The Republic of the Philippines (Tagalog: Republika ng Pilipinas), referred to as the Philippines (local Chinese may also call it Philippines), is located in eastern Asia and consists of the Philippine Islands (7107) in the Western Pacific. a country composed of islands). At the end of the 19th century, the Philippines became an American colony after experiencing the Spanish Revolution, the Spanish-American War, and the Philippine-American War. The Philippines was occupied by Japan during World War II and gained independence after the war. The United States left a legacy of English dominance and an identification with Western culture in the Philippines. The Philippines is a developing country, an emerging industrial country and one of the world's emerging markets, but the gap between rich and poor is huge. Since independence, the Philippines has experienced rapid economic growth several times. However, the political situation is often turbulent and social instability has become a major factor hindering its continued development.