About Philippines

Officially known as The Republic of Philippines (Republika ng Pilipinas), the country is a democratic, republican, sovereign nation which is made up of 7,641 islands. Spanning more than 300,000 sq. km of territory, the country is divided into three island groups; Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The population of the country was just over 107 million (2014), while the main languages spoken in the country are Filipino and English.

The seat of national government is located in the capital city of Manila. The Philippines is a unitary presidential constitutional republic, with the President of the Philippines acting as both the head of state and the head of government. The present head of state is President Rodrigo Duterte (since 30 June 2016); Vice President Leni Robredo (since 30 June 2016). Philippines proclaimed its independence from the Spanish Empire on June 12, 1898, following the culmination of the Philippine Revolution. It is a founding member of both the United Nations (UN), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).    More...