Philippines

Manila is the official capital of the Philippines. Located on Luzon along Manila Bay and the Pasig River, it’s home to Malacañang Palace (the president’s office) and the historic walled city of Intramuros. While Quezon City is the country’s most populous city and served as the capital from 1948 to 1976, the capital returned to Manila; Cebu City and Davao are major regional hubs in the Visayas and Mindanao, respectively. Memory tip: Think “Manila envelope” holding important government papers—remind yourself that Manila holds the nation’s capital institutions.