Country Profile
From The Report: The Philippines 2012
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The Philippines, an archipelago of 7107 islands in the western Pacific Ocean, has a complex history of human habitation and imperial conquest. Three centuries of Spanish occupation left their impression on the country’s food, language, and religion, with the population now over 90% Roman Catholic. US influence dominated in the 20th century, thanks to several decades of US control, and English and Tagalog are now co-equal national languages. The volcanic origins of the Philippines’ islands is responsible for the country’s vast deposits of nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, and copper, exports of which are important contributors to economic growth.

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Overview

Prioritising education: A complex, rich history gives way to a diverse and hospitable culture
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Lying south of Taiwan and east of Vietnam, the Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago of over 7000 islands. The country’s geography and complex history has given rise to a diversity of cultures and languages across the country’s 1000 inhabited islands. While political instability has sometimes undermined the nation’s progress, the Philippines’ young and educated population coupled with its leadership’s new-found focus on eliminating corruption and red tape has led to renewed…