The facts about Philippines inform us that the country consists of more than seven thousand islands, of which Luzon, the largest and northernmost island group in the Philippines, is over 100,000 square kilometers in size. Luzon acts as a home for about half of the country's population. Luzon is divided into north and south and has many tourist attractions in Philippines. The facts about Philippines say that this island group has a dominating influence on the country's cultural and economic affairs.
The highest point in the Philippines is Mount Apo (2,954 m). Mount Apo is Davao's unique natural wonder and should always be included in Philippines tour. This highest peak of Philippines near Davao on Mindanao Island can be conquered by seasoned trekkers in a day or two but most people take five to six days to climb up and back down. Apo means "Grandfather"and it is an inactive volcano. Mount Apo's attractions are thundering waterfalls of Tudaya, lakes, sulphur pillars, primeval trees, endangered plant and animal species. The facts about Philippines tell us that there are over two hundred volcanoes on the islands, though only a small number are active.
The Pacific Ocean contains the deepest ocean trenches in the world. The Mindanao trench, located in close proximity to the Philippines, is six and a half miles deep. The Philippines Trench is result of a collision of earth plates. This geophysical process is called subduction. In the subduction zone we find the Philippines Trench.
The facts about Philippines inform us that World Heritage properties in the Philippines include the two thousand years old Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. The Rice Terraces of the Cordilleras (on the island of Luzon) should find a special mention in your Philippines travel itinerary. The Rice Terraces are a cultural landscape which had been developed 2000 years ago by the Ifugao people. These terraces are still in use, and are under continuous maintenance by the current Ifugao farmers.
One of the known facts about Philippines is that over nine hundred species of orchids grow in the Philippines. The sampaguita is the national flower of the Philippines. The Sampaguita Jasmine (Arabian Jasmine) was adopted as the national flower of the Philippines since 1934. The Sampaguita is a white, star-shaped flower which blooms for the full year. The flower opens its petals at night and lasts for about one day, producing an intoxicating scent. For the Filipino people, the flower is the symbol of purity, simplicity, humility and strength.
The Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan, was in the service of the King of Spain, was the first European to visit the Philippines. Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Philippines in 1521.The islands were a colony of Spain from 1565 to 1898.The facts about Philippines also tell us that this Spanish colony was named the Philippines, after Philip of Spain (King Philip II). Under Spanish colonization many people embraced Roman Catholicism, except in the Muslim dominated south.
The Philippines is the third largest English speaking country in the world (after the USA and the UK). The capital city of Manila is named after a white-flowered mangrove plant, the nilad (Maynilad - there is nilad).
For authentic information on Facts about Philippines visit travel.mapsofworld.
| 
