The metropolis of Manila, which has a population of around 1.7 million, is the capital of the Philippines and is considered to be a very important port. The city lies in Manila Bay, Luzon, and consists of 7 main areas. Manila has several universities, an international airport, many shopping centres, oil refineries and other industrial trades.
Sights include numerous Baroque churches, which were granted World Heritage Site status in 1993, "China Town", a magical area of Manila, the Chinese cemetery, "Intramuris", the oldest part of the city with many churches and ancient buildings and "Mataki", an ultra-modern and luxurious shopping centre.