Tourists from all over the world visit the Philippines because of its breathtaking beaches, amazing sights, incredibly friendly people and grand festivals making everything more fun in the Philippines.

Here are a few amazing facts you may not have known:

• The Philippines is comprised of over 7,000 different islands, prompting the joke that “the number varies based on if its high tide or low tide.”
• Over 100 million people live in the Philippines, with the capital of Manila being home to almost two million people
• The Philippines is the only Asian nation that is predominantly Christian. While many of its Southeast Asian neighbors practice Buddhism, 86 percent of the Filipino population is Roman Catholic.
• Three of the ten largest malls in the world are located in the Philippines.
• Texting has become such a popular means of communication for the Philippines, the volume of SMS messages has made it the “text capital of the world.”
• At the core of mass transit is the individually decorated jeeps or mini-bases called jeepneys, which date back to the U.S. military jeeps in World War II.
• The Philippines is the largest supplier of nurses worldwide.
• The Philippines is the largest grower of coconuts, mangos, bananas and papaya.
• The world’s largest pearl, weighing in at 75 pounds, was discovered in the Philippine Palawan Sea.

Source: US News & World Report, June 20, 2019