The Philippines: a brief background
Quick facts
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipelago of 7,000+ islands
Language: Filipino is the national language. English is widely spoken. There are about 80 major language groups, with more than 500 dialects Government: Democratic Republic Economy: Principally light industry and agriculture. Traditional export products are copper, gold, sugar, coconut, and copra. Top non-traditional exports are semiconductors and garments. Climate: Tropical. Weather is dry from November to June and wet from July to October Poverty
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Major Diseases
- Typhoid fever - bacterial disease spread through contact with food or water contaminated by fecal matter or sewage; victims exhibit sustained high fevers; left untreated, mortality rates can reach 20%
- Malaria - caused by single-cell parasitic protozoa Plasmodium; parasites multiply in the liver attacking red blood cells resulting in cycles of fever, chills, and sweats accompanied by anemia; death due to damage to vital organs and interruption of blood supply to the brain; endemic in 100, mostly tropical, countries
- HIV/AIDs- increased from 342 newly reported infections in 2007 to 1,591 in 2010
Natural disasters
- An average of 20 typhoons and dangerous storms yearly
- Major flooding in recent years
- Located on Ring of Fire- Dangerous earthquakes
- Danger of volcano eruptions (last deadly one killed over 800 people)