Manila, capital, largest city, and chief seaport of the Philippines. The city is located on central Luzon Island, on the eastern shore of Manila Bay, at the mouth of the Pasig River, just west of Quezon City. It is the commercial, administrative, and cultural center of the Philippines. The Manila metropolitan area, or Metro Manila, officially called the National Capital Region, comprises an area of 636 sq km (246 sq mi) and includes Manila proper, Quezon City, Pasay, Caloocan, Makati, and the municipalities of Las Piñas, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinglupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasig, Pateros, San Juan del Monte, Taguig, and Valenzuela. A small Muslim settlement named Maynilad was located in the vicinity of present-day Manila when the Spaniards arrived in 1571. The city's name, shortened first to Maynila and then to Manila, is thought to have been derived from the nilad plant, a flowering shrub that once grew extensively on the banks of the Pasig River. Mountains surround Manila on three sides. Because of its picturesque location, Manila is often called the Pearl of the Orient.Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001
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