Fun Facts About the Philippines you Probably Didn’t Know
The Philippines is an amazing place, of that there is no doubt, and if you are planning a holiday in the Philippines, this is an exciting time. While you might know a few things about this unique Asian nation, here are a few fun facts that most people do not know.
Philippines is the second largest archipelago in the world – Only Indonesia has more islands than the Philippines, with over 7,500 islands, many of which are uninhabited. At least 5,000 of these islands still haven’t been named by Google Maps, so if you are looking for a desert island, look no further than the Philippines. If you stay in a boutique hotel in Manila Philippines, you can explore this amazing metropolis over a period of a few days.
The Jeepney is the most popular transport in the Philippines – This is a cross between a jeep and a truck and they are all over the country, being the cheapest way to get around. Indeed, these vehicles are often regarded as art forms, with many lights, colours and wacky designs. These vehicles were first made using spare parts left behind by the US military at the end of WWII and as the Philippines government did not have a public transport system in place, the jeepney soon became the number 1 way to get around.
The world’s largest underground river is in the Philippines – Puerto Princesa is located in Palawan and the underground river is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The river was created millions of years ago by raging torrents of water that carved out caves and waterways, with more than 24km of caves to explore. If ruins are your thing, here are a few to visit.
The world’s largest pearl was found in the Philippines – In 2008, a Filipino diver stumbled upon a massive clam and when he opened it, he found a huge pearl that weighed 75 pounds. He hid the giant pearl under his bed, hoping for good luck, which certainly came his way when the pearl was valued at $100 million.
One of the world’s most active volcano regions – The Philippines sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and according to the stats, there is an average of 20 earthquakes a day. Don’t worry, the vast majority of these earthquakes are minor tremors, however, you might feel the earth move!
Philippines is known as the ‘Texting Capital of the World – Don’t be surprised when in Manila to see everyone staring at their smartphone screens, texting at super high speed. It is estimated that 400 million texts are sent throughout the country, making it the number one text nation.
175 languages are spoken in the Philippines – Amazing as it sounds, a total of 175 languages are spoken throughout the country. Filipino and English are the two main languages, which are spoken widely.
