Metropolitan Manila[1][6] (often shortened as Metro Manila; Tagalog: Kalakhang Maynila),

officially the National Capital Region (NCR), is the seat of government and one of
three defined metropolitan areas in the Philippines. It is composed of 16 cities: the city of
Manila, Quezon City, Caloocan, Las
Piñas, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Navotas, Parañaque, Pasay
, Pasig, San Juan, Taguig, and Valenzuela, as well as the municipality of Pateros. The
region encompasses an area of 619.57 square kilometers (239.22 sq mi) and a
population of 12,877,253 as of 2015.[3] It is the second most populous and the most
densely populated region of the Philippines. It is also the 9th most populous metropolitan
area in Asia and the 5th most populous urban area in the world.
The region is the center of culture, economy, education and government of the
Philippines. Designated as a global power city, the region exerts a significant impact on
commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and
entertainment, both locally and internationally. It is the home to all the consulates and
embassies in the Philippines, thereby making it an important center for international
diplomacy in the country. Its economic power makes the region the country's premier
center for finance and commerce. The region accounts for 37.2% of the gross domestic
product of the Philippines.[7]
The region was established in 1975 through Presidential Decree No. 824 in response to
the needs to sustain the growing population and for the creation for the center of political
power and the seat of the Government of the Philippines.[8] The Province of Manila, the
predecessor entity of the region, is one of the first eight provinces that revolted against
the Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines at the end of the 19th century. Manila's role in
the Revolution is honored in the Flag of the Philippines, where the sun's eight rays
symbolize the eight revolutionary provinces.

A historical province known as Manila encompassed territories once held by various pre-
Hispanic polities. This included the well-known Pasig River delta settlements
of Maynila and Tondo, but smaller settlements such as those at Tambobong, Taguig,
Pateros, and the fortified polity of Cainta. It became the capital of the colonial
Philippines,[clarification needed] with Manila (Intramuros) serving as the center of colonial power. In
1898, it included the City of Manila and 23 other municipalities. Mariquina also served as
the capital from 1898–1899, just as when the sovereignty of the Philippines was
transferred to the United States. The province was dissolved and most of it was
incorporated to the newly created province of Rizal in 1901.
Since the Spanish colonial period, Manila was considered as one of the original global
cities. The Manila galleon was the first known commercially traveled trade route that
sailed the Pacific for 250 years, bringing to Spain their cargoes of luxury goods, economic
benefits, and cultural exchange.
During the American period, at the time of the Philippine Commonwealth,
American architect and urban designer Daniel Burnham was commissioned to create the
grand Plan of Manila to be approved by the Philippine Government. The creation of
Manila in 1901 is composed of the places and parishes
of Binondo, Ermita, Intramuros, Malate, Manila, Pandacan, Quiapo, Sampaloc, San
Andrés Bukid, San Fernando de Dilao, San Miguel, San Nicolas, Santa Ana de
Sapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Mesa and Tondo. Meanwhile, the towns and parishes
of Caloocan, Las Piñas, Mariquina, Pasig, Parañaque, Malabon, Navotas, San Juan del
Monte, San Pedro de Macati, San Felipe Neri, Muntinlupa and the Taguig-Pateros area
were incorporated into the province of Rizal. Pasig serves as its provincial capital.