Philippines

　　Races: There are three main ethnic groups in the Philippines: Negritos, Indonesians and Malays. There are also 87 other ethnic minorities. Malays make up the bulk of the population; most people who live in the Philippines today are Malays. In addition to the native inhabitants, the population of the Philippines also includes Mestizos, people of mixed descent, including admixtures of Chinese, Filipino, American and Spanish ancestry. This is a unique phenomenon in Southeast Asia.
　　 Religion: Before the Spanish invaded the Philippines and established colonial rule, the islands were inhabited by many small tribes and groups. People lived under the control of the tribal chiefs. Two small Islamic kingdoms had been established on the islands, but the Spanish brought them under their control before they could develop their own culture. Although the Philippines had contact with China, India and Arabia from very early on, the region had not been directly influenced because of the geographical barriers. As a result, Western culture had more influence in the Philippines than any of the other advanced civilizations of Southeast Asia. The Philippines is also the only Catholic country in Southeast Asia.