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Resort Information - The Philippines
The Philippines
The Philippine Islands are a cluster of more than 7000 islands, lying north of the Malaysia in South East Asia. From north to south, the archipelago extends over nearly 1200 miles. The Philippines are formed mainly from volcanic rock and it has more than 20 active volcanoes.
The land area of the Philippines is about 190,000 square miles, and the largest city is 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.
A large part of the terrain is mountainous; the volcanic eruptions in the area have given the Philippines, fertile soils and spectacular landscapes and underwater areas. Unfortunately, deforestation and uninhibited harvesting of both flora and marine life have deprived the Philippines of its once rich and diverse resources.
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) who are the product 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 missionary work by the Church during the Spanish era, the Philippines are the only Christian nation in Asia, with over 82% of its population being Roman Catholic. 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.
The climate is mostly hot and humid - averaging at about 80 degrees with humidity of 77%. The best season to visit is during the dry season months of November to March. The months of May to October can be very hot and humid.
The fertile lowlands of the islands provide crops of rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas, pineapples and mangoes. Industries center around textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food processing, petroleum refining and fishing.
