Brief history of the Philippines
Situated on the crossroads of Asia, on the Eastern rim of the China Sea, the Philippines has hosted voyagers, migrants and traders since the dawn of history. Early trade with China and Japan can be traced on the archaeological relics left behind by traders in the banks of major hubs of the country.
The West discovery of the Philippines in 1512 facilitated the growth of Christianity and emergence of new culture. However, Spanish colonization did not actually begin until 1565 when voyager Miguel Lopez de Legaspi established a Spanish base in the town of Manila, the Philippines' Capital.
In 1898, the Philippines won independence after 327 years under the Spanish rule, but found themselves controlled by the Americans from 1900-1942 and then the Japanese form 1942-1945. The Americans brought over their educational and legal systems and introduced their style of government. With the end of the Japanese occupation in 1946, the Philippines regained democracy as a Republic. True democracy was fully achieved by the Filipinos after the 'People Power Revolution' in 1986 which led to the downfall of the reigning dictatorship. Still one of the strongest democracies in Asia, the current president is Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
The Philippines has a tropical climate with relatively abundant rainfall and gentle winds. There are three pronounced seasons; the wet or rainy season from June to October; the cool and dry season from November to February; and the hot or dry season from March to May.
The Philippines is the world's third English-speaking country, after the United Kingdom and the USA. While there are over 100 regional dialects, the national language is Filipino, English is widely used in commercial and legal transactions.
The dominant religion in the Philippines is Catholicism, though a significant number are Protestants and Moslems.