Manila, the Capital City of the Philippines
Manila is the capital city of the Philippines and also its most important business, financial, and publishing center. It is also home to many scientific and educational institutions. The city has a population of approximately 4.6 million people and has 897 barangays. The city is made up of many distinct neighborhoods known as barangays. Here are a few interesting facts about Manila that you should know. We will also take a look at the various tourist attractions in the city.
Manila is the capital of the Philippines
The Philippines' capital is located in Metro Manila. The city was the site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Pacific Theater of World War II, where more than 100,000 civilians died. The city was heavily bombarded and was eventually captured by the United States and Philippine forces. Manila was then declared the second most destroyed city of the war. Although the Spanish ruled the city for several decades, it was not until World War II that the Americans were able to reclaim it.
It is the country's financial, publishing, and business center
The Philippine capital, Manila, is home to many government departments and organizations. The office and residence of the president, Malacanan Palace, are located in the city. It is also home to the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals. Government offices are also located in Manila, including the Department of Finance, the Department of Budget and Management, and the Department of Health. Many businesses and organizations also have headquarters in Manila.
It is also home to many scientific and educational institutions
The Philippines is an economically developing country with a per capita Gross National Income (GNI) of USD1,620. However, 36.8% of the population still lives below the poverty line. The country has low under-five mortality and a high adult literacy rate of 93%, but still falls short of the millennium development goals. This means that the country has one of the largest inequalities of wealth between its rich and poor residents.
It has 897 barangays
Manila has eight hundred and ninety-seven barangays, or small municipalities, in all. These barangays are the smallest units of local government in the Philippines, with their own mayor, chairperson, and councilors. All barangays are grouped into 100 zones and sixteen administrative districts. Each barangay has its own representative to the lower legislative branch of government, the House of Representatives. Each Congressional district has six representatives.
It has a high population density
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the population density of Metro Manila is about 60 times higher than the national average. While the Philippines has a relatively low population density of only 363 people per square kilometer, Manila has a population density of 21,765. The city of Manila has the highest population density, followed by Pasay City, Mandaluyong, and Quezon City. These three cities are home to the nation's largest concentration of people.
It is a Tagalog-speaking city
The language of the Philippines is Tagalog, a dialect that originated in the island of Mindanao. The language has been around for thousands of years, with major influences from the Chinese and Malays. The Tagalog writing system is unique, with words derived from ancient scripts and syllabication. The language was under Spanish control for almost three and a half centuries, and Spanish colonists are said to have contributed the greatest influence to the culture of the Philippines.