LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Philippines: Islands
built 644 days ago
The Philippines is an archipelago abundant in nature, rich in culture, and filled with pleasant discoveries. Experience the Philippines, its 7,107 islands, its natural wonders, colorful history and warm, engaging people. Over a hundred ethnic groups, a mixture of foreign influences and a fusion of culture and arts have enhanced the uniqueness of the Filipino race and the wonder that is the Philippines.
Source:
With a reputation for being chaotic and corrupt, the Philippines has something of an image problem. But most who make the journey to the 7000-odd islands that comprise the Philippines are pleasantly surprised by their beauty and by the friendliness of the people.
Source:
The Philippines has many exciting offerings for travelers, known for some of the best diving and the best beaches. It is a vast and complicated place to plan to see, because of all the many little islands. With all the rich history of the Spanish conquerors to the ancient burial grounds and tribal peoples, to the natural wonder of volcanoes, limestone hills, waterfalls and perfect beach coves, anyone can find the perfect vacation.
Source:
The first people in the Philippines, the Negritos, are believed to have come to the islands 30,000 years ago from Borneo and Sumatra, making their way across then-existing land bridges. Subsequently, people of Malay stock came from the south in successive waves, the earliest by land bridges and later in boats by sea. The Malays settled in scattered communities, named barangays after the large outrigger boats in which they arrived, and ruled by chieftains known as datus. Chinese merchants and traders arrived and settled in the ninth century, and 500 years later, Arabs arrived, introducing Islam in the south and extending some influence even into Luzon. The Malays... remained the dominant group until the Spanish arrived in the 16th century.
Source:
Several thousand years ago, the first settlers in the Philippines crossed shallow seas and land bridges from the Asian mainland to arrive in this group of islands. These were the Negritos or Aetas. Direct descendants of these people can still be found in Zambales province to the North of Manila. Several thousand years later, they were then followed by Austronesian settlers travelling the same route as the Negritos but this time over sea in their impressive Barangay boats (the word is still used to refer to the smallest political subdivision in the Philippines, the Barangay). After settling the islands, they traveled further and settled the islands of Indonesia, Malaysia as well as the whole Pacific. The early Austronesians took no time in trading with each other as well as with the Chinese, Japanese, Okinawans, and Indians.
Source:
The Philippines is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the south by the Sulu and Celebes seas, on the west by the South China Sea, and on the north by Luzon Strait. The Philippine Islands lie off the southeastern coast of the Asian mainland, across the South China Sea from Vietnam and China. The shortest distance to the mainland, from the northern Philippines to Hong Kong, is about 805 km (500 mi). The Philippines extends about 1,850 km (1,150 mi) from north to south (between Taiwan and Borneo Island) and about 1,100 km (700 mi) from east to west. Malaysia and Indonesia, which each hold territory on Borneo, are the republic’s closest political neighbors.
Source:
MORE ABOUT
Islands