THE COUNTRY

The Philippine Islands became a Spanish colony during the 16th century and were ceded to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1935, the Philippines became a self-governing commonwealth. Following Japanese occupation during World War II, the Republic of the Philippines attained its independence on 4 July 1946.

Chocolate Hills;
Underground River Tour;
Batad Rice Terraces;
Historic Tour of Corregidor Island (includes Pacific War Memorial, Malinta Tunnel);
Pagsanjan Falls

Private Jets, Helicopters and Airliners
Finest Onboard Catering
Ground Transport and Yachts
Luxury Villa & House Rentals
Local Guide & 24/7 Assistance
Customized Global Services

TO BE KNOWN

The State's Capital

Manila
Time Zone

UTC +8
Telephone Code

63
Total Area

300 000 Km2
Population

116 434 200 (2023 est.)
Main Languages

Filipino (based on Tagalog), English
Currency

Philippine pesos (PHP)
GDP Per Capita

USD 8100
Airports

247
Heliports

2

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Climate

Tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)

Ethnic Groups

Tagalog 24.4%, Bisaya/Binisaya 11.4%, Cebuano 9.9%, Ilocano 8.8%, Hiligaynon/Ilonggo 8.4%, Bikol/Bicol 6.8%, Waray 4%, other local ethnicity 26.1%, other foreign ethnicity 0.1% (2010 est.)

Cultural Practices

Use academic, professional, or honorific titles and a person's surname until you are invited to use their first name.

Traditional Cuisine

Adobo — chicken and/or pork marinated or braised in a sauce of garlic, peppercorns, and soy sauce and then fried in oil; traditionally served over a bed of rice

National Economy

Diversified, growing East Asian economy; major semiconductor, ship-building, and electronics exporter; significant remittances; COVID-19 hit consumption and investments hard; regional tensions with China; major geothermal energy user