COUNTRY INFORMATION  
Countries | PHILIPPINES

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Philippines is an island country in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Its official name is the Republic of the Philippines.
The Philippines consist of about 7,100 island and islets, many of which are so small that the have no name. The islands lie in the tropics, about 100 kilometers from the coast of mainland Asia. They have a total area of 300,000 square kilometers.

The two larges islands, Luzon and Mindanao, make up about two-thirds of the total area. Most of the land is mountainous and volcanoes are dotted throughout the country. Most settlements are on the plains between the mountains and along the coast.
The busy port of Manila, on Luzon is the capital and largest city. Its metropolitan area contains about a tenth of the country's population.

 

 
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Country Fact*:

Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
Area: 300,000 sq km
Population: 86,241,697
Capital city: Manila (pop: 10 million)
People: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Language: two official languages - Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English; eight major dialects - Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocan, Hiligaynon or Ilonggo, Bicol, Waray, Pampango, and Pangasinense
Religion: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%
Government: Republic
Business Hours: Most government offices are open Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm. Businesses generally keep the same hours, with some also open for half a day on Saturday from 9am until noon. Post offices in major cities are open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5.30pm. Off the beaten track the hours are less regular. Banks open Monday to Friday 9am-3pm, while
Shops in major shopping centres are open 10am-8pm
Major industries: Electronic and electrical products, clothing
Major trading partners: USA, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, China, Singapore, Malaysia
Internet domain: .ph
International dialling code: +63

Calendar of Events*:

January:
1st - New Year's Day
February:
25th - Anniversary of the Overthrow of Marcos (People Power One)
April:
9th - Bataan Day
Maundy Friday
Good Friday
May:
1st - Labor Day
June :
12th - Independence Day
24th - Manila Day
August :
31th - Hero's Day
November:
1st - All Saints' Day
30 th - Bonifacio Day
December:
25th - Christmas Day
26th - Public Holiday
30th - Rizal Day
31th - New Year's Eve
*Information is subject to change. For further update, please check these websites : www.bbc.com, www.cia.gov, www.earthcalendar.net