Philippines
From ePedia, the electronic encyclopedia
The Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), or the Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia with Manila as its capital. It lies 1,210 kilometres (750 mi) away from mainland Asia and consists of 7,107 islands called the Philippine Archipelago.
The Philippines is, along with East Timor, one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Southeast Asia and one of the most westernized, a unique blend of East and West. Spain and the United States held the Philippine Islands as a colony for most of the last four centuries. While still mostly agricultural, the Philippines today is an important destination for outsourcing, an exporter of electronics and of labor. Remittances from overseas Filipinos form a significant portion of the country's Gross National Product.
The country's name originated with Ruy López de Villalobos naming the islands of Samar and Leyte, Las Islas Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain during his failed expedition in 1543. The archipelago was known under various names such as Spanish East Indies, New Castille (Nueva Castilla) and the St. Lazarus Islands (Islas de San Lázaro). Ultimately, the name Filipinas came to refer to the entire archipelago.
The Philippines is, along with East Timor, one of the two predominantly Catholic countries in Southeast Asia and one of the most westernized, a unique blend of East and West. Spain and the United States held the Philippine Islands as a colony for most of the last four centuries. While still mostly agricultural, the Philippines today is an important destination for outsourcing, an exporter of electronics and of labor. Remittances from overseas Filipinos form a significant portion of the country's Gross National Product.
The country's name originated with Ruy López de Villalobos naming the islands of Samar and Leyte, Las Islas Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain during his failed expedition in 1543. The archipelago was known under various names such as Spanish East Indies, New Castille (Nueva Castilla) and the St. Lazarus Islands (Islas de San Lázaro). Ultimately, the name Filipinas came to refer to the entire archipelago.
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