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40 Interesting Facts About the Philippines
The most interesting facts about the Philippines, from a world record for breastfeeding to the Selfie Capital of the World.
Official name: Republic of the Philippines Population: 118 million Area: 300,000 sq km Capital city: Manila Major languages: Filipino (Tagalog), English Major religions: 79.5% Roman Catholic, 9 percent other Christian groups, 6-11% Muslim Time zone: UTC+8 (Philippine Standard Time)
Interesting facts about the Philippines
1. The Philippines is an island nation in Southeast Asia, located approximately 500 miles (800km) off the coast of Vietnam in the Pacific Ocean.
2. The Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,641 islands.
3. The Philippines is the world’s second-largest archipelago state after Indonesia and the third-largest by area after Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
4. For decades, it was believed there were only 7,107 islands, but in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that over 500 new islands had been discovered, although not all have been verified.
5. Despite being made up of over 7,000 islands, the majority of the population lives on just 11 of them.
6. Archaeological evidence suggests the Philippines has been inhabited for over 700,000 years.
7. Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan was the first among Europeans to reach the Philippines in 1521 but was tragically killed there.
8. The Philippines was a Spanish colony for more than three centuries from 1542. In 1898, they were ceded from Spain to the United States following the Spanish-American War.
9. The country was named after a 16th-century Spanish king, King Phillip II, after explorer Ruy Lopez de Villalobos visited some of the islands in 1543.
10. The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that was subjected to European colonialism before it developed a dominant culture or a centralized government of its own.
11. Many Filipinos have Spanish names because of a 19th-century Spanish decree that required them to use Spanish surnames. Parents often name their children after the saint whose feast day was on the day of their birth.
12. The Filipino flag is made up of blue and white horizontal stripes and a white triangle featuring a golden sun and three stars. The blue stands for the willingness to sacrifice oneself for freedom, the red for courage, and the white for liberty. The stars and the sun and its rays represent various regions of the country.
13. When the flag is inverted or flown upside down, it signals the nation is in a state of war. In 2010, the US had to apologize for accidentally flying the Philippine flag upside down during a presidential event in New York.
14. The Philippines is located along the Ring of Fire, a belt of active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters bordering the Pacific Ocean. Up to 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 75% of the world’s volcanoes occur within the Ring of Fire.
15. The Philippines is home to Taal Volcano, one of 16 Decade Volcanoes. Decade Volcanoes have been identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI) as the most dangerous volcanoes on the planet due to their history of destructive eruptions and proximity to populated areas.
16. The UK government advises against traveling to parts of the Philippines and points out the high crime rates in certain areas, particularly in Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago. This includes terrorist activity and street crimes such as robbery, which may involve weapons and firearms.
17. Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines had the second-largest volcanic eruption in the 20th century. The eruption, which occurred in 1991, caused at least 722 fatalities and left more than 200,000 people homeless.
18. Mt. Mayon, the most active volcano in the Philippines, is internationally regarded as a beautiful volcano due to its perfectly symmetrical cone shape.
19. The Philippines also straddles the Pacific typhoon belt. Annually, an average of nine typhoons hit the Philippines, with around five of them classed as destructive. As such, the country is the most exposed in the world to tropical storms.
20. In 1946, after decades of American rule and three years of Japanese occupation during the Second World War, from 1942 to 1945, the islands finally gained full independence and were renamed the Republic of the Philippines.
21. The Philippines is famous for its Jeepneys. Jeepneys are colorful buses usually decorated with religious and nationalistic artwork. They are the country’s cheapest and most popular mode of public transport. However, recently, they’re being phased out to ease city congestion.
22. The Philippines endured nearly a decade of martial law from 1972 until 1981 under President Ferdinand Marcos. After 20 years of rule, Marcos was driven from power in 1986.
23. In 2014, Makati City in Manila was named the Selfie Capital of the World, with 258 selfie-takers per 100,000 people – more than second-placed Manhattan in New York.
24. Filipinos love karaoke, and almost every Philippine home has a karaoke machine. In fact, it was Filipino inventor Roberto del Rosario who developed the Karaoke Sing-Along System in 1975.
25. Spanish was the primary language of the Philippines for over 300 years due to Spanish colonization, but the people wanted their own national language. The government created the “Filipino” language in the 1970s, a new language that combined Tagalog with Spanish, English, Chinese, and Malay. It became the official language.
26. The Philippines is home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
27. The UNESCO-listed Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are one of the most famous sights in the country. The contoured rice terraces have existed for over 2,000 years. However, some scholars have argued in recent years that the site is, in fact, 300-400 years old.
28. The Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River is thought to be the world’s longest navigable underground river. It’s navigable up to 4.3 km.
29. The Philippines saw the largest-ever papal event when, in 2015, as many as seven million people flocked to see Pope Francis deliver an open-air Mass in Manila.
30. The Cebu sardine run sees millions of sardines migrate along Panagsama Beach in the Moalboal region. Mass fishing is prohibited, so it’s possible to swim and dive with the giant shoals of fish.
31. The yo-yo was invented in the Philippines. There are examples of yo-yos existing in ancient cultures, including in China (circa 1000 BC) and Greece (circa 500 BC), but the first yo-yos manufactured in America in the early 20th century were made by Pedro Flores (1896-1964), a Filipino immigrant who eventually sold the trademark to the Duncan Yo-Yo Company.
32. The Philippines set the world record for simultaneous breastfeeding when around 10,000 mothers fed their babies at the same time. The event was organized to highlight the nutritional benefits of breastfeeding.
33. The Philippines is one of 17 megadiverse countries in the world. Megadiverse countries are the world’s most biodiversity-rich countries.
34. The Philippines is home to the world’s longest snake. The reticulated python typically weighs 75kg (165lb) and can grow longer than 7m (23ft). It is known to attack humans.
35. The Philippines has the longest Christmas season in the world: from September to January. The festive season is marked by traditional masses, light displays and family gatherings.
36. In 2016, the world’s natural giant clam pearl was discovered in the Philippines. Weighing 34kg, the pearl was actually found 10 years ago by a fisherman who was unaware of its value. It easily surpassed the previous record-holder, the Pearl of Lao Tzu, which weighed 6.4kg and was found in the Philippines in 1934.
37. The Philippine Eagle is considered the largest eagle in the world in terms of length and wing surface area. It was also named the national bird of the Philippines.
38. The City of Puerto Princesa is known as the Cleanest and Greenest City in the Philippines. It has spectacular cave systems, forests, and an underground river.
39. At 6,349,530 square feet, the Philippines’ largest shopping mall is also the fifth largest in the world. SM Mall Of Asia, located at Manila Bay, features a movie theater, a museum, an ice skating rink, five hotels, and much more.
40. According to available data, the Philippines ranks among the world’s most mineral-rich nations, boasting an estimated $1 trillion in mineral resources, including copper, gold, nickel, zinc, and silver reserves. They have a lot more work to do, as only 5% of these resources have been explored.
Every effort has been made to verify these facts about the Philippines. However, if you find an error or have any questions, please contact us .
Caitriona Maria
Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. A teacher for seven years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.
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