Philippines

Population:  100,998,376 (July 2015 est.)
Total area:  300,000 sq km
Capital city: Manila
Currency:  Philippine peso
UNDP Human Development Index (HDI): 0.668 (2014)
GDP per capita (International $, PPP): $7,300 (2015 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: 68.96 years
Literacy: 96.3%

*Figures from the CIA World Factbook.

Lonely Planet has a good summary and list of articles that participants will find useful.

Always check SmartTraveller before traveling to see any travel warnings and pertinent information for your trip.

Articles & information:

South East Asia is famous for many reasons, including being home to the King of Fruits, the durian. Read all about the boulder-like fruit and its smelly infamy!

no durian — Photo: No durians allowed! (Source: K.Gilmour, 2012)

Articles and Books:

Asian Development Bank. (2016). ‘Asian Development Bank and Philippines: Fact Sheet’.

For participants with an economic mind, this fact sheet provides an insight of the relationship the Asian Development Bank fosters with business and the Government of the Philippines.

Adventure in You. ‘What to expect when you travel to the Philippines’

This blog gives a general guide for first time visitors to the Philippines. Blogs are useful to explore as they are raw expressions of a traveller’s experiences.