and known officially as the Republic of the Philippines. This archipelago is located in Southeast Asia and holds the distinction of being one of only two predominantly Christian countries in Asia. East Timor is the other country. There are around 7,107 islands in the country and these islands host around 90 million people. This population based on 2008 estimates makes the country as the 12th most populous country in the world. For the traveler interested to know more about the country, it should be learned that the country has around 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide and these are the Filipinos who work in other countries and one of the main reasons why the economy of the country is competitive.

Based on 2008 estimates, the gross domestic product or the GDP of Philippines is hooked at over US$ 327.2 billion and this is considered as the 37th largest in the world. The name ‘Philippine‘ traces a long history. The name was taken after the name of King Philip II of Spain in the 16th century. It was the initiative of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos to use the name Las Islas Filipinas or the Philippine Islands as his name for the islands Leyte and Samar. And the utilize of this name was based and in honor of the Prince of Spain. An additional assessment of the name ‘Philippine’ will reveal that this has Greek roots and according to some historians this was the name of the father of Alexander the Great.

The country is divided geographically into three groups:
– Luzon
– Visayas
– Mindanao

And these three major island grouping is then sub-divided into 17 regions, another 81 provinces and 136 cities. The country also plays host to 1,494 municipalities and 41,995 barrios. The government also controls Sabah, North Borneo as asserted by Section 2 of the Republic Act Number 5446. Ecologically, the country is known as one of those countries which feature diverse flora and fauna. This feature of the country is one of the major reasons why the archipelago is one of the favorite places for travelers who seek to experience nature at its best. Another main reason why the country is always part of the list of preferred travel destinations is that the country is rich in natural resources and its scenic spots are panoramic and ready to comfort and to overwhelm the first-time visitors. The natural resources of the country are extensive and this can be seen in many areas like agriculture, forestry and minerals.

Talking about the archipelago is not complete without talking about its fertile and arable lands, the forests that host diverse flora and fauna and the panoramic coastlines. For those travelers willing to sample what the country has to offer over a limited amount of time, it is suggested that the interested traveler should focus on its culture, its beaches and its heritage. The unique Philippine culture will let the traveler experience the many festivals in the country- from Sinulog in Cebu to the Penafrancia Festival in the Bicol Region. The country has a number of festivals and these festivals will usually peak during April and May- the time for the country’s fiestas. Most of these festivals have links to the church and religious in nature.

Visiting the country without visiting some of its finest beaches is not suggested. Philippines is made up of 7,107 islands and with a coastline that is twice the length of United States, you can really expect that Philippines has indeed some of the best beaches in the world. Mere mention of the Philippine will remind images of white and fine beaches of Boracay, Palawan and some of the more not-so commercial yet striking sands of other beaches. Some names that should be part of the plans of the traveler include Pagudpud, Mactan Island and Panglao. And speaking of heritage, the country is home to Ifugao Rice Terraces which is now part of the UNESCO Heritage List in 1995. Aside from this rice terraces, Philippine also plays host also to many old churches- baroque churches in Metro Manila and these are all considered as heritage sites that carry the country’s culture and history.