About Philippines

Geography- An insular republic of the western Pacific Ocean, coextensive with the Philippine Islands and forming in physical geography a part of the Malay Archipelago. Situated about 1210 km (about 750 mi) east of the coast of Vietnam,the Philippines is separated from Taiwan on the north by the Bashi Channel. The republic is bounded on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the south by the Celebes Sea, and on the west by the South China Sea. The country comprises about7100 islands, of which only about 460 are more than 2.6 sq km (more than 1sqmi) in area. Eleven islands have an area of more than 2590 sq km (more than1000sq mi) each and contain the bulk of the population. These islands areLuzon, Mindanao, Samar, Negros, Palayan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol,and Masbate. The total area of the Philippines is about 300,000 sq km (about115,830sq mi). Land and Resources The Philippines are the northern most island group of the Malay Archipelago, extending about 1850 km (about 1150 mi) almost due north and south between Borneo and Taiwan; the eastern and western extent is almost 1127 km(almost 700mi). The islands, of volcanic origin, are the summits of a partly submerged mountain mass, and all are mountainous. In general the Philippine ranges extend north to south paralleling the coasts and in many places bordering them. Earthquakes are fairly common in the islands, which have about 20 active volcanoes. On the smaller islands the mountains form a backbone and are the principal topographical feature. The larger islands, particularly Luzon and Mindanao, have a more diversified topography, with broad plains and level, fertile valleys inthe interior. In northern Luzon the valley of the Cagayan River is a plain about 80 km (about 50 mi) wide, surrounded by the mountains of the Sierra Madre on theeast, the Cordillera Central on the west, and the Caraballo Mountains on thesouth. To the south of the Caraballo Mountains is the Central Plain, which extends from Lingayen Gulf to Manila Bay, and Laguna de Bay,the largest lake ofLuzon. The plain is drained by the Agno River in the northand by the Pampanga River in the south. On the southwestern coast are the Zambales Mountains. Luzon has a narrow, mountainous extension to the southeast called the Caramoan Peninsula. Mount Mayon, an active volcano that erupted without warning in February 1993, is on this peninsula just north of Legaspi. On Mindanao, the largest island of the Philippines after Luzon, the Diuata Mountains border the Pacific coast, and west of them lies the valley of the Agusan River. In southwestern Mindanao is a large lowland area, the valley of Mindanao. One of the southern Mindanao ranges contains Apo Volcano (2954m/9692ft), which is the highest point in the Philippines. The coastlines of all the islands are extremely irregular, measuring about 22,530 km (about 14,000 mi)in length.

Gawang-Pilipino. This site is proudlyPhilippine-made! Copyright © 1998 Philippine Site.Allrightsreserved.Reproductionin whole or in part in any form or mediumwithoutexpresswrittenpermissionofPhsite.comisprohibited.
webmaster@realpinoy.zzn.com
If you have any comments or suggestion, please contact theWebmaster.Thank you and Mabuhay!

There have been visitors