Which Asian country is officially the Republic of the Philippines?

The Asian country officially called the Republic of the Philippines is the Philippines.

The country’s constitutional name is the Republic of the Philippines, while “the Philippines” is the standard short form. It is an archipelagic state in Southeast Asia made up of more than 7,000 islands, although the exact count varies with surveying methods, tides, and the inclusion of small islets.

The name comes from Philip II of Spain, who was heir to the Spanish throne when the islands were named in the 16th century. Spanish colonial rule lasted for more than three centuries. The Philippines later became a United States territory before gaining independence on July 4, 1946; its independence day is now celebrated on June 12, marking the 1898 declaration against Spain.

A common mix-up is treating “Filipino” as the country’s name. Filipino is generally the demonym and also the name of one of the country’s official languages, alongside English. Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia are neighboring Southeast Asian countries, but none has the official name given in the question.