10 Things to Know About the Philippines

The Philippines is known for having an abundance of beautiful beaches and delicious fruit. The collection of islands is located in Southeast Asia and was named after King Philip II of Spain.

Here are 10 interesting facts about the Philippines.

1. The Philippines is made up of 7,641 islands, making it one of the largest archipelagos in the world. But more than 5,000 of the islands remain unnamed on most international maps.

2. Due to the large volume of text messages sent throughout the country, the Philippines has earned its nickname as the " text capital of the world."

3. The Philippines is the only Asian nation that is predominantly Christian. While many of its Southeast Asian neighbors practice Buddhism, 86 percent of the Filipino population is Roman Catholic.

4. Three of the 10 largest shopping malls in the world are located in the Philippines.

5. An iconic symbol of the country is the jeepney, the colorfully painted buses with roots dating to World War II and the U.S. military's jeeps. But with growing pollution concerns, the classic jeepney may soon be replaced with more efficient electric vehicles.

6. The Philippines is one of the world's largest producers of coconuts. Mangosteens, papayas and bananas can also found there.

7. The world's largest pearl was discovered by a Filipino diver in the Palawan Sea. The 75-pound pearl is valued at $100 million.

8. This Southeast Asian country is the 13th-most populous country in the world, home to more than 108 million people.

9. The Philippines Basketball Association, founded in 1975, was Asia's first basketball league. In addition to being huge basketball fans, many Filipinos are also lovers of boxing.

10. The Philippines is the largest supplier of nurses worldwide. Partially due to the limited job opportunities in the country, many citizens seek work abroad.