The 7000-odd islands that comprise the Philippines are the forgotten islands of southeast Asia. Off the main overland route and with a recent history of martial law and endemic corruption, the country has struggled to attract tourists in the numbers many of its southeast Asian neighbors have.

However, most of the Philippines is laidback, stable and relatively safe. The locals are, by and large, an exceptionally friendly and helpful bunch. On top of this, transport is cheap, the food is good, accommodation is plentiful and (for the monolinguistic) English is widely spoken.

The Philippines has been dogged by trouble. In 2000 a Brussels-based research centre declared the Philippines the most disaster-prone country on earth. It named typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods, garbage landslides and military action against Muslim insurgents as just some of the problems both locals and tourists have had to deal with.

Warning

Flash flooding in eastern and northern areas of the country on 30 November claimed 300 lives and left many more injured or homeless. Quezon province, 80km (50mi) east of Manila, was most heavily affected.

Travelers are advised to avoid traveling to most of Mindanao, an island in the southern Philippines, especially the Zamboanga peninsula, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and the Sulu archipelago, where ethnic and religious animosities fuel ongoing violence. Boat safety is also a concern throughout the country.

Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist group, is responsible for bombings, kidnappings and murders targeting foreigners, including tourists. They operate principally on Mindanao, but have also claimed responsibility for bombings further north.

The other major issue to be aware of is boat safety. The Philippines archipelago is serviced by a flotilla of ferries, some of them little more than rickety tubs that are often overcrowded and under-serviced. There are 100 ferry accidents a year in the Philippines, many of them causing a high number of fatalities. If you feel uncomfortable boarding a ferry that looks shonky, leaky or overcrowded, look for an alternative boat or catch a plane.

Full country name: Republic of the Philippines
Area: 299,000 sq km
Population: 84.61 million
Capital City: Manila (pop: 10 million)
People: Predominantly descendants of Malays, Chinese and Muslim minorities and a number of mestizos (Filipino-Spanish or Filipino-Americans)
Language: Pilipino (Tagalog), English
Religion: 82% Roman Catholic, 9% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 3% Buddhist
Government: republic
Head of State: President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
 

GDP: US$310 billion
GDP per capita: US$3,700
Annual Growth: 3.9%
Inflation: 4.4%
Major Industries: Electronic and electrical products, textiles
Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, Taiwan