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The Philippines is an archipelago that comprises 7,641 islands with a total land area of . It is the world's fifth largest island country. The eleven largest islands contain 95% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon at about . The next largest island is Mindanao at about . The archipelago is around from the Asian mainland and is located between Taiwan and Borneo. The Philippine archipelago is divided into three Island groups: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. The Luzon islands include Luzon itself, Palawan, Mindoro, Marinduque, Masbate, Romblon, Catanduanes, Batanes, and Polillo. The Visayas is the group of islands in the central Philippines, the largest of which are: Panay,
Negros Negros is the fourth largest and third most populous island in the Philippines, with a total land area of . Negros is one of the many islands of the Visayas, in the central part of the country. The predominant inhabitants of the island region a ...
, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar,
Siquijor Siquijor ( , ), officially the Province of Siquijor ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Siquijor; tl, Lalawigan ng Siquijor), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor ...
, Biliran, and Guimaras. The Mindanao islands include Mindanao itself, Dinagat, Siargao,
Camiguin Camiguin, officially the Province of Camiguin ( ceb, Probinsya sa Camiguin; tl, Lalawigan ng Camiguin; Kamigin: ''Probinsya ta Kamigin''), is an island province in the Philippines located in the Bohol Sea, about off the northern coast of ...
, Samal, plus the Sulu Archipelago, composed primarily of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. The Philippines lies between 4°23' and 21° North (N) latitude and between 116° and 127° East (E) longitude.


Physical geography

The Philippine archipelago lies in Southeast Asia, and numbers some 7,641 islands. The Philippines occupies an area that stretches for from about the fifth to the twentieth parallels north latitude. The total land area is , with cadastral survey data suggesting it may be larger. This makes it the fifth largest island country in the world. Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated, and fewer than one-half of these are larger than . Eleven islands make up 95 percent of the Philippine landmass, and two of these — Luzon and Mindanao — measure and , respectively. They, together with the cluster of islands in Visayas in between them, represent the three principal regions of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the
Philippine flag The national flag of the Philippines ( tgl, Pambansang watawat ng Pilipinas; ilo, Nailian a bandera ti Filipinas; ceb, Nasudnong bandila ng Pilipinas; es, Bandera Nacional de Filipinas) is a horizontal bicolor flag with equal bands of royal ...
. The Philippines is broken up in many islands by the sea. This gives it the fifth longest coastline of in the world.Central Intelligence Agency. (2009)
"Field Listing :: Coastline"
Washington, D.C.: Author. Retrieved 2009-11-07.
The
Exclusive economic zone of the Philippines The Philippines has an exclusive economic zone that covers of sea. It claims an EEZ of from its shores. This is due to the 7,641 islands comprising the Philippine archipelago. The total land area, including inland bodies of water, of the Phil ...
covers , from its shores. It is located between 116° 40', and 126° 34' E longitude and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N latitude and is bordered by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south. The island of Borneo is located a few hundred kilometers southwest and Taiwan is located directly to the north. The Moluccas and Sulawesi are located to the south-southwest and Palau is located to the east of the islands.. (older version – as it existed in 2009 – during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo),
The Official Government Portal of the Republic of the Philippines
''.
Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the
Philippine Trench The Philippine Trench (also Philippine Deep, Mindanao Trench, and Mindanao Deep) is a submarine trench to the east of the Philippines. The trench is located in the Philippine sea of the western North Pacific Ocean and continues NNW-SSE. It has ...
, which descends to a depth of . The Philippines is part of a western Pacific arc system characterized by active volcanoes. Among the most notable peaks are Mount Mayon near Legazpi City, Taal Volcano south of Manila, and
Mount Apo Mount Apo, also known locally as Apo Sandawa, is a large solfataric, dormant stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of above sea level, it is the highest-mountain in the Philippine Archipelago, Mindanao and 24 ...
in Mindanao. All of the Philippine islands are prone to earthquakes. The northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera Central, rise to between and , and, together with the Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion of Luzon and the mountains of Mindanao, boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal groups. The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 1,100 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants. The longest river is the Cagayan River in northern Luzon, measuring about . Manila Bay,Jacinto, G.S., Azanza, R.V., Velasquez, I.B. and Siringan, F.P.(2006)."Manila Bay:Environmental Challenges and Opportunities" in Wolanski, E.(ed.) The Environment in Asia Pacific Harbours. Springer: Dordrecht, Netherlands. p309-328. upon the shore of which the capital city of Manila lies, is connected to Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the Philippines, by the Pasig River. Subic Bay, the Davao Gulf, and the Moro Gulf are other important bays. The San Juanico Strait separates the islands of Samar and Leyte but it is traversed by the San Juanico Bridge. The Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, which runs underground through a karst landscape before reaching the ocean, is a
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
World Heritage Site. Other extensive river systems are the Pulangi River, which flows into the Mindanao River (Rio Grande de Mindanao); the Agusan, in Mindanao which flows north into the
Mindanao Sea The Bohol Sea, also called the Mindanao Sea, is a sea located between the Visayas and Mindanao islands in the Philippines. It lies south of Bohol and Leyte and north of Mindanao. Siquijor and Camiguin are its two major islands. The major ...
; and the Pampanga, which flows south from east Central Luzon into Manila Bay. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power. A global remote sensing analysis suggested in 2018 that there were of tidal flats in the Philippines and is therefore ranked as the 15th country in terms of how much tidal flat occurs there. To protect the country's biological resources, the government has taken a first step of preparing a Biodiversity Action Plan to address conservation of threatened species. Most of the islands used to be covered by tropical rainforests. However, illegal logging has reduced forest cover to less than 10% of the total land area.


Geology

The
Philippine Archipelago The islands of the Philippines, also known as the Philippine Archipelago, comprises about 7,641 islands, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited.Philippine Mobile Belt located between the
Philippine Sea Plate The Philippine Sea Plate or the Philippine Plate is a tectonic plate comprising oceanic lithosphere that lies beneath the Philippine Sea, to the east of the Philippines. Most segments of the Philippines, including northern Luzon, are part ...
, the South China Sea Basin of the Eurasian Plate, and the Sunda Plate. The
Philippine Trench The Philippine Trench (also Philippine Deep, Mindanao Trench, and Mindanao Deep) is a submarine trench to the east of the Philippines. The trench is located in the Philippine sea of the western North Pacific Ocean and continues NNW-SSE. It has ...
(also called the Mindanao Trench) is a submarine trench in length found directly east of the Philippine Mobile Belt and is the result of a collision of tectonic plates. The Philippine Sea Plate is subducting under the Philippine Mobile Belt at the rate of about per year. The Philippine Fault System consists of a series of seismic faults that produce several earthquakes per year, most of which are not felt. The Galathea Depth in the
Philippine Trench The Philippine Trench (also Philippine Deep, Mindanao Trench, and Mindanao Deep) is a submarine trench to the east of the Philippines. The trench is located in the Philippine sea of the western North Pacific Ocean and continues NNW-SSE. It has ...
is the deepest point in the country and the third deepest in the world. The trench is located in the Philippine Sea. The islands are composed of volcanic, coral, principal rock formations. Eight major types of forests are distributed throughout the Philippines; dipterocarp, beach forest, pine forest, molave forest, lower montane forest, upper montane or mossy forest, mangroves, and ultrabasic forest. The highest mountain is
Mount Apo Mount Apo, also known locally as Apo Sandawa, is a large solfataric, dormant stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of above sea level, it is the highest-mountain in the Philippine Archipelago, Mindanao and 24 ...
. It measures up to above sea level and is located on the island of Mindanao. The second highest point can be found on Luzon at Mount Pulag, a peak above sea level. Situated on the western fringes of the Pacific
Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire (also known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Rim of Fire, the Girdle of Fire or the Circum-Pacific belt) is a region around much of the rim of the Pacific Ocean where many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. The Ring ...
, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The
Benham Plateau The Benham Rise, officially known as Philippine Rise, is an extinct volcanic ridge located in the Philippine Sea approximately east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela. The rise has been known to the people of Catanduanes as Kalip ...
to the east in the Philippine Sea is an undersea region active in tectonic subduction. Around 20 earthquakes are registered daily, though most are too weak to be felt. The last major earthquake was the 1990 Luzon earthquake. There are many active volcanoes such as the Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo, and Taal Volcano. The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991 produced the second largest terrestrial eruption of the 20th century. The Philippines is the world's second-biggest geothermal energy producer behind the United States, with 18% of the country's electricity needs being met by geothermal power. Mount Pinatubo is notorious for its destructive eruption on June 15, 1991. Taal Volcano, one of the
Decade Volcanoes The Decade Volcanoes are 16 volcanoes identified by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) as being worthy of particular study in light of their history of large, destructive eruptions and p ...
, had a eruption on January 12, 2020. Mount Mayon is renowned for having an almost perfect cone, but has a violent history of 47 eruptions since 1616 and its eruption on June 23, 1897, rained fire for seven days. Significant mineral deposits exist as a result of the country's complex geologic structure and high level of seismic activity. These deposites are considered highly valuable. The country is thought to have the second-largest gold deposits after South Africa, along with a large amount of copper deposits. Palladium, originally discovered in South America, was found to have the world's largest deposits in the Philippines too. Romblon island is a source of high-quality marble. Other minerals include chromite, nickel, and zinc. Despite this, a lack of law enforcement, poor management, opposition due to the presence of indigenous communities, and past instances of environmental damages and disasters, have resulted in these mineral resources remaining largely untapped.


Topography


Luzon


The Batanes and Babuyan islands

The Batanes and Babuyan Islands are situated on the northernmost extremity of the Philippines at
Luzon Strait The Luzon Strait (Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Luzon'', ) is the strait between Taiwan and Luzon island of the Philippines. The strait thereby connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea in the western Pacific Ocean. This body of water is an i ...
facing Taiwan. It contains the northernmost point of land, the islet of Y'Ami in the Batanes Islands, separated from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel (c. wide).


Western Luzon

This region stretches from Mairaira Point in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte in the north to Cochinos Point in
Mariveles, Bataan Mariveles, officially the Municipality of Mariveles ( tl, Bayan ng Mariveles), is a first class municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 149,879 people. History Founded as a ' ...
in the south. The terrain ranges from coastal plains to rugged mountains bordered by the South China Sea in the west and the Cordillera Central and Zambales mountain ranges in the east. Western Luzon is known for its beaches, surf spots and historic towns.


Cagayan Valley

Nestled between the Cordilleras in the east and the Sierra Madre mountain ranges in the west is the Cagayan Valley, also the name of the administrative region which it covers. Through its center runs the country's longest river, the Cagayan, flowing in a northward direction before emptying its waters in the
Luzon Strait The Luzon Strait (Tagalog: ''Kipot ng Luzon'', ) is the strait between Taiwan and Luzon island of the Philippines. The strait thereby connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea in the western Pacific Ocean. This body of water is an i ...
at the town of
Aparri Aparri ( ilo, Ili ti Aparri; tl, Bayan ng Aparri), officially the Municipality of Aparri, is a 1st class municipality in the province of , Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 68,839 people. It sits at the mouth ...
.


Cordilleras and Caraballos

The Cordilleras and Caraballos, together with the Sierra Madre Range, form the main mountain system in Northern Luzon. The Cordilleras consists of two, sometimes three, mountain ranges that are found in northwestern central Luzon. The first, called ''Caraballo del Sur'', forms the nucleus of the system and has its highest peaks in the border between the provinces of Abra, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan. ''Caraballo Occidentalles'', is further divided into two ranges, the Cordillera Norte and Cordillera Central. They line the central portions of the
Cordillera Administrative Region The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR; ilo, Rehion/Deppaar Administratibo ti Kordiliera; fil, Rehiyong Pampangasiwaan ng Cordillera), also known as the Cordillera Region and Cordillera (), is an administrative region in the Philippines, ...
. The Caraballos (''Caraballo de Baler'') start where the Sierra Madre and the Cordilleras meet. They are found south of Cagayan Valley, northeast of the Central Luzon Plains.


Sierra Madre Mountains

Lying in the eastern portion of Luzon is the longest mountain range in the Philippines, the Sierra Madre, stretching from Quezon province in the south to Cagayan in the north. 80 percent of the mountain range is tropical rainforest, which is diminishing from rampant illegal logging activity. The range serves as the eastern wall of Luzon Island that protects inhabitants from tropical cyclones usually coming from the Pacific Ocean.


Central Luzon Plains

The largest plain of the nation is situated in the Central Luzon region and produces most of the national rice supply, earning itself the nickname "''Rice Bowl of the Philippines''". The plains encompass the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Pangasinan.


Manila-Katagalugan plains

South of the Central Luzon plains lies the largest inland freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, the Laguna de Bay. To the east of the lake is a plain that stretches westward to the Manila Bay. Large rivers from bays and mountain springs traverse the plain. In the northern part of the region, that is, Manila and Rizal, most of the plain had been converted into cities and towns, and are thus industrialized. Lying east of the lake is the southern terminus of the Sierra Madre mountain range at northern Quezon province. To the southwest of the Laguna de Bay is the nation's third largest lake, the Taal, bordered to the north by the Tagaytay Ridge, a ridge stretching from southern Cavite to northern Batangas provinces.


Bondoc Peninsula

The Bondoc Peninsula is located in the southeastern part of Quezon Province.


Bicol Peninsula

Southeast of Laguna de Bay lies the Bicol Peninsula, connected to mainland Luzon by the isthmus of Tayabas. The predominantly flat landscape features several solitary peaks, usually active volcanoes, which include Iriga, Mayon and Bulusan. The peninsula has an irregular
coastline The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. The Earth has around of coastline. Coasts are important zones in ...
that features large bays and gulfs, which include the Lamon Bay, San Miguel Bay, Lagonoy Gulf, and
Albay Gulf Albay Gulf is a large gulf in the Bicol Peninsula of Luzon island in the Philippines. Whale shark sightings The place has been one of the tourist spots in the province because of the frequent sightings of whale sharks (known as ''butanding'' in t ...
to the north, and the Tayabas Bay, Ragay Gulf and Sorsogon Bay to the south.


Mindoro Island


Mindoro coastal plains

Mindoro's coastal plains are characterized by rice and corn fields, rivers, beaches, and extensive open space areas. Most of the population is concentrated on the northern and eastern coast of this island where the city of Calapan and Puerto Galera are located.


Mindoro highlands

The Mindoro mountain range begins with
Mount Halcon Mount Halcon ( fil, Bundok Halcon) and ( es, Monte Halcón) is the highest mountain in the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, according to the new data release by ''Oriental Mindoro peakvisor'' as of 2022, it has an elevation of above sea l ...
and is further divided into three. The northwest ends at Calavite Point and is a landmark for ships. The east originates from Lake Naujan and the west follows the
Mindoro Strait The Mindoro Strait ( tgl, Kipot ng Mindoro) is one of the straits connecting the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. It separates Mindoro Island from Busuanga Island (one of the Calamian Islands of Palawan Province). Located be ...
.


Palawan


Kalayaan islands (Spratly Islands)

The Kalayaan Islands are located to the west of Palawan. ''Kalayaan'' is a Filipino word meaning "freedom".


Visayas


Panay-Negros-Cebu Area

Panay is the third largest island in the Philippines, behind Mindanao and Luzon. Negros is home to the Canlaon Volcano, one of the active volcanoes in the Philippines. Cebu is a long and narrow island and is the 126th largest island in the world. Other islands nearby are: Guimaras, Boracay, Camotes Islands, Bantayan Island, Mactan and Olangapo Islands and Bohol.


Mindanao


Eastern Pacific Cordillera

The eastern coast of Mindanao features a long mountain range, the
Eastern Pacific Cordillera The Philippines is an archipelago that comprises 7,641 islands with a total land area of . It is the world's fifth largest island country. The eleven largest islands contain 95% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon ...
, which stretches from Bilar Point at Surigao in the north to Cape San Agustin at Davao in the south. Forming its northern portion are the Diwata Mountains (also spelled ''Diuata''), separated from the south by low passes situated at the middle. To the east of the range are narrow strips of lowland that feature several inlets and bays, the most prominent of which include the Lianga and Bislig bays.


Davao-Agusan Trough

To the west of the Pacific Cordillera lies an extensive lowland, the Davao-Agusan Trough. Its northern portion includes the
Agusan Valley The Philippines is an archipelago that comprises 7,641 islands with a total land area of . It is the world's fifth largest island country. The eleven largest islands contain 95% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon at ...
which forms the lower
river basin A drainage basin is an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean. A basin is separated from adjacent basins by a perimeter, ...
of the Agusan River. The river flows in a northward direction and empties into the
Butuan Bay Butuan Bay is a bay and extension of the Bohol Sea or ''Mindanao Sea'', in the northeast section of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its main river source is the Agusan River, which empties into the bay at the coastal city of Butuan. Butuan Bay is co ...
. Draining the southern portion of the lowland are several other rivers, which include the Tagum, flowing southward to the Davao Gulf.


Central Mindanao highlands

Situated west of the Davao-Agusan Trough is a complex series of mountain ranges called the Central Mindanao Highlands (also known as the ''Central Cordillera''). From these mountains form the headwaters of several rivers which include the Rio Grande de Mindanao, Pulangi, Maridagao and Tagoloan rivers. Several tall mountains, such as
Mount Apo Mount Apo, also known locally as Apo Sandawa, is a large solfataric, dormant stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of above sea level, it is the highest-mountain in the Philippine Archipelago, Mindanao and 24 ...
, the country's highest are found within the range.


Bukidnon-Lanao plateaus

The north-central portion of Mindanao is dominated by an extensive highland region, the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau, which includes the Kitanglad and
Kalatungan Mount Kalatungan, also known as Catatungan, is a volcanic mountain located in the province of Bukidnon in the southern Philippines. It is a stratovolcano with no known historical eruptions and classified by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology ...
mountain ranges. Within the plateau lies the country's second largest lake, Lake Lanao situated at an elevation of 2,296 feet, drained by the Agus River flowing northward to its river mouth at
Iligan Bay Iligan Bay is a bay in Mindanao Island in the Philippines. The bay is part of the Bohol Sea, and curves into the northern coast of Mindanao Island. A branch of the bay, Panguil Bay, forms a natural isthmus with Illana Bay and geographic bou ...
.


Cotabato Basin

South of the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau lies a large depression, the Cotabato Basin, which forms the lower river basin of the country's second largest river system, the Rio Grande de Cagayan (also known as the ''Mindanao River''). Surrounded by three mountain ranges, the basin's only opening to the sea is to the northwest at Illana Bay, where the Mindanao River empties into the ocean. To the southeast of the main basin are two large valleys, the Koronadal and Allah valleys.


Tiruray highlands

Situated south and west of the Cotabato Basin are a moderately high mountain range, the
Tiruray Highlands The Philippines is an archipelago that comprises 7,641 islands with a total land area of . It is the world's fifth largest island country. The eleven largest islands contain 95% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon ...
, which block off the Basin from the southern coastline. South of the highlands are narrow strips of coastlines.


Zamboanga peninsula

At the northwestern tip of Mindanao is the generally mountainous Zamboanga Peninsula. The chain of mountain ranges in this region is called ''
Zamboanga Cordilleras Zamboanga may refer to: *Zamboanga (province), a former province of the Philippines * Zamboanga City, a highly urbanized city located on Mindanao, Philippines * Zamboanga Peninsula, an administrative region in the Philippines comprising these provi ...
'', with the highest elevation at
Mount Dapi Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...
, which is high. The southern coastline is irregular, featuring two smaller peninsulas, the
Sibuguey Sibuguey is a dialect of Pangutaran Sama, a language spoken in the Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filip ...
and Baganian, extending southward to the Moro Gulf.


Outlying islands of Mindanao


Dinagat and Siargao Islands

To the north of the Diwata Mountains at northeast Mindanao lie Siargao island and the Dinagat group of islands.


Sulu Archipelago

Southwest of the Zamboanga Peninsula is the Sulu Archipelago, a chain of islands which comprise the smaller archipelago provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi.


Administrative geography

The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the 81 provinces and 38
independent cities An independent city or independent town is a city or town that does not form part of another general-purpose local government entity (such as a province). Historical precursors In the Holy Roman Empire, and to a degree in its successor state ...
as the primary unit. Provinces are further subdivided into component cities and municipalities, both of which consist of barangays, the smallest local government unit.


Regions

There are 17 regions comprising the Philippines. Each region, with the exception of the
National Capital Region A capital region, also called a capital district or capital territory, is a region or district surrounding a capital city. It is not always the official term for the region, but may sometimes be used as an informal synonym. Capital regions can exis ...
, is further subdivided into component provinces. The
National Capital Region A capital region, also called a capital district or capital territory, is a region or district surrounding a capital city. It is not always the official term for the region, but may sometimes be used as an informal synonym. Capital regions can exis ...
is divided into four
special districts Special districts (also known as special service districts, special district governments, limited purpose entities, or special-purpose districts) are independent, special-purpose governmental units that exist separately from local governments such ...
. Most government offices establish regional offices in a city to serve the constituent provinces. Such cities are designated as "regional centers". The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.


Provinces

Forming the regions, with the exception of the National Capital, are the 81 provinces. Each province has a capital city or municipality.


Landlocked and island provinces

Of the 82 provinces of the Philippines, 16 are '' landlocked'', and 16 are ''island provinces''.


Climate

The Philippines has a tropical maritime climate that is usually hot and humid. There are three seasons: ''tag-init'' or ''tag-araw'', the hot dry season or summer from March to May; ''tag-ulan'', the rainy season from June to November; and ''tag-lamig'', the cool dry season from December to February. The southwest monsoon (from May to October) is known as the Habagat, and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (from November to April), the Amihan. Temperatures usually range from to although it can get cooler or hotter depending on the season. The coolest month is January; the warmest is May. Some locations have no dry season (meaning, all months have an average rainfall of above ) and certain higher-altitude areas can have a subtropical climate. Manila and most of the lowland areas are hot and dusty from March to May. Even at this time, however, temperatures rarely rise above . Mean annual sea-level temperatures rarely fall below . Annual rainfall measures as much as in the mountainous east coast section of the country, but less than in some of the sheltered valleys. The average yearly temperature is around . In considering temperature, location in terms of latitude and longitude is not a significant factor. Whether in the extreme north, south, east, or west of the country, temperatures at sea level tend to be in the same range. Altitude usually has more of an impact. The average annual temperature of Baguio at an elevation of above sea level is , making it a popular destination during hot summers. Annual rainfall measures as much as in the mountainous east coast section but less than in some of the sheltered valleys. Monsoon rains, although hard and drenching, are not normally associated with high winds and waves. But the Philippines sit astride the typhoon belt, and it suffers an annual onslaught of dangerous storms from July through October. These are especially hazardous for northern and eastern Luzon and the Bicol and Eastern Visayas regions, but Manila gets devastated periodically as well. In the last decade, the Philippines has been hit severely by natural disasters. In 2005 alone, Central Luzon was hit by both a drought, which sharply curtailed hydroelectric power, and by a typhoon that flooded practically all of low-lying Manila's streets. Still more damaging was the 1990 earthquake that devastated a wide area in Luzon, including Baguio and other northern areas. The city of Cebu and nearby areas were struck by a typhoon that killed more than a hundred people, sank vessels, destroyed part of the sugar crop, and cut off water and electricity for several days. The Philippines is prone to about six to nine storms which make landfall each year, on average. The 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption also damaged much of Central Luzon, the lahar burying towns and farmland, and the ashes affecting global temperatures. Sitting astride the typhoon belt, the islands experience 15-20 typhoons annually from July to October, Library of CongressFederal Research Division. (March 2006)
''Country Profile: Philippines''
Retrieved July 30, 2020.
with around nineteen typhoons entering the Philippine area of responsibility in a typical year and eight or nine making landfall.''Monthly Typhoon Tracking Charts''
(2010). Retrieved April 24, 2010, from the National Institute of Informatics, Kitamoto Laboratory, Digital Typhoon Website.
Historically typhoons were sometimes referred to as ''baguios''. The wettest recorded typhoon to hit the Philippines dropped in Baguio from July 14 to 18, 1911. The Philippines is highly exposed to climate change and is among the world's ten countries that are most vulnerable to climate change risks. Building construction is undertaken with natural disasters in mind. Most rural housing has consisted of nipa huts that are easily damaged but are inexpensive and easy to replace. Most urban buildings are steel and concrete structures designed (not always successfully) to resist both typhoons and earthquakes. Damage is still significant, however, and many people are displaced each year by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural disasters. In 1987 alone the Department of Social Welfare and Development helped 2.4 million victims of natural disasters.


Statistics


CIA Statistics

Unless otherwise indicated, the information below is taken from CIA Factbook information for the Philippines.


Area

* Total: ** Land: ** Water:


Coastline

*


Maritime claims

(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines) * Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation * Exclusive economic zone: with * Territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to from the coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since the late 1970s has also claimed the polygonal-shaped area in the South China Sea up to in breadth.


Natural resources

* Timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, and copper.


Land use

* Arable land: 20% * Permanent crops: 16.67% * Other: 64.33% (2005)


Irrigated land

* (2003)


Natural hazards

The Philippines sit astride typhoon belt and are usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis.


Environment - current issues

*Uncontrolled deforestation in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding grounds; severe water pollution that caused the death of one of the country's major rivers, though there are ongoing efforts at resuscitation.
Typhoon Haiyan Typhoon Haiyan, known in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Yolanda, was one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded. On making landfall, Haiyan devastated portions of Southeast Asia, particularly the Philippines. It is one of the ...
in November 2013 caused major problems.


Environment - international agreements

*Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling *Signed, but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification


Subnational enclaves and exclaves

In political geography, an enclave is a territory or part of a territory lying wholly within the boundaries of another, and an exclave is one which is politically attached to a larger piece but not actually contiguous with it. Many entities are both enclaves and exclaves, but the two are not synonymous.


Exclaves and enclaves

* Caloocan is divided in two by
Valenzuela City Valenzuela (, Tagalog: ), officially the City of Valenzuela ( fil, Lungsod ng Valenzuela), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 714,978 people ...
and Quezon City. * In Cotabato province, the municipality of President Roxas is divided in two by Antipas municipality. * Manila South Cemetery is an exclave of the district of San Andres, located in the capital city of Manila. It is divided and surrounded by Makati.


Pene-enclaves/exclaves and inaccessible districts

* In
Soccsksargen Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the regi ...
: ** Sarangani province is separated into two sections by General Santos City and Sarangani Bay. * In the Zamboanga Peninsula: ** Isabela City, the provincial capital of Basilan province (part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region) is part of Zamboanga Peninsula despite it being separated from it by the Basilan Strait. ** Zamboanga City, a highly urbanized independent city, is statistically part of Zamboanga del Sur province, but is separated from it by Zamboanga Sibugay province.


Subnational quadripoint

A quadripoint is a point on the Earth that touches four distinct regions. Such points are often called "four corners", from the corners of the four regions meeting there. * Four provinces in Mindanao meet at a point at the summit of
Mount Apo Mount Apo, also known locally as Apo Sandawa, is a large solfataric, dormant stratovolcano on the island of Mindanao, Philippines. With an elevation of above sea level, it is the highest-mountain in the Philippine Archipelago, Mindanao and 24 ...
: Bukidnon of Northern Mindanao Region, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur of Davao Region, and Cotabato Province of
Soccsksargen Soccsksargen (officially stylized in all caps; ), formerly known as Central Mindanao, is an administrative region of the Philippines, designated as Region XII. Located in south-central Mindanao, its name is an acronym that stands for the regi ...


More than four

Four distinct geographic divisions converging at a single point is not uncommon in the Philippines, and there are other points of convergence between five or more divisions that can be found.


Geographic center

The island province of Marinduque prides itself as being the geographic center of the Philippines. The Marinduque governor has stated that their claim to be the Geographical Center of the Philippines has received notice and support from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA). The Luzon Datum of 1911 in Marinduque is used as point number one for all map makers in the country. The boundaries of the
Philippine archipelago The islands of the Philippines, also known as the Philippine Archipelago, comprises about 7,641 islands, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited.Treaty of Paris (1898), as comprising an irregular polygon. A box enclosing that polygon would have corners at 20°N 116°E, 20°N 127°E, 4.75°N 127°E, 4.75°N 116°E. The center of this box would lie at 121.5 E, 12.375 N. That point lies roughly in the center of the
Tablas Strait Tablas Strait ( fil, Kipot ng Tablas), also Tabuas Strait, is a strait in the Philippines separating Mindoro Island from Panay and Romblon islands. The approximate depth of the strait is . The strait is known for being the place where the Sul ...
between the islands of Tablas and Mindoro. ''Republic Act No. 9522'', "An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines",Republic Act No. 9522
''An Act to Define the Baselines of the Territorial Sea of the Philippines'', as amended by Section 1 of Republic Act No. 5446
The LawPhil project
describes an irregular polygon which fits within a box with its center at 121°44'47.45"E 12°46'6.1252"N, a point also roughly in the center of the Tablas Strait. The ''CIA Factbook'' locates the Philippines at 13°N 122°E.Philippines : Geography
CIA World Factbook.
The extreme points under Philippine control are: The center of a box enclosing these points would be located at 12°46’6.13"N, 120°26’36.46"E. That point is located in the
Mindoro Strait The Mindoro Strait ( tgl, Kipot ng Mindoro) is one of the straits connecting the South China Sea with the Sulu Sea in the Philippines. It separates Mindoro Island from Busuanga Island (one of the Calamian Islands of Palawan Province). Located be ...
, about NNE of Apo Island, in
Sablayan, Occidental Mindoro Sablayan (), officially the Municipality of Sablayan ( tgl, Bayan ng Sablayan), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 92,598 people. It has a total l ...
.


See also

* Island groups of the Philippines ** List of islands of the Philippines *
List of headlands of the Philippines A headland is a point of land extending into the sea. The Philippines, being an archipelagic country of 7,107 islands, is surrounded by several bodies of water and has many headlands. Headlands around the Philippine coast are most commonly named ...
* List of mountains in the Philippines **
List of Ultras of the Philippines This is a list of all the Ultra prominent peaks (with topographic prominence greater than 1,500 meters) in the Philippines. See also * List of mountains in the Philippines Sources ListMap {{Geography of the Philippines, state=expanded *Ultra ...
* List of volcanoes in the Philippines ** List of active volcanoes in the Philippines ** List of potentially active volcanoes in the Philippines **
List of inactive volcanoes in the Philippines This is a list of inactive volcanoes in the Philippines. Volcanoes with no record of eruptions are considered as extinct or inactive. Their physical form since their last activity has been altered by agents of weathering and erosion with the ...
*
List of bays of the Philippines The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a land area of 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 square miles). Owing to its numerous islands, the country has an irregular coastline that stretches 334,539 kilometers (207,873 miles). I ...
* List of lakes of the Philippines *
List of rivers of the Philippines This is a list of rivers of the Philippines. The country's longest river is the Cagayan River, with a length of , followed by the Mindanao River and Agusan River, with respective lengths of and . With an area of , the Cagayan River has the la ...
* Extreme points of the Philippines * Territories claimed by the Philippines * Borders of the Philippines *
Subduction tectonics of the Philippines The subduction tectonics of the Philippines is the control of geology over the Philippine archipelago. The Philippine region is seismically active and has been progressively constructed by plates converging towards each other in multiple dire ...


References

*


External links


Government Portal of the Republic of the Philippines



Further reading

* {{coord, 13.000, N, 122.000, E, source:eswiki, display=title