Philippines is an island nation in Southeast Asia. On about. Luzon is the largest metropolis in the national capital region, consisting of sixteen satellite cities. This area covers about 39 square kilometers. Each city is a separate settlement, the main one is the capital Manila. It has the typical features of many Asian cities, while at the same time it has a unique history, nature and architecture.
Climate
The island of Luzon is located between 14 and 15 degrees north latitude, in a zone of mild subequatorial climate. From all sides it is washed by the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean, the Philippine and South China Seas. As in the entire region, the weather in the capital Manila is quite clearly divided into wet and dry seasons throughout the year. The first begins approximately at the end of May and lasts until the middle of December, the second half of summer is especially rainy. The dry period lasts almost the entire winter and spring. The minimum amount of precipitation occurs in February. Annual average daily air temperatures are stable - they fluctuate in the range from + 25 to + 30 °С. However, the mostMay is the warmest month. Like the rest of the country, the capital Manila is surrounded by the sea. The average water temperature throughout the year ranges from + 26 to + 31 ° C, it warms up to the maximum by June. In the northern part of Luzon, typhoons occur during the summer. Over the past decades, the coast of the capital's resort has suffered greatly from them more than once. In addition, this part of the Pacific Ocean is seismically active - earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are not uncommon in Manila. There are about twenty of them in total, the most famous is located in the suburbs, on about. Taal. It is famous for frequent eruptions, and at the same time very modest in size.
Nature and ecology
The administrative center of the country is located along the banks of the Pasig River (Pasig), at the confluence of Manila Bay. Due to this geographical feature, it has historically developed that the capital Manila is a port city. The climate has generously endowed this piece of land - there are picturesque mountains covered with forests, sandy beaches on the sea coast, quiet bays, a river valley and multi-tiered tropical forests in which valuable tree species are found. Travelers from all over the world come to enjoy the beauty of the local nature.
But recently, due to global urbanization, overpopulation and an increase in the number of cars, the environmental situation in the urban area has become simply terrifying. The streets, the water area of the sea and the river delta are buried in garbage and industrial waste, and a cloud of smog from exhaust gases constantly hangs in the air. The ecosystem of the river. Pasig is almost completely destroyed, itturned into a dead pool. Beaches and landscapes Luzon can only be admired by driving away from the city.
History of occurrence
The city has a rich and complex history. For many centuries it has been the most important and very convenient maritime transport hub in Southeast Asia. Until the end of the sixteenth century, it was a rich Muslim city with a port under the control of Raja Suleiman. Trade flourished here with the entire Asian world. The Spanish conquistadors, led by López de Legazpi, wanted to take control of this sea gate, but at first they tried to do it peacefully. However, having received a refusal from the ruler, they used the force of arms. Despite the courageous resistance of the local troops, the city fell, and from 1571 the Spanish colonialists reigned in it for a long time. They not only monopolized all trade and transport operations in the capital Manila, but also actively spread Christianity, namely Catholicism.
The city gradually became the core of Christianity in a region where traditionally only Buddhism and Islam were practiced. It was at this time that the construction of the first Catholic churches began. Some of them have survived to this day. To protect the captured city with such difficulty, the Spaniards built a fortress, which subsequently helped to repel the attacks of pirates and conquerors more than once. The Philippine colony changed hands many times over the centuries. In addition to the Spaniards, the British managed to come to power here, after which the city was resold to the Americans. In fact, they ruled the country until the middlelast century. During World War II, the capital of the Philippines, Manila, survived the Japanese occupation. It was almost completely destroyed by American aviation bombardments and subsequently included in the list of cities most affected during the war. In addition to the colossal loss of life, almost all historical buildings and monuments of the colonial period were destroyed.
On the path of independent development
Only since the second half of the twentieth century, the country has become more or less independent of foreign masters. Despite this, the Philippines continued to receive financial assistance from the United States for some time. In particular, it was with these funds that the capital Manila was rebuilt after the war. With independence, this financial assistance was significantly reduced. Unfortunately, independence did not bring tangible economic upswings, the gradual impoverishment of the entire country left its mark on the appearance of the capital.
Modern look
This is truly a city of contrasts. Ultra-modern quarters, streets with mansions are separated from the poor areas by walls, and life in them is different, as in two parallel worlds. Conventionally, the city can be divided into several large parts. This is Makati City, a business and financial center with skyscrapers, offices, shopping malls and a variety of cultural institutions. Here it is clearly felt that Manila is the capital. Malate and the promenade adjacent to it are completely built up with luxurious villas, there is also a yacht club. Hermite -down town, where there are many attractions. Intramuros is a historic quarter of the colonial era, Pasay City is a popular area where the poor live in egregious conditions. The city is disastrously overpopulated, it has the highest population density in the world (17 t. h / sq. km), in some quarters it reaches 50 thousand. According to forecasts and estimates of specialists, more than 1 million 800 thousand people now live in the Philippine capital Manila, which is approximately 2% of the total population of the country. However, there is no exact data, since the census took place quite a long time ago, in 2007.
Economy and education
There are many enterprises in the city: agricultural products are processed there, mainly coconuts, there is light industry, automotive, instrumentation, laptops and computers are produced. American and Japanese manufacturing corporations and industrial brands work here. To this day, the Port of Manila remains the most important water artery that generates income for the state budget. Although the Philippines is a very poor country, the people of Manila are educated. Here is a good system of secondary education, preserved from the time of the American presence, there are universities, including foreign ones. Many city dwellers speak English tolerably, so visiting foreigners do not feel the language barrier.
Attractions
In recent decades, the country has become a popular tourism destination. Manila is the capital and main museum,as well as a resort town. Even the most experienced tourist has something to see. This is primarily a lot of architectural monuments, mainly churches and cathedrals of the Roman Catholic Church. Some of them have survived from the time of Spanish domination. The unique Basilica of San Sebastian was built at the end of the century before last entirely of iron - to resist earthquakes. Manila Cathedral, the first building of which was erected in the Middle Ages, has been destroyed and rebuilt many times since then. The current building has existed since the middle of the twentieth century. Cuipato Church is a place of pilgrimage to the mysterious statue of "black Jesus". It has existed in its current form since the beginning of the last century.
Religious composition of the population
In Manila, a phenomenon unique to the Asian region has developed: Catholicism, implanted by force in the Middle Ages, still remains the predominant religion. In addition, there are a small number of Muslims and Buddhists. There are representatives of other religions present, as Manila has always been a port city and there has been an amazing mix of diverse ethnic and religious groups that is constantly being updated. Currently, the city is home to a huge number of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries.
