The Philippines is a unique country in the Asian Pacific Rim. It is made up of an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands that lie between Taiwan and Indonesia, south-east of China. Despite its geographical proximity to Asia, the Philippine Islands have very close historical and cultural ties to the West - in particular the United States. The Philippines was ruled by the United States from 1898 to 1935 and is the third largest English-speaking country (6).

If you are an investor looking to take advantage of a growing economy that encourages foreign investment with close ties to the United States, or if you are a traveler interested in tasting Asian culture then the Philippines is the place for you.

 

General Information Local Time:   Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E Area: slightly larger than Arizona total: 300,000 sq km land: 298,170 sq km water: 1,830 sq km Land boundaries: 0 km Coastline: 36,289 km Islands groups: Luzon - to the north Visayas - in the center Mindonao - to the south Population: 76,104,000 Annual Growth Rate: 2.13% Education: 95% Adult literacy Communication: 1 Telephone per 48 people 1 Television per 2.1 people Local Weather - Manila (Click for forecast):