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Hotels
in Philippines - Choose Your Destination
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General Information
The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 islands
and has a land area of 298,170 square kilometres.
It is divided into 3 major island groups -- Luzon
in the north, Mindanao in the south and in between,
the Visayas. The capital of Manila, in Luzon,
is a bustling metropolis and is the centre of
the country's business, social, economic and cultural
activity. The country is also popular for its
beaches and clear waters, and on the island of
Boracay the beaches are considered to be among
the best in the world.
 There
are many islands to explore and scuba diving is
a big attraction here together with the large
range of watersports. If splashing around in the
water is not your thing then you can explore the
inland wonders and trek through the lush forests,
majestic mountain peaks and rustic countryside.
Most of the Philippines is laid
back and the country likes to promote itself as
the place where 'Asia wears a smile' and the locals
are, by and large, an exceptionally friendly and
helpful bunch. On top of this, transport is cheap,
the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and
(for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken.
Climate
The Philippines enjoys a tropical climate
with constant sea breezes. There are three distinct
seasons: the rainy season (June to September),
cool and dry (October to February), and hot and
mainly dry (March to May). Evenings are cooler.
Typhoons occasionally occur from June to September.
Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
Area: 298,170 square kilometres
Population: 78.4 million
Capital city: Manila (pop: 10
million)
People: Predominantly descendants
of Malays, Chinese and Muslim minorities and a
number of mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)
Language: Pilipino (Tagalog)
and English plus numerous widely spoken indigenous
languages, some Spanish
Religion: 82% Roman Catholic,
9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
Government: Republic
President: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
GDP: US$75.2
billion
GDP per head: US$1000
Annual growth: 3.9%
Inflation: 4.4%
Major products/industries: Electronic
and electrical products, clothing
Major trading partners: USA,
Japan, Taiwan
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