Negritos were another group of early inhabitants but their appearance in the Philippines has not been reliably dated. History The earliest known human remains found in the Philippines are those of the pre-Mongoloid Tabon Man of Palawan, carbon dated to around 24,000 years ago. The official name of the country is now Republic of the Philippines. It was during the American period that the name Philippines began to appear and has since become the country's common name. From the period of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine-American War until the Commonwealth period, American colonial authorities referred to the country as the Philippine Islands, a translation of the Spanish name. During the Philippine Revolution, the country was officially called República Filipina or the Philippine Republic. The official name of the Philippines has changed several times in the course of the country's history. before it became commonplace, however, other names such as Islas del Poniente (Islands of the West) and Magellan's name for the islands San Lázaro were also used by the Spanish to refer to the islands. Eventually the name Las Islas Filipinas would be used to cover all the islands of the archipelago. Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos during his expedition in 1542 named the islands of Leyte and Samar Felipinas after the then Prince of Asturias (Spain). Etymology The name Philippines is derived from that of King Philip II of Spain. Since independence the Philippines has had an often tumultuous experience with democracy, with popular "People Power" movements overthrowing a dictatorship in one instance but also underlining the institutional weaknesses of its constitutional republic in others. The United States bequeathed to the Philippines the English language and an affinity for Western culture. Aside from the period of Japanese occupation, the United States retained sovereignty over the islands until the end of World War II when the Philippines gained independence. In the aftermath, the United States replaced Spain as the dominant power. As the 19th century gave way to the 20th, there followed in quick succession the short-lived Philippine Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. The Philippines became the Asian hub of the Manila-Acapulco galleon treasure fleet. The arrival of Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 marked the beginning of an era of Spanish interest and eventually dominance. Trade introduced Chinese cultural influences. They were followed by successive waves of Austronesian peoples who brought with them influences from Malay, Hindu, and Islamic cultures. In prehistoric times, Negritos became some of the archipelago's earliest inhabitants. Its tropical climate sustains one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in the world. Multiple ethnicities and cultures are found throughout the islands. It is estimated that there are an additional 11 million overseas Filipinos worldwide. With an estimated population of about 92 million people, the Philippines is the world's 12th most populous country. An archipelago comprising 7,107 islands, the Philippines is categorized broadly into three main geographical divisions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea. The Sulu Sea to the southwest separates it from the island of Borneo and to the south the Celebes Sea from other islands of Indonesia. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam. Taiwan lies north across the Luzon Strait. Officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean.
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