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Welcome to Philippine-isles.com!
This website will take you on a journey through the Philippines. Here you will find information about the most beautiful spots on the different islands. You could think about nature, the people and their culture, handy information about customs and traditions and of course, all the information you might need when you are planning a visit to this beautiful archipelago. Watch an introduction video about the Philippines here.The Philippines is an archipelago, consisting of no less than 7, 107 islands of which Luzon and Mindanao are the biggest. The different islands contain a diversity of flora and fauna. Several unique species of plants and animals can be found here. Probably the most recognizable animal is the ghost animal or Tarsier. With its small body of no more than 4.7 inches in size, it can call itself the world's smallest primate.
The people are very friendly. Because the Philippines have been supressed for many years by countries like Spain, Portugal, Japan and America, the Filipinos are strongly influenced by other cultures. However, this does not mean that the Filipinos did not preserve their own culture. Although the Filipino culture is clearly influenced by western culture, there are still certain customs recognizable which are so typical for the Filipino culture. An example is loss of face (Hiya), something that even in the younger generation plays an important role. More about this subject and other things to know about the Filipinos can be found under Culture.The name Philippines
Before colonization, the Spanish called the islands "Islas del Poniente", simply meaning "Islands of the West". However the name was changed after an expedition by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos, who used the name "Las Islas Filipinas" in honour of King Philip II of Spain. The name was originally intended for the islands of Leyte and Samar but was adopted by Spanish as the "official" name of the whole archipelago. The name Spanish East Indies came to collectively refer to the whole archipelago as well as dependencies in Oceania, such as Guam.
During the Philippine Revolution, the names "Republica Filipina" and "Filipinas" were adopted, both of which are derivatives of the original name. After American annexation, the original official name "Las Islas Filipinas" was Anglicized into "the Philippine Islands". This was eventually shortened into "Philippines" when the islands achieved Commonwealth status.
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