Top 10 Interesting Facts About Philippines
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Top 10 Interesting Facts About the Philippines. Hey, everybody, welcome to the Let's Countries Facts Where we research interesting facts and share information on just about any topic. In this Article, we're taking a trip to the Philippines and counting down our top 10 list of interesting facts about this beautiful country. Let's get started.
1 They were named after the King of Spain, Spanish conquistadors landed on the shores of the Philippines in the 16th century. However, the country at that time was nothing more than a group of islands, loosely connected by trade and commerce. Under colonial rule though, the archipelago slowly became a country and christened Felipenas, after King Philip II of Spain. Today, it is officially known as the Republic of the Philippines
2 They were the first to gain independence. The Philippines has a long history of colonialism. Having been ruled by Spain for nearly three centuries before being sold to the United States in 1898, once the imperial empire started crumbling. Under the United States, the archipelago was dragged into World War II, enduring cruel circumstances under Japanese occupation. After the Allied victory in 1945, the Philippines was finally granted independence and became the first country in Southeast Asia to be recognized by the international world, as officially free from colonialism.
3 Majority of the population are Catholic. Asia is known as the birthplace of several world religions, including Buddhism and Hinduism. Funnily enough though, nearly 80% of the population of the Philippines identifies as Roman Catholic, due to the fierce campaign launched by the Spanish that aimed to convert the entire country. The Philippines is the only major Christian nation in Asia, regularly celebrating religious feasts and boasting of packed churches on Sunday mornings.
4 They originally used yo-yos as weapons. Pre-colonial Filipinos originally used yo-yos as hunting weapons, which they attached to ropes that were about 20 feet long. It was reinvented as a toy by a Filipino American and named after a word from the country's Ilocano language, that means, to come back.
5 The country has hundreds of languages, due to the Philippines being an archipelago, nearly every island and every region developed its own language through the years. Each with its own unique set of syntax, vocabulary and grammar rules. The exact number of languages in the country remains unknown, although experts say that it is somewhere between 120 and 175, with four of these no longer having any living speakers. No citizen knows every single one of these languages though, and the country's two officially recognized ones are English and Filipino. Both of which are used for everyday communication.
6 It has the longest Christmas in the world. For the majority of countries around the globe, Christmas begins on December 25th and ends the day before New Years. The Philippines however, is notorious for celebrating the world's longest Christmas season. One that lasts for five whole months. Festivities officially began in September, with public places, hanging up lights and shopping malls blasting holiday carols throughout the entire day. This goes on until the Feast of the Three Kings, which takes place in the first week of January. Perhaps the biggest holiday tradition in the Philippines is called a Noche Buena, which is a dinner eaten right after the Christmas Eve Mass. This meal continues until the wee hours of dawn with Filipinos giving toasts and welcoming Christmas Day the minute the clock strikes midnight.
7 Christmas means going to Night Mass. another important Filipino Christmas tradition is called the Simbang Gabi, which translates to Night Mass in English. As the name suggests, this is a series of Holy Masses that takes place from December 16th until Christmas Eve, usually between 3:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The practice began when the country was still under Spain. Back then the clergy would hold Mass early in the morning so that farmers and field workers could attend before heading out to work on the land. The tradition continues to present day and a popular urban legend says that completing all nine Masses would result in your wish being granted.
8 Earthquakes are common. The Philippines is situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is a spot in the Pacific Ocean characterized by a ton of active volcanoes and frequently moving microplates. Because of this, earthquakes are extremely common in the country. A large magnitude earthquake, designated as 7.75 or higher on the Richter scale occurs every 10 years, while seven earthquakes between 7.0 to 7.4 magnitude happen every decade. To add to that at least five earthquakes between 6.0 to 6.9 on the Richter scale are observed every year. The most recent one was a 4.8 earthquake that occurred in Masbate City on the afternoon of August 11th. On the other hand, one of the deadliest earthquakes recorded in recent history was the 1990 Luzon earthquake, which had a 7.7 magnitude and killed an estimated 1,621 people. This was far stronger than the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which was designated as 7.0 on the Richter scale.
9 Gambling comes in the form of cockfighting. For most people in the Western world, gambling comes in the form of giant casinos, filled to the brim with slot machines and poker tables. But in the Philippines, gambling involves two birds fighting each other to the death in an enclosed in. Known as Gamecocks, these are creatures bred especially for the sport. Often sporting lean muscular bodies and extremely sharp claws. While cockfighting dates back to ancient Greek and Roman times, the Philippines is largely considered to be the only country in the world where the bloodsport remains popular. In fact, World Slasher Cups are frequently hosted in the Araneta Colosseum, a large stadium in Manila where concerts are usually held.
10 Many Filipinos live abroad. The Philippines has a population of around 106 million, yet over 11 million Philippines are working overseas. They're the second largest Asian American group in the United States, second only to the Chinese, called Overseas Filipino Workers or FOWs. Income remitted by those laborers account for at least 10% of the country's gross domestic product, GDP. Many of them are blue collar employees abroad, working as domestic helpers or as nannies in rich households, as well as seamen aboard boats. To add to that, a lot of them also work in the healthcare industry. In the United States alone, approximately 1/3 of all foreign born nurses or nearly 150,000 individuals are Filipino. While these job's roles may be considered as a lowly by those from the developed world, OFWs are largely seen as heroes in the Philippines. The majority of them spend decades away from their children and families, often enduring harsh working conditions and employer abuse.
Well, that's the list. Did you learn anything? Share something you found interesting in the comments below. Also, go ahead and Like the Article and subscribe to the Website.And remember what's learned here, leaves here. Share something you learned about the Philippines with a friend. Stay curious, stay safe, and I'll see you in the next one have a good day bye.
