“Did You Know?” Blog Series – Fun Facts About The Philippines

  • May 2, 2014
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  • Blog

Philippine Flag – Photo via Flickr

In honor of Flores De Mayo, a popular festival held in the Philippines throughout the month of May, this week’s “Did You Know?” blog post takes a look at the unique culture of the Philippines! Did you know there are 175 languages and dialects in the Philippines? Or that the country ranks 12th among the most populous countries in the world with a population of almost 100 million people? Check out some of the other fun facts we’ve compiled for you below!

Did You Know?

  • According to customs and traditions in the Philippines, it is not considered good manners to open gifts immediately when they are given.
  • The Philippines is the largest supplier of nurses in the world.
  • The country is the “texting capital of the world,” as 350 to 400 million text messages are sent daily by 35 million cellular phone users – more than that of the United States and Europe combined.
  • There are only two seasons in the Philippines – a warm wet season and a cool dry season. The dry season lasts from October to June and the wet season lasts for the remainder of the year.
  • The Philippine flag is the only flag in the world that is displayed differently in times of peace and war. In peace time, the blue side is put on top; in war time, the red side is put on top.
  • The Philippines is the world’s 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the U.S. and the UK.
  • On the islands of the Philippines, there are more than 200 volcanoes, though only a few are active.
  • Filipinos eat rice with almost every meal!
  • The Philippines is the world’s number one producer of coconut and one of the largest exporters of tropical fruits.
  • Three of the worlds’ top ten largest malls are located in the Philippines.
  • The Philippines has 7,107 islands but only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated.

What fun facts would you add to this list? Tell us in the comments section below!