Philippines

The Philippines comprises 7,000 islands strung south-north between Indonesia and China. The country is mountainous and prone to natural disaster, with active volcanoes, earthquakes and frequent typhoons.

Most of the near-100 million population of Asia's only Roman Catholic-majority nation (which was once under Spanish and then American rule) inhabit just a dozen of the largest islands.

There is great poverty, especially in rural areas and city slums, the country's economic development having been hindered by high population growth rate and political instability.

[ Zoom ]

Local transport, Philippines style

Many people rely on income sent home from abroad by family members, with millions of Filipinos having settled in other countries in hope of better economic prospects.

The Philippines has a large Muslim population, especially on the large, southern-most island of Mindanao, where rebels have been fighting to create a separate Islamic state. Over some decades, this conflict has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

[ Zoom ]

Area (size): 115,830 square miles (a little larger than UK)Capital city: Manila

Population: Just under 100 million, including Tagalog, Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon & others. Tribal peoples. Maranao & Magindanao Muslims. Languages: Filipino (based on Tagalog) & English (both official); many regional dialects & languages

Religion: Roman Catholic (large majority) & Protestant Christian; sizeable Muslim minority; traditional ethnic religions.

Christians in Philippines

The Roman Catholic church has traditionally had a huge influence on life in Asia's only Catholic-majority country.

There has been dramatic expansion of many Protestant denominations, notably Pentecostal, and with major evangelistic movements.

However, many Filipino Christians - and hence churches themselves - are very poor. The persecution of believers is also a problem in more strongly Muslim areas, notably Mindanao in the south.