The Philippines is an independent island nation in the western Pacific some 800 km off the coast of mainland Southeast Asia. Over centuries, foreign elements have been added to the indigenous Malay culture, creating a cultural mosaic that reflects both Eastern and Western influences. Visited by traders from various parts of Asia long before being colonized by Spain in 1565, the islands were ceded to the United States in 1898 and gained full independence in 1946. For much of its post-independence history the country was led by Ferdinand E. Marcos, who was elected president in 1965, imposed martial law from 1972 to 1981, and retained wide powers after martial law was lifted. The Marcos era came to a dramatic end in 1986, when Corazon C. Aquino became president following an outpouring of popular protest that forced Marcos into exile.

LAND AND RESOURCES             

Many of the more than 7,000 volcanic islands that constitute the Philippine archipelago are uninhabited; the 11 largest islands account for more than 94% of the total land area. The archipelago extends for more than 800 km from Luzon in the north, through the Visayan Islands (including Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and Panay) in the center, to Mindanao and the islands of the Sulu Archipelago in the south. The terrain is generally mountainous, rising to a high point of 2,954 m at Mount Apo, a volcano, on Mindanao. Only Luzon and Mindanao have extensive lowland areas. The Pacific floor under the Philippines is unstable, leading to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, in central Luzon, was one of the worst volcanic eruptions of the century.
Native wildlife includes water buffalo, monkeys, reptiles, and tropical birds. There are substantial deposits of chromium, copper, gold, silver, manganese, lead, and iron ore and considerable hydroelectric power potential. Volcanic steam provides an increasing portion of the nation's power needs.

PEOPLE

Although the people of the Philippines speak a variety of in Malayo-Polynesian languages and are scattered across many islands, they have a relatively high degree of cultural homogeneity. The long struggle for independence, the influence of Christianity, the use of the Pilipino (Tagalog) and English languages in the schools, and rural-to-urban migration have contributed to a sense of national identity despite the continuing importance of kinship ties. Least assimilated are the Muslims (Moros) of the south, the upland hill tribes, and recent Chinese immigrants.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

The Philippines is primarily an exporter of raw materials and an importer of manufactured goods. Rice and corn, the staple food crops, occupy 80% of all cropland. Commercial crops, led by coconuts and sugarcane, include bananas, pineapples, abaca (Manila hemp), tobacco, coffee, and cotton.
Industry provides about one-fourth of the GDP. The processing of agricultural products accounts for almost half of all industrial production, followed by electronic and electrical equipment, chemicals, petroleum refining, and textiles. Industry is concentrated in the Manila area. Copper, gold, nickel, and chromium are mined for exports and coal for domestic use. Fishing, forestry, and tourism are also important.
A network of inter-island shipping transports goods from island to island and to the major ports. Philippine Air Lines, Grand Air, Cebu Pacific, Air Philippines, and Asian Spirit offer inter-island flights, though only PAL flies international.

GOVERNMENT

The 1935 constitution, based on that of the United States, was suspended when martial law was imposed in 1972. The new constitution ratified in 1973 changed the government from presidential to parliamentary form, but this document did not come fully into effect until 1981, by which time it had been amended to place supreme power, including the right to rule by decree, in the hands of the president.

For more on the Philippines, visit the official government website at http://www.gov.ph/.