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Republic of the Philippines Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas or the
Philippines Filipino Pilipinas. Is a country in Southeast Asia in the western
Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon straight lies Taiwan. West
across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. The Sulu Sea to the southwest
lies between the country and the island of Borneo, to the south the Celebes
Sea separates it from islands in Indonesia. It is bounded on the east by the
Philippine Sea. Its location in the pacific ring of fire and its tropical climate
make the Philippines prone to earthquakes and typhoons. An archipelago
comprising 7,101 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three
main geographical divisions, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Its capital city
is Manila.

With the population more than 100 million people, the Philippines is the 7th
most populated country in Asia and the 12th most populated country in the
world. An additional 12 million Filipinos lived overseas, comprising one of
the most largest diasporas. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found
throughout the islands. The nation’s large population and economic
potentials have led it to be classified as a middle power. It is a founding
member of the United Nations, World Trade Organization, Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum,
and the East Asia Summit. It also hosts the headquarters of the Asian
Development Bank. The Philippines is considered to be an emerging
market and a newly industrialized country, which has an economy
transitioning from being one based on agriculture to one based more on
services and manufacturing.