Philippines explained to kids

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands in Southeast Asia. The country is located in the Western Pacific Ocean, and its capital city is Manila. The Philippines has a population of over 100 million people, making it the 12th most populous country in the world. The official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and English. The Philippines is a tropical country with beautiful beaches, mountains, and rainforests. The country is home to many different species of animals, including the Philippine tarsier, the world's smallest primate. The Philippines is also home to the world's longest venomous snake, the king cobra. The Philippines has a long history. The first people to settle in the Philippines were the Austronesians, who arrived around 3,000 BCE. The Austronesians were followed by the Chinese, who arrived in the Philippines around the 1st century CE. The Spaniards colonized the Philippines in the 16th century, and the country remained under Spanish rule for more than 300 years. The Philippines was then occupied by the United States during the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). The Philippines became an independent country in 1946. The Philippines is a member of the United Nations, the World Trade Organization, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and other international organizations. The Philippines is also a founding member of the East Asia Summit.