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The
Philippines stands at the crossroads of the
occidental and oriental worlds, physically and
culturally. It is strategically situated in the
heart of the Southeast Asia, stretching 1840
kilometers from north to south, and about 1,100
kilometers from east to west. Composed of 1,107
islands, the Philippines is readily accessible to
the different capitals of the world. Its three main
islands are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
It is bounded by the South China Sea in its western
shores. To its north lie Taiwan, China and Japan.
The Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean forms its
eastern frontier. Its Southeast Asian neighbors,
Indonesia and Malaysia, lie to the south. Its unique
and strategic location has made the Philippines an
economic, cultural and intellectual hub in Asia from
the dawn of its history.
Located just above north of the equator, the
Philippines has a moderate tropical climate suited
for the cultivation of crops like rice, coconuts and
pineapples. The terrain of the bigger islands is
characterized by alluvial plains, narrow valleys and
high mountains. The smaller islands are likewise
mountainous in the interior with narrow coastal
lowlands.
The inhabitants of the Philippines are called
Filipinos, mainly of Malay stock, with a dash of
Chinese, Spanish, American and Arab blood, brought
about by western colonial rule and periodic visits
of merchants and traders since early times. From
this confluence of cultures evolved a unique
Filipino identity that is a mixture of east and
west.
Nearly 83 million people live in the Philippines.
The country has one of the highest population-growth
rates in the world, and as a result, the population
is predominantly young.
The official languages are Filipino, which is
largely based on Tagalog language, and English.
Filipinos are perhaps the largest English-speakers
in the region, and the language is the officially
used in government and commerce. There are around 80
other dialects spoken in the country, chief among
them are Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Ilonggo, Waray,
Pampango, Pangasinense and Maranao.
The
country is predominantly Christian. Muslims, mostly
found in Mindanao, form a small but vibrant
minority.
The Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew
at around 5% between 2002 and 2005. This is in part
due to the high level of remittances of overseas
Filipino workers, the growth of the service sector
and improved growth of export and agricultural
output.
The Philippines’ major industries are electronics,
garments, footwear, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood
products, food processing, petroleum refining and
fishing. The main agriculture products for export
include sugarcane, coconuts, bananas, cassavas,
pineapples, fish, mangoes, pork, chicken, eggs and
beef.
The Philippines is a democratic republic with a
presidential form of government. President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo was elected in 2004 and is serving
a 6-year term.
The country has a bi-cameral legislature called the
Congress of the Philippines. It is composed of the
Senate, which has 24 members who are directly
elected to six-year terms, and the House of the
Representatives, which is composed of
representatives of the provinces and districts, and
the party-list nominees.
The highest tribunal is the Supreme Court, made up
of a Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justices, all
appointed to four-year terms by the President. Other
judicial bodies include a Court of Appeals, Court of
the First Instance, and Municipal Courts.
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AMA Computer University