The Philippines is a multi-ethnic country. In the early days, it was believed that Negritos migrated from Borneo, Sumatra and Malaya to the Philippines. These people come from a primitive era of Malay culture. In 1521, the Portuguese explorer Magellan led the expedition to the Philippines. From then on, the Philippines began to get a European perspective. In 1901, the United States conquered the Philippines from Spain and American civilization began to completely replace the dominance of Spanish culture. The Philippines was once occupied by Japan during World War II. It was not until 1946 that the Philippines gained independence. The 400-year colonial history has deeply shaped the Philippines.
Due to its unique history, the Philippines has developed into one of the most Europeanized countries in Asia. It can be seen from the old European-style buildings along the street and the worship of Christianity. Catholics make up 83% of the Filipino population. The introduction of Catholicism from Spain for five hundred years has had an enormous impact on Filipino politics and society.
