The Republic of the Philippines consists of an archipelago of 7,107 islands situated se of mainland Asiaand separated from it by the South China Sea. The total land area is approximately 300,000 sq. km (115,831 sq. mi), 67% of which is contained within the two largest islands: Luzon, 108,171 sq. km (41,765 sq. mi) and Mindanao, 99,078 sq km (38,254 sq mi). Other large islands include Samar, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, and Masbate. Comparatively, the area occupied by the Philippines is slightly larger than the state of Arizona. The Philippines claims the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea, as do China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. About 1,000 Philippine marines were stationed in the Sprawls in 1983. The Philippines also has a claim on Sabah, dating back to 1670.

Climate: The Philippine Islands, in general, have a maritime tropical climate and, except in the higher mountains, temperatures remain warm, the annual average ranging from about 23° to 32°c (73 to 90°f) throughout the archipelago. Daily average temperatures in Manila range from a minimum of 21°c (70°f) to a maximum of 30°c (86°f) in January and from 24°c (75°f) to 33°c (91°f) in June. Annual normal relative humidity averages 80%. The average annual rainfall in the Philippines ranges from 96 to 406 cm (38 to 160 in).

Population: The population of Philippines was estimated by the United Nations (UN) at 84,765,000, which placed it at number 12 in population among the 193 nations of the world. The overall population density was 283 per sq. km (732 per sq. mi), but the population is unevenly distributed, being most densely concentrated in Luzon and the Visayan Sea islands.

Major cities in Philippines: Manila, Cebu City, Quezon, Baguio, Davao, Bacolod.