The Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), or the Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), also known as "the Pearl of the Orient Seas", is a nation located in southeast Asia. It lies 1,210 km (750 mi) away from mainland Asia and consists of 7,107 islands that form the Philippine Archipelago. It is also part of the Malay Archipelago.
The country's name was first given by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos to the islands of Samar and Leyte, calling them Las Islas Filipinas after King Philip II of Spain during his expedition in 1543. The archipelago was known under various names such as New Castille (Nueva Castilla), Western Islands (Islas del Poniente), the Manilas, the St. Lazarus Islands (Islas de San Lázaro) and others. Ultimately, Filipinas came to refer to the entire archipelago.
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