20 amazing facts about the Philippines (2023)

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1. The entire Philippine landmass is made up of islands, making it the second largest archipelago in the world.

In fact, the Philippines has approximately 7,500 islands, of which only 2,000 are inhabited and nearly 5,000 remain nameless on global maps. (Those)

2. Around 175 languages ​​are spoken in the Philippines, 171 of which are considered "living", while four tribal dialects have no known living speakers. The country's official languages ​​are Filipino (based on Tagalog) and English, with Cebuano and Ilocano also being popular in some regions. (Those)

But when Filipinos interact with tourists and foreigners, they find it easy to speak English as it is the fifth largest English-speaking nation behind the US, India, Pakistan, and the UK (Those)

3. About 11% of the Philippine population, more than 11 million people, work abroad. In fact, the Philippines is the number one provider of nurses in the world, with around 25% of all foreign nurses being from the country. In the United States, Filipinos are the second largest Asian American group after the Chinese. (Those)

4. Filipinos are crazy about basketball! Makeshift basketball hoops are set up on every street corner, young men generally wear NBA jerseys, and local teams play in every community room. Its professional league, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBS), is the second oldest in the world after the NBA! In fact, many players with college and NBA experience from the US come to play in the PBA. (Those)

5. Filipinos are also passionate about boxing, and when their most famous native son, Manny Pacquiao, fights, it's like a national holiday. In fact, Filipinos are so supportive of "PacMan" that every time he has a boxing match, the Philippine National Police reports that street crime in Metro Manila has dropped to zero, and the same can be said for most of the city. from the country. (Those)

6. The Philippines produces and exports more coconuts than any other country in the world, shipping around 19.5 million tons of the fruit (called "buko") each year. (Those)

7. While most of its Southeast Asian neighbors practice Buddhism, due to its Spanish colonial influence, the Philippines is the only Asian nation that is predominantly Christian, with 90% practicing the religion (and around 80% of the population is Roman Catholic). (Those)

8. Filipinos are very social and spend as much time as possible with family and friends. But they also keep in touch these days by exchanging a lot of text messages. In fact, it is estimated that Filipinos send around 400 million text messages every day, which adds up to around 142 billion text messages a year, earning them the title of "messaging capital of the world." of text". (Those)

That's more than the total number of text messages sent each day in the US and Europe combined. (Those)

9. Taal Volcano, one of the most remarkable geological formations in the world, consists of an island (Luzon) containing a lake (Taal Lake) with a smaller island within the lake (Volcano Island) with a lake on this island ( Main Crater of the Taal Volcano) with another small island (volcanic island) inside! (Those)

10. The population of the Philippines exceeded 100 million in 2014, making it the 12th most populous country in the world. With an annual growth rate of around 2 percent, it is also one of the fastest growing countries in the world. (Those)

11. Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is said to be the most populous city in the world (and one of the worst traffic jams!). In fact, Manila only covers 24 square miles but has a population of 1,660,714, giving a population density of 55,446 people per square mile. (Those)

Composed of several other connected cities, Metro Manila has a population of over 12,877,000, making it one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. (Those)

12. The Philippine island of Palawan was named one of the best islands in the world by Condé Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, and other publications for its stunning natural beauty. Visitors can explore white-sand beaches, swim in lagoons, enjoy islands in Coron and El Nido, find some of the best snorkeling in the world, and even traverse the underground river in the World Heritage-listed capital Puerto Princesa. by UNESCO. , the second longest underground river in the world. (Those)

13. The country suffered one of the largest volcanic eruptions in history on June 15, 1991, when Mount Pinatubo erupted a few hours from Manila. The explosion was so powerful that it shot 10 billion tons of magma and 20 million tons of toxic sulfur dioxide 25 miles into the stratosphere. (Those)

Mount Pinatubo released such a large mushroom cloud of ash into the atmosphere that it created a sulfuric acid haze across the globe for two years, causing global temperatures to drop 1 degree Fahrenheit! Tragically, the eruption killed at least 847 people, injured 184, and left more than 1 million homeless. Also, a US air force base soon had to be abandoned and relocated. (Those)

14. Jeepneys are a unique mode of transportation that many people in Manila and other places in the Philippines use every day. In fact, jeepneys were born out of the thousands of army jeeps left behind by the US military after World War II. Ingenious Filipinos enlarged the cabins to accommodate about 18 passengers on hot, bumpy and dusty rides through the streets.

Over time, drivers adorned the jeepneys with colorful and creative designs to make them stand out from the crowd, with flashing neon lights, paintings of their favorite superheroes, basketball stars, cartoon characters, religious sayings, and just about any other decoration. striking that occurs to you. of . Still costing only around 8 pesos (20 US cents), around 50,000 jeepneys circulate daily in Manila alone, spewing thick plumes of black smoke. They don't have set routes, so passengers simply hop into a jeepney heading their way, give the driver a coin, and ring the bell when they want to get off. (Those)

15. Filipinos LOVE their malls! In fact, they serve as community centers as they are clean, safe, and most importantly, air conditioned. Apart from the usual stores, they also have countless dining options, gyms, grocery stores, banks, clinics, night clubs, parks, concert amphitheatres, and even churches in their malls. In fact, the Philippines is home to three of the world's ten largest shopping malls, SM Megamall's Mega Fashion Hall (the third largest in the world with an area of ​​5,451,220 square feet), SM City North EDSA (the fourth largest largest) and the SM Mall of Asia (10th largest). (Fountain)

16. Even among the myriad of natural wonders in the Philippines, Camiguin Island stands out as home to the most volcanoes per square mile of any island on earth. Camiguin is only about 14 miles long and 8.5 miles wide and is said to be the only island on earth with more volcanoes (7) than cities (5). It's now a great tourist destination with white-sand beaches and friendly people, but don't worry, the volcanoes have been dormant since the 1950s. (Those)

17. Travelers and vacationers flock to the island paradise of Boracay, known for having one of the best beaches in the world with powder-white sand. The island is only 3.98 square miles and still receives around 1.5 million domestic and international visitors each year, making it the most popular tourist destination in the Philippines. In fact, Boracay was hailed as the best island in the world in a Condé Nast Traveler reader's poll and featured in Travel + Leisure magazine.CNN, the New York Times Travel and others. (Those)

18. Typhoons wreak havoc in the Philippines almost every year, and in 2013 it was Super Typhoon Haiyan (locally called Yolanda) that tore through the archipelago. Haiyan brought the strongest winds ever recorded upon landing, as well as the strongest one-minute wind speed of 195 miles per hour. Unfortunately, it was also the deadliest typhoon in Philippine history, killing at least 6,100 people and displacing millions, according to government reports (although locals estimate the death toll at around 15,000 and a thousand people are still missing). (Those)

I was living in Boracay when Typhoon Haiyan hit the Philippines and you can watch my home video.Here.

19. Politeness is an art form in the Philippines. Most foreigners are addressed as "sir" and "mama", regardless of their age. You'll see younger people refer to slightly older women and men as "ates" and "kuyas" (kind of like big sister and big brother, respectively).

Filipinos respect and value their elders and this shows in many ways in daily life. For example, older people are called "po" after requests, thanks, and other exchanges, with the younger person taking the older person's hand and touching it on the forehead in a charming show of reverence called a "mano."

Older, disabled and pregnant women even have their own lines in front of banks, restaurants and taxi lines, so they can avoid the crowds.

However, your courtesy can go too far, as you will rarely hear a direct "no" from a Filipino when asking a question, a trait that can create many challenging and hilarious situations for the foreigner! (Those)

20. Filipinos are warm, cheerful, and have a great sense of humor! In fact, the Philippines is one of the happiest countries in the world and ranks high in the Gallup index. (Those)

Filipinos also have a quick-tempered sense of humor, as banter, light-hearted banter, and even singing make any day in their presence a true blessing. As some Filipino friends have told me, it is an innate quality that helps them cope with poverty, hardship and natural disasters. Whatever the reason, life in the Philippines is all about smiling, laughing, and enjoying every moment with those around you.

This is just a small part of the amazing facts about the Philippines, which I consider to be one of the most amazing countries in the world.

Contact meif you want more information about traveling to the Philippines!

NormSchriever.com