What are the most surreal facts about the Philippines?

Short answer:

• The Philippines has 7,641 individual islands, making it the world's second-largest archipelago in terms of total land area.
• It has more than 36,000 kilometres of clean beaches.
• The Philippines is a country rich in history, culture, and natural beauty, as well as a variety of exciting outdoor activities.

The longest subterranean river in the world

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Source:Wiki commons)

The Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park is located on the island of Palawan and extends all the way to the depths of the St. Paul's Mountain Range. It is estimated to have been formed over a period of millions of years and stretches over 24 kilometers under the mountains. It is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Nature and is the longest subterranean river that can be navigated. Since its discovery, it has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are over 175 languages in Philippines

At least 175 distinct languages are used to communicate with one another in the Philippines, of which at least 171 are regarded to be "living" languages. However, due to the fact that there are over 52 million people who speak English, communicating with others will not be a problem at all. This places the Philippines as the fifth biggest English-speaking country in the world.

Camiguin is a tropical island with more active volcanoes than populated areas

Camiguin is the only island on the earth that has a larger proportion of volcanoes than settlements, despite the fact that it is just 14 miles long and 8.5 miles broad. It also has more volcanoes concentrated in a smaller area than any other island in the planet. However, there is no need to be concerned since the volcanoes have been inactive since the 1950s, so there is no need to avoid the area. In point of fact, it is not at all like that; due to its bubbling hot springs, white-sand beaches, and friendly residents, it is a favorite destination for visitors.

Jeepneys are a classic Filipino experience

The Philippines is the only place in the world where jeepneys are commonly used as a mode of public transportation. Alongside personal automobiles, taxis, and huge buses, it is not uncommon to find many residents of major cities around the nation making use of jeepneys as their primary mode of transportation on a daily basis for the purpose of commuting. The routes that jeepneys are authorized to travel are often marked on the windscreen or the sides of the vehicles. They feature open airflow and can accommodate up to twenty-five people at a time. Because of their bright colors and gaudy embellishments, jeepneys are quite easy to recognize. The thousands of military jeeps that the United States abandoned in the Philippines during World War II served as the primary raw material for the first generation of jeepneys. The inventiveness of the Filipino people allowed them to see the opportunity presented by the situation and devise effective modes of transportation, many of which are still extensively employed in modern times. Today, jeepneys have evolved into a cultural icon in the Philippines, and a significant number of tourists from other countries buy tiny reproductions of the vehicles as mementos to bring back with them.

Over a period of more than three centuries, the people of the Philippines were under Spanish control

As one of its colonies, the Philippines fell under Spain's administration for a period of three centuries. It all began in 1521 when Ferdinand Magellan landed at the island he was exploring. This oppression would continue until the Philippine Revolution of 1898, which eventually led to the independence of the Philippines from Spanish rule.

Filipinos were once classified as Pacific Islanders

Those who reside in close proximity to the subregions of Oceania are the ones who are referred to as Pacific Islanders. People in the Philippines are considered to be Asian due to the fact that the Philippines is geographically located in Southeast Asia. The inhabitants of the Philippines, on the other hand, were originally considered to be Pacific Islanders.

The Philippines has more registered nurses than any other country in the world

There are over 11 million Filipinos work in other countries throughout the globe. About one-quarter of all of these Filipinos working abroad are employed in the medical sector, making them the primary source of nurses in both the United States and the rest of the globe. In addition to nurses, they send out engineers, teachers, chefs, and a wide variety of other professionals to work in other countries.

After the NBA, the Philippines boasts the second-oldest basketball organization

Local neighborhoods have homemade basketball hoops on every corner. The Philippine Basketball Association offers professional basketball opportunities. The Philippine Basketball Association is the second-oldest professional basketball league behind the NBA.

Philippine coconuts are one of the highest export product of the country

Coconut (buko) is the Philippines' main export. The Philippines dominates coconut production worldwide. Coconut fruit is exported for over 19.50 million tonnes every year.

Over 400 million mobile texts are sent everyday

It is reported that around 400 million text messages are exchanged only in the Philippines everyday, making the nation the texting capital of the world.

Manilla is one of the cities with the highest population density in the world

Manila, which has a total area of 48 square miles, is the nation's administrative center. However, as of 2022 with 1,660,714 people living there, the region's capacity to support such a population is well exceeded. The result of this is that it has a population density of 55,000 people per square mile, making it the location with the greatest population density in the whole world. In general, the city is a chaotic mix of people, city lights, and, of course, a lot of intense traffic.

District name	Legislative District number	Area		Population (2015)	Density		Barangays
		km2	sq mi		/km2	/sq mi
Binondo	3	0.6611	0.2553	18,040	27,000	70,000	10
Ermita	5	1.5891	0.6136	10,523	6,600	17,000	13
Intramuros	5	0.6726	0.2597	5,935	8,800	23,000	5
Malate	5	2.5958	1.0022	86,196	33,000	85,000	57
Paco	5 & 6	2.7869	1.0760	82,466	30,000	78,000	43
Pandacan	6	1.66	0.64	87,405	53,000	140,000	38
Port Area	5	3.1528	1.2173	66,742	21,000	54,000	5
Quiapo	3	0.8469	0.3270	28,478	34,000	88,000	16
Sampaloc	4	5.1371	1.9834	265,046	52,000	130,000	192
San Andrés	5	1.6802	0.6487	128,499	76,000	200,000	65
San Miguel	6	0.9137	0.3528	17,464	19,000	49,000	12
San Nicolas	3	1.6385	0.6326	43,069	26,000	67,000	15
Santa Ana	6	1.6942	0.6541	66,656	39,000	100,000	34
Santa Cruz	3	3.0901	1.1931	118,903	38,000	98,000	82
Santa Mesa	6	2.6101	1.0078	110,073	42,000	110,000	51
Tondo	1 & 2	8.6513	3.3403	631,363	73,000	190,000	259

The Philippines have a significant issue concerning human trafficking

A new survey states that the Philippines is the fourth nation in the world with the highest number of minors who are involved in prostitution or other sexually exploitative professions. The illicit business claims the lives of around 375,000 women, children, and adolescents of all ages every year. Even more disturbing is the fact that the majority of the victims are young girls as young as 10 or 11 years old.

The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act was passed in 2003 with the intention of assisting and protecting Filipinos of all ages from sex slavery and human trafficking. However, the law has not been successful in reducing these numbers.

In Palawan, Philippines, the biggest pearl was yielded

In 1934, a local fisherman from the island of Palawan discovered what was at the time the biggest pearl ever found. It used to be recognized as the world's biggest pearl until 2019, measuring 5.5 inches in diameter, 9.5 inches in length, and weighing at least 6.35 kilos. The Pearl of Allah is said to be 600 years old, and it presently fetches a price of forty million dollars on the market.