PHILIPPINES INFORMATION

POPULATION : 75.33 MILLION ( AS OF MAY 2005 )

AREA:  115, 708 SQUARE MILES

CAPITAL CITY :   MANILA

LANGUAGES :   ENGLISH AND FILIPINO (FORMERLY SPELLED PILIPINO), WHICH IS BASED ON TAGALOG, ARE THE COUNTRY'S OFFICIAL LANGUAGES. ABOUT 55 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION SPEAKS FILIPINO. ENGLISH IS COMONLY IS USED FOR GOVERNMENTAL, AND COMMERCIAL PURPOSES. SPANISH, FORMERLY AN OFFICIAL LANGUAGE, IS SPOKEN DWINDLING MINORITY OF THE POPULATION.

CURRENCY :   PESO

TIMEZONE :   GMT PLUS 8 HOUR

MAIN PORTS :   MANILA IS THE CAPITAL OF THE PHILIPPINES AND THE COUNTRY'S CHIEF PORT, DAVAO, A PROVINCIAL CAPITAL AND SEAPORT; CEBU, A SEAPORT AND TRADE CENTER FOR A FARMING AND COAL MINING REGION; AND ZAMBOANGA, ALSO A SEAPORT.