The Philippines consist of about 7,100 islands and islets, many of which are so small that they have no name. The islands lie in the tropics, about 100 kilometres from the coast of mainland Asia. They have a total area of 300,000 square kilometres. The two largest islands, Luzon and Mindanao, make up about two-thirds of the total area. Most of the land is mountainous, and volcanoes are dotted throughout the country.
Most settlements are on the plains between the mountains and along the coasts.
The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the capital and largest city. Its metropolitan area contains about a tenth of the country's population. The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. In 1992, the US closed down its last military bases on the islands. All Rights Reserved.