The Republic of the Philippines lies between the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. It consists of 7,107 islands, with a total land area of 299,536 square kilometers (115,651 square miles). Seas and mountain ranges fragment the country geographically. It has a very tropical climate, and two seasons: wet and dry. In 2003 the Philippines had a population of 80 million people who largely resided on eleven major islands. Most of the inhabitants were Christian Malays (91.5%), with Muslims (4.0%) and Chinese (1.5%) comprising the other major groupings. The capital of the Philippines is Manila. At approximately $4,600, in 2003 the Philippines' per capita income was about the same as that of China and El Salvador.

Political History

The Philippines' native sociopolitical system was organized around familial relations. The basis of leadership was the possession of certain attributes that were esteemed by the community: courage, wisdom, or strength. Political power essentially was personal leadership affirmed by the...