The Philippine Islands are a cluster of more than 7000 islands.  From north to south, the archipelago extends over nearly 1850 kilometers.  Philippines is of volcanic origin, it has more than 20 active volcanoes, and regularly experiences earthquakes.

The total land area of the Philippines is about 300,000 square kilometers, and the largest city is the capital, Manila .  The two largest islands are Luzon to the north, and Mindanao to the south, with a host of smaller islands in between, including some unnamed and uninhabited patches of land.

The predominant ethnic groups on the islands are of Malayan origin, with some Chinese influence.  There are also the Mestizos (Filipino-Spanish and Filipino-American), evidence of the long Spanish and American occupation of the country.  The islands got their name from the Spanish - they named the country Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain .  Due to extensive proselytization by the Church during the Spanish era, the Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia , with over 82% of its population following the Roman Catholic faith.  The Filipinos are a very outgoing and friendly people, whose ethos is ruled by 'bayanihan' - a communal spirit which binds them together, and embraces all visitors to their country as well.

Because of its volatile post-independence governance, the Philippine nation has always received bad press - dictatorship, corruption, terrorist attacks and economic problems tend to overshadow its image; the forces of nature do not help either - the Philippine islands are regularly struck by natural disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, floods, landslides and volcanic eruptions.  However, the Philippines is a relatively safe and cheap place to visit (if one avoids the trouble-prone areas in the south) with long beaches, interesting mountain treks and hikes, and spectacular underwater experiences.

The climate is mostly hot and humid - averaging at about 80d/F or 27d/C with humidity of 77%.  The best season to visit is during the months of November to March - which is the dry season. The months of May to October are very hot and humid.

A large part of the terrain is mountainous; the volcanic eruptions over the centuries have given the Philippines , fertile soils and spectacular landscapes and underwater areas.

The fertile lowlands of the islands provide crops of rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples and mangoes.  Pork, eggs, beef and an abundant supply of fish are also produced.  Industries center on textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining, and fishing.

• Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
• Area: 299,000 sq km
• Population: 84.61 million
• Capital City : Manila (pop: 10 million)
• Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
• GDP: US$310 billion
• GDP per capita: US$3,700
• Annual Growth: 3.9%
• Inflation: 4.4%