The region's first settlers migrated from the Asian mainland across land bridges during the Ice Age 300,000 years ago. Indonesian and Malay settlers gradually colonised the islands until the late 14th century when the Muslim Makdum became a regional power from its Cebu island base.

In 1521 Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed on the small island of Homonhon, in the Southern Philippines, during his first circumnavigation of the globe. Magellan soon struck up a friendship with the Sultan of Cebu, and gained permission to Christianise the Sultan's subjects. In order to consolidate the relationship, and at the same time demonstrate Western military might, Magellan decided to teach a lesson to Lapu Lapu, a renegade minor chieftain who had refused to pay homage to the Sultan.

The Battle of Mactan was fought at low tide on the shores of Lapu Lapu's island. The Spanish were burdened by their heavy armour and outnumbered by the native islanders, armed only with bows and arrows and bamboo pikes. Soon the Spanish were driven back into the sea, as they desperately fled for the safety of their ships. Magellan was struck by a poison arrow, and died soon afterwards.

Ruy Lopez de Villalobos arrived in 1543, and named the islands "Filipinas" after King Phillip of Spain. By 1565 the first Spanish colony was established, founded on the explicit aims of securing Spanish access to the spice trade, and converting the natives to Christianity.

Manila, the de facto capital by the 17th century, became an important trading post for the Chinese (who brought silk) and the Spanish (who brought silver from Mexico). The intermarriage of these two groups created mestizos who quickly became a distinct ethnic group. Latent Filipino nationalism was kept at bay by Spain's exploitation of the tribes' traditional enmity toward one another. A strategy of divide and conquer proved very effective and several rebellions were put down by turning one tribe against another.

The late-19th century proved eventful for the country. First, a well-organised revolution against Spanish rule resulted in the proclamation of the first Filipino Republic, under General Emilio Aguinaldo. Spain resumed control for a short time until 1898 when they lost the Spanish-American War and, with it, control over the Philippines. The final blow for the Spanish was Admiral George Dewey's decisive victory in Manila Bay resulting in the territory falling under the control of the United States.

During World War Two the islands were occupied by the Japanese. In 1946 the Philippines was granted independence and its first leaders were democratically elected. Over the next 20 years the country's nascent democracy was presided over by leaders with strong American ties. In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos was elected on the strength of his reform policies and commitment to economic development. Barred by the constitution from seeking a third term in office, Marcos instead overturned the constitution, instituted martial law and banned all opposition parties. Within a few short weeks the Philippines had become a dictatorship.

Marcos was motivated less by power than by greed: over the next 20 years he systematically looted the treasury of billions of dollars, and built palatial residences for himself and family members. Famously, First Lady Imelda Marcos acquired several thousand pairs of designer shoes over this time, her collection a cutting symbol of the regime's extravagance at a time when millions of Philippines were poverty stricken.

By 1983 Marcos faced growing opposition from both Communist insurgents and political figures who had begun agitating for the restoration of democracy. The assassination of key senator Benigno Aquino in 1983 was the catalyst for mass anti-government protests, a largely non-violent process that came to be known as 'People Power'. Lead by Aquino's widow Corazon, the anti-government movement persuaded the US to withdraw support for Marcos, who eventually capitulated and left the Philippines in 1986 for exile in Hawaii. He died there three years later.

Corazon Aquino was the natural choice as the first post-Marcos president. Despite considerable popular support and an ethical pedigree hitherto unseen in Filipino leaders, Aquino had no political experience and struggled to manage relations with the army. On six occasions military factions mounted unsuccessful coup attempts, but Aquino was able to suppress them by aligning herself with anti-Communist elements within the military.

In 1994 Fidel Ramos was elected president. His key achievements were the strengthening of the country's free market economy and negotiating a peace deal with the guerrilla movement in the north of the country. In 1997 the Asian Economic Crisis led to panic amongst voters who saw their currency greatly devalued and stock market prices plunge. In 1998 charismatic former movie star Joseph Estrada was elected President on a groundswell of popular support, particularly from the urban poor.

In January 2001, Estrada was impeached for corruption and manifest incompetence in carrying out the tasks of office. As of 2007 Gloria Arroyo currently holds office. In her inauguration speech she vowed to combat poverty and corruption, two of the country's most pervasive problems. Time will tell if these pledges come to anything.