The Philippines is an island nation in Southeast Asia. On about. Luzon is a huge metropolis national metropolitan area, consisting of sixteen satellite cities. This territory occupies about 39 square kilometers. Each city is a separate settlement, the main one being the capital Manila. It has the typical features of many Asian cities, at the same time it has a unique history, nature and architecture.
Climate
Luzon Island is located between 14 and 15 degrees north latitude, in a strip 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 of Manila throughout the year is quite clearly divided into wet and dry seasons. The first starts around the end of May and lasts until the very middle of December, the second half of the summer is especially rainy. The dry period lasts almost all winter and spring. The minimum rainfall occurs in February. The annual average daily air temperatures are stable - they range from + 25 to + 30 ° . However, the warmest month is May. Like the whole 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 in the summer. Over the past decade, the coast of the capital's resort has not once suffered greatly from them. 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, the most famous is 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 the Manila Bay. Thanks to this geographical feature, historically, the capital of Manila is a port city. The climate generously endowed this land area - there are picturesque mountains covered with forests, sandy beaches on the sea coast, quiet bays, a river valley and multi-tiered rainforests in which valuable species of trees 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 city has become terrifying. The streets, 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, it turned into a dead body of water. The beaches and landscapes of. Luzon can be admired only by moving 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 of Southeast Asia. Until the end of the sixteenth century, it was a wealthy Muslim city with a port led by the Rajah Suleiman. Trade with the entire Asian world flourished here. The Spanish conquistadors, led by Lopez de Legazpi, really wanted to take control of this sea gate, but at first they tried to do it peacefully. However, having received a waiver from the ruler, they used the force of arms. Despite the courageous resistance of the local army, the city fell, and since 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 the region, where traditionally only Buddhism and Islam have always been professed. It was at this time that the construction of the first Catholic churches began. Some of them have survived to the present day. To defend the city captured by the Spaniards with such difficulty, they built a fortress, which subsequently more than once helped repel the attacks of pirates and conquerors. Over the centuries, the Philippine colony changed hands many times. In addition to the Spaniards, the British managed to be in power here, after which the city was resold to the Americans. In fact, they ruled the country until the middle of the last century. During World War II, the capital of the Philippines, Manila, survived the Japanese occupation. By bombing American aircraft, it was almost completely destroyed and subsequently entered on the list of cities most affected during the war. In addition to the enormous loss of life, almost all the historical buildings and monuments of the colonial period were destroyed.
On the path of self-development
Only in the second half of the twentieth century did the country 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 gaining independence, this financial assistance has significantly decreased. Unfortunately, independence did not bring tangible economic ups; the gradual impoverishment of the whole country left its mark on the face of the capital.
Modern look
It 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 various 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 is a down town where there are many attractions. Intramuros is the historical quarter of the colonial era, Pasay City is a popular district where the poor live in glaring conditions. The city is catastrophically overpopulated, it has the largest population density in the world (17 tph / sq. Km), in some quarters it reaches 50 thousand. According to forecasts and estimates of specialists, more than 1 million 800 thousand people 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 a long time ago, in 2007.
Economics and education
There are many enterprises in the city: they process agricultural products, mainly coconuts, there is light industry, automobile manufacturing, instrument making, 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 waterway, which brings revenue to the state budget. Although the Philippines is a very poor country, the people of Manila are educated. Here, a good system of secondary education, preserved from the time of the American presence, there are universities, including foreign ones. Many citizens speak English reasonably well, so visiting foreigners do not feel a language barrier.
sights
In recent decades, the country has become a popular destination for tourism. Manila is the capital and main museum and resort city. Even the sophisticated 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 rule. The unique Basilica of San Sebastian was built at the end of the century before last entirely of iron - for resistance to earthquakes. The 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 mid-twentieth century. Kuipato Church is a place of pilgrimage to the mysterious statue of the "black Jesus." In its present form, it has existed since the beginning of the last century.
Religious composition
In Manila, a phenomenon unique to the Asian region has developed: Catholicism planted in the Middle Ages by force still remains the predominant religion. In addition, there are a small number of Muslims and Buddhists. Representatives of other religions are present, since Manila has always been a port city and an amazing mix of diverse ethnic and religious groups has formed here, which is constantly updated. Currently, a huge number of illegal immigrants from neighboring countries live in the city.