The Philippines consists of some 7,000 islands and islets in south-east Asia. The country was conquered by the Spanish in the mid-fifteenth century and named after their heir apparent, Philip II ; in 1898 the Filipinos declared independence against Spain following a revolt. The Americans soon captured Manila and the islands were handed over to them under the terms of the Treaty of Paris 1898. In 1935 a self-governing Commonwealth was established; then, following Japanese occupation in World War 2, independence as a republic was achieved in 1946. The presidency of Ferdinand Marcos, which lasted from 1965 until 1986 witnessed much unrest from Islamic separatists and communist guerillas; thus the need for martial law during much of the 1970s. In 1986 Marcos won presidential elections amidst accusations of skulduggery; a coup forced him to flee the country. Mrs Corazon Aquino succeeded him as President, surviving many further attempted coups. The economy is essentially agricultural; rice, maize, coconuts, fruit and tobacco are principal crops. The country is also rich in minerals. Roman Catholicism is the main religion but there are significant numbers of Muslims in the south. Filipino and English are the official languages, although local languages and dialects are also spoken.
