Manila
Manila Capital of the Philippines, on Manila Bay, sw Luzon island. Manila is the industrial, commercial, and administrative heart of the Philippines. The River Pasig bisects the city. On the s bank stands the old walled city (Intramuros), built by the Spanish in the 16th century on the site of a Muslim settlement. It became a trading centre for the Pacific area. On the n bank lies Ermita, the administrative and tourist centre. Japan occupied the city in 1942. In 1945 a battle between Japanese and Allied forces destroyed the old city. Pop. (2000) 1,581,082.
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