SIMPLY NO PLACE LIKE MANILA
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With a population of 1,780,148, Manila is the second most populous city in the country, according to the 2015 census. Manila is also the most densely populated city in the world, with 41,515 inhabitants per sq. km. in 2015. Manila’s population density dwarfs that of Kolkata (24,252 inhabitants per sq. km.), Mumbai (20,482 inhabitants per sq. km.), Paris (20,164 inhabitants per sq. km.), Dhaka (29,069 inhabitants per sq. km.), Shanghai (16,364 inhabitants per sq. km., and Tokyo (10,087 inhabitants per sq. km.)
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There are 113 Catholic churches within the city limits, 63 of which are considered as major shrines, basil icas, or cathedrals. Some of these even date back to the Spanish Colonial Period. The Manila Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila and the oldest established church in the country. The three other basilicas in the city are Quiapo Church, Binondo Church, and the Minor Basilica of San Sebastián. The San Agustín Church in Intramuros is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Manila welcomes over 1 million tourists each year. Major tourist destinations include the historic Walled City of Intramuros, the Cultural Center of the Philippines Complex, Manila Ocean Park, Binondo (Chinatown), Ermita, Malate, Manila Zoo, the National Museum Complex, and Rizal Park.
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Manila has been the country’s center of education since the Spanish colonial period. At present, it is home to several universities, colleges and schools. There is a place in the city called “University Belt” where there is a large concentration of universities.
The country’s oldest universities were founded in the Walled City of Intramuros. It served as the home of the University of Santo Tomas (1611), Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1620), Ateneo de Manila University (1859), Far Eastern University, Lyceum of the Philippines University, and Mapua Institute of Technology. At the moment, only Colegio de San Juan de Letran remains in Intramuros. UST moved to a bigger campus in Sampaloc in 1927 while Ateneo transferred to Loyola Heights in Quezon City in 1952.
The University of the Philippines (UP), the premier state university, was established in Ermita, Manila in 1908. It moved to Diliman in Quezon City in 1949.
The local government of Manila runs two universities—the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila in Intramuros and the Universidad de Manila which is located just outside the City Hall.