Global - Technology - Review

The Republic of the Philippines is composed of over seven thousand islands in the South China Sea. It is the twelfth most populous country. The capital, Manila, is the world’s most densely populated metropolis. Years of Spanish dominance were followed by American occupation, which, together with the local languages and traditions, has given a distinctive flavour to Filipino culture. The Spanish heritage is seen in Catholicism, baroque churches and Hispanic personal names. America has contributed fast food and pop music. The local cultures have contributed folk tales and mythology and the cuisine. Many of the islands are mountainous, and there are active volcanoes. There is a highly diverse flora and fauna in the rain forests, which are famous for orchids. There is also great diversity in the marine life in the coral reefs. Apo Reef is the world’s second largest, while the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea is a World Heritage site. The climate is tropical with heavy monsoon rains and typhoons. The high humidity makes it seem hotter. Perhaps the most impressive sites are the rice terraces of the Cordilleras, built by hand two thousand years ago, which are fed by complex irrigation systems.