The Philippine Archipelago consists of 7,107 islands with a total land area of 296,912 square kilometers. Among the islands, more than half are unnamed; only about 1,000 are inhabited; and only 462 are a square mile or larger.

The islands are loosely divided into three island groups; Luzon, in the north; Visayas; and Mindanao , in the south. Other major islands include Mindoro, Palawan, and those forming the heart of the Visayas Islands – Masbate, Samar, Leyte, Bohol, Panay, Negros, and Cebu . The islands of the Philippines lie along a zone of violent earthquakes and volcanic activity and many of the islands are mainly tops of huge undersea mountains formed by volcanic flows thrust up from the floor of the Pacific. Some of the small, low islands, however, are the result of coral growth. The larger islands of the country have rugged, mountainous interiors. Its large interior plains in the central plains of Luzon, Cagayan Valley , Agusan and Cotabato Valley contrast sharply with the high mountain areas of Central and eastern Cordillera and Zambales.

The country is bounded on the west by the China Sea, on the east by the Pacific Ocean , an and on the south by the Celebes Sea . It lies a little above the equator and is 965 kilometers off the southeast coast of the Asian mainland. It is about 160 kilometers below Taiwan , and 24 Kilometers above Borneo . The Philippine Islands extend 1,152 miles from north to south and 668 miles from east to west.

Situated between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator, the Philippines has a tropical to subtropical climate, having two pronounced seasons: the dry months from November to June, and the rainy months from July to October. During the hottest months, temperatures may reach 38ºc. During the rainy season, temperature would fall below 21ºc.

Rainfall in the Philippines averages 100 inches a year, with some areas receiving up to 180 inches. The lowlands have less rain than the uplands because the mountains block winds that carry rain-bearing clouds from the ocean. Just being above the equator, the Philippines lies in the typhoon belt. An average of twenty typhoons hit across the Philippines yearly.

Total population, has been estimated at 82.7 million in 2004, (Source: BOI with 1.12 percent annual population growth rate.) Around 30 percent of the populace live in urban communities. More than half of the population including approximately 9.9 million in the Metropolitan Manila area lives, in Luzon . The population of the country is rather unevenly distributed, with major concentrations on the Central Plain and Ilocos coast of Luzon and on Cebu, Negros, Panay, and Bohol .

Nearly the entire Philippine population is of Malayan descent. Chinese make up of the second largest group in the Philippines , and smaller numbers of Americans, Europeans, Indians, and Japanese also live in the islands. All of them have contributed to the Philippine culture, a blend of Asian and Western traditions.

The Tagalog and the Cebuano each with about one quarter of the population, are the largest groups in the Philippines .

Ninety-three percent of the population are Christians, making the Philippines the fifth largest Christian country. Most Filipinos are Catholics. Other denominations account for only eight percent of the population although they are growing at a faster rate than in any other country

Telecommunication thus has become essential. As of 2003, it is estimated that there are 13 million mobile phone subscribers and the Philippines is considered the “text capital of the world” because of the popularity of short messaging service in the country.

Livestock, including carabao, cattle, hogs, and poultry consisting of chicken and duck account for a relatively small share of farm income.

Forestry is a major economic activity in the Philippines , and woods and wood products are leading Philippine exports. Forests cover about half the land in the Philippines . More than 3,000 kinds of trees grow in the islands. Forest of commercial quality are found in eastern Luzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, and Palawan islands. About 95 percent of the country's lumber comes from the Philippine Mahogany (sci. name, Cercocarpus Montanus), the country's principal wood for export. Mahogany is widely used in interior finishing, paneling, cabinetwork, and furniture. The forests Mindanao provide most of the timber. Smaller accounts come from the northern and eastern Luzon and from Negros . Mangroves and pines also yield lumber. The kapok tree (sci. name, Ceiba Pentandra) produces a fiber, also called kapok, which is used in making insulation, mattresses, and upholstery. Bamboo grows throughout the islands. The people of the Philippines use the stiff, hollow stems of the plant in building houses, furniture and other items

Fish is the most important food in the Philippines , next to rice. Fish and other seafood are a primary source of protein in the Filipino diet. Philippines commercial fleets operate out of Manila , Panay, northern Negros, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, Southern Mindanao and Sulu. The most productive waters are the Sulu and Visayas seas. Small fishing villages line much of the Philippine Coast. The principal commercial species of fish caught in the Philippines are Scad or galunggong (Sci. name, trachurus trachurus L.), sardines or tamban Mackerel tuna or tulingan, Anchovies or dilis, and Slipmouth or sapsap, Milkfish or bangus and Tilapia.