Philippines Philippines The Philippines ( ; or ' ), officially the Republic of the Philippines (), is an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Situated in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of about 7,641 islands that are categorized broadly under three main geographical divisions from north to south: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The capital city of the Philippines is Manila and the most populous city is Quezon City, both part of Metro Manila. Bounded by the South China Sea on the west, the Philippine Sea on the east and the Celebes Sea on the southwest, the Philippines shares maritime borders with
Crime in the Philippines all around the Philippines, and is a major concern. Methamphetamine ("shabu") and marijuana ("weeds" or "damo"), are the most common drugs accounting most drug-related arrests. Most of the illegal drug trade involved members of large Chinese triad groups operating in the Philippines, owing to its location on drug smuggling routes. Petty crime, which includes pick-pocketing, is a problem in the Philippines. It takes place usually in locations with many people, ranging from shopping hubs to churches. Traveling alone to withdraw cash after dark is a risk, especially for foreigners. In 2014, the Philippines has a murder rate of 9.84 per