Geography of the philippines
The Philippines are an archipelago in Southeast Asia consisting of 7,641 islands and a total area of about 300,000 km². The area claimed by the island nation is located around 800 km east of the Southeast Asian Peninsula , south of Taiwan and north of the island of Borneo .
Politically, the geography of the Philippines is generally divided into three main groups:
- the northern Luzon group
- the Visayas group, which includes the centrally located islands
- the southern Mindanao group .
The eleven largest islands Luzon , Mindoro , Palawan , Panay , Negros , Cebu , Bohol , Leyte , Samar and Mindanao claim over 90% of the total land area of the Philippines.
The archipelago is located in a part of the western Pacific that belongs to the Pacific Ring of Fire and is characterized by an increased risk of earthquakes and active volcanism. The islands are almost exclusively of volcanic origin, which is why the most important mountains in the country, such as Mount Mayon , Pulag and Apo , are all volcanic peaks. In contrast, the sea section east of the island state is crossed by a mighty deep sea channel, the Philippines Trench , the deepest point of which is 10,540 m below the surface of the water.
facts and figures
According to official counts, the Philippine archipelago consists of exactly 7,641 islands. The state claims an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nm outside its banks. The area of the Philippines thus covers a total area of 342,903 km² and extends over an area between the 5th and the 20th parallel north for a distance of 1,850 kilometers and a length of 1,127 km, which extends the area from the 112th to the 127th Occupies longitude. This makes the Philippines the fifth largest island nation in the world. Only around 860 of the islands are inhabited, around 3,144 with a name. Only 13 islands have an area of more than 1,000 km², 47 islands have an area of more than 100 km² and 357 islands are larger than 2.5 km². The eleven largest islands together make up 94% of the Philippine land mass, with two of them alone - Luzon and Mindanao - having areas of 108,172 and 97,530 square kilometers, respectively. Since all land areas of the Philippines are surrounded by water, the archipelago has one of the longest coastlines of any nation in the world with a total of 36,289 km. Most Filipinos live on or near the coastal zones.
In the north, the territory of the Philippines is bordered by the Republic of China (Taiwan) , from which it is separated by the Luzon Strait . To the west of the Philippine archipelago and across the South China Sea lies the territory of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam , while to the southwest the Sulu Sea separates the Malaysian section of Borneo from the Philippine Islands. In the south of the island state are the Celebes Sea and the national territory of Indonesia . In the east, on the other hand, the Philippine Sea determines the transition to the Pacific Ocean.
Basically, as already mentioned, the islands of the Philippines are grouped into three main geographic regions or groups. In addition to the actual island of Luzon, the northern Luzon group also includes the islands of Mindoro , Marinduque , Masbate , Palawan and the Batanes Islands. The middle archipelago is known as the Visayas and includes the centrally located islands of Bohol , Cebu , Leyte , Negros , Panay , Samar and Biliran . The southern Mindanao group in turn consists of the island of Mindanao itself, as well as the Sulu archipelago , which mainly includes the islands of Basilan , Jolo and Tawi-Tawi . These three main groups are embodied as it were by the three stars that adorn the white corner of the flag of the Philippines .
The northernmost point is marked by the island of Y'Ami , the southernmost by the island of Saluag, which belongs to the Sibutu archipelago in the extreme southwest of the Sulu archipelago. The easternmost point is Pusan Point in Davao Oriental Province , while the westernmost point is on the Spratly Islands at about 112 ° 00 'east latitude. The island province of Romblon is located exactly in the geographical center of the Philippine archipelago .
Mountain ranges and volcanic peaks
The entire Filipino archipelago is an earthquake-prone area. Many of the country's volcanoes are active, as the severe eruption of Pinatubo on Luzon in 1991 or the recent eruption of Mayon Mountain near Legazpi City clearly shows.
The highest mountain in the country is the Apo on Mindanao, the summit of which rises 2,954 m above sea level. The second highest peak is the Dulang-dulang in the Kitanglad Mountains , it reaches a height of 2,938 meters, followed by the Pulag on the island of Luzon with a height of 2,922 m.
Mayon is considered to be one of the most attractive volcanoes in the world because it is characterized by an almost perfectly shaped cone. With 48 eruptions since 1616, it has a very eruptive history, with another violent eruption to be expected at any time. Another well-known volcano is the Taal , which is located south of Manila and whose water-filled crater forms the Taalsee and thus the third largest lake in the country. Two of the largest volcanic eruptions that occurred in the Philippines were the Parker eruptions in 1641 and the Pinatubo eruptions in 1991, which were rated with the volcanic explosion index 5 and 6.
The highlands of northern Luzon, also called Cordillera Central, rises to 2,500 to 2,750 meters and together with the Sierra Madre determines the shape of the island of Luzon. Here, as in the mountains of Mindanao overgrown by rainforest, there was a safe shelter for numerous indigenous highland peoples, as it was only here, in these remote areas, that they could preserve their original culture. The rainforests are also the main habitat for more than 500 bird species, including the Philippine eagle (or monkey eagle) as well as for around 800 different orchids and around 850 different species of flowering plants.
Most of the islands are covered in tropical rainforest . However, illegal logging reduced the rainforest area to less than 10% of the total land area. The islands are mostly characterized by a narrow coastal strip and many fast flowing rivers. Each island has numerous sandy beaches, but only a few of them expand into a spacious lowland plain in the hinterland. There are only a few large flat areas and only a small number of navigable rivers on the archipelago.
rivers and lakes
The longest of the total of 421 rivers in the country is the Cagayan River , also called Rio Grande de Cagayan, in northern Luzon, whose course extends over 505 km. The major rivers in the country also include the Pulangi River, which merges into the great Mindanao River or Rio Grande de Mindanao , the Agusan , which flows through the island of Mindanao from south to north, and the Pampanga River , which flows through the south-central -Luzon traversed from the east to flow into Manila Bay at the end.
Laguna de Bay , east of Manila Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines with 911 to 949 km². According to their area of follow Lake Lanao in Mindanao with 340 square kilometers, the location in the volcano's crater Language Taal Lake (244 square kilometers) and also located on Mindanao Lake Mainit (150 square kilometers).
Seas and stretches of sea
The sea area that surrounds the Philippine archipelago is part of the western reaches of the Pacific Ocean . In the north, the Strait of Luzon separates the Philippine Islands from neighboring Taiwan , while the Philippine Sea defines the sea area of the entire Philippine east. To the west of the islands of Luzon and the island of Palawan even further to the west, the South China Sea opens up again . In the south, extending Sulu Sea , in the north-west by the islands of Palawan, in the north and east through Mindoro, Panay, Negros and Mindanao, and ultimately in the south and southeastern of Borneo is enclosed and the Sulu archipelago. As Sibuyan Sea is again designated a sea area that is limited in its northeast and east of the Bicol Peninsula, in the northwest of Mindoro, south of Panay and in the southeast of Masbate. The stretch of sea that defines the south of the Philippines between the islands of Mindanao and Sulawesi is known as the Celebes Sea .
The silhouettes of the various islands are determined by numerous smaller and larger bays and gulfs, of which the Bay of Manila , the Gulf of Leyte , the Gulf of Moro and the Gulf of Davao are the largest and most important in the archipelago. If you add up the coastlines of all islands, the result is a distance of more than 36,000 km.
Outside the coast of eastern Mindanao, in the middle of the Philippine Sea, lies the Philippinengraben , which, after the Mariana Trench , is the deepest part of the entire globe. In the so-called Galatheatief the sea floor is 10,430 m below the sea surface. This point is located in the western part of this deep sea channel, which extends over a total of 1325 km.
Tourist destinations and sights
General
The Philippines are particularly known for their tropical landscape, which, in addition to pleasantly warm to hot temperatures, has attractive sandy beaches, remarkable diving areas, waterfalls and impressive mountain peaks to offer. The main attractions of the Philippine Islands include the rice terraces in the Philippine Cordilleras , such as the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park on Palawan near Puerto Princesa , the Tubbataha Reef in the Sulu Sea, the baroque churches in Manila , Paoay and Miagao and the historic old town of Vigan City have been declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites . In addition, the Chocolate Hills on Bohol, the aforementioned Mayon near Legazpi City and the Taal, 50 km south of Manila, are the most famous sights in the country.
The first stop for tourists are the cities of Manila and Cebu City , which have an international airport in addition to Davao City . On the island of Mactan there are numerous nationally known beach resorts along its east side. Other world-famous tourist destinations are the island of Boracay , approx. 500 m from the northern tip of its larger neighboring island Panay, the island of Panglao near Tagbilaran , Bohol, the urban area of the Island Garden City of Samal as well as Dinagat , El Nido in northern Palawan and on Camiguin .
Due to the topography of most of the Philippine islands, which are characterized by high mountains, which finally drop steeply towards the coast, impressive waterfalls can be found all over the Philippines. Around the city of Iligan City alone, there are more than 20 falls, of which the Maria Cristina waterfalls , the Tinago and Limunsudan waterfalls , which at 265 m have the highest drop of all waterfalls in the country, are the most important. Another noteworthy tourist destination are the Pagsanjan waterfalls , which, about 90 km from Manila and located in the jungle, can only be reached by long boats.
To protect and preserve the native flora and fauna, various national parks and nature reserves have been set up in the Philippines in the past decades. In addition to the aforementioned Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park, these include the Apo Reef Marine Natural Park west of Mindoro, the Mount Apo Natural Park near Davao City, the nature reserve of Mount Makiling south of Manila or the Hundred Islands National Park, an archipelago made up of 123 smaller islands located in the northwest of Luzon.
National parks and protected areas of the Philippines
Luzon archipelago :
Visayas archipelago :
Mindanao archipelago :
Islands and archipelagos of the Philippines
Detailed topography
Luzon group
Batanes and Babuyan Islands
The Batan and Babuyan Islands form the extreme north of the Philippine archipelago . Both archipelagos are located in the Luzon Strait south of the island of Taiwan , with the Babuyan Islands located south of the Batan Islands. The canal that runs between the Batan Islands and Taiwan is known as Bashi Strait and is approximately 80 km wide. The northernmost of the Batan Islands is Y'Ami, which, as previously mentioned, marks the northernmost point of the Philippines.
Luzon
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The large northern Philippine island of Luzon has a total area of 108,172 square kilometers and thus ranks 17th among the largest islands in the world. It is also one of the four most populous islands in the entire globe. In addition to the capital Manila, Luzon also has the most populous city in the country, Quezon City . The island is very mountainous and is home to Mount Pulag , the third highest mountain in the Philippines, as well as various volcanoes such as the Pinatubo , Mayon and Taal . The shores in the west of the island of Luzon border on the South China Sea, the coast in the east lies on the Philippine Sea , while the Luzon Strait marks the northern border.
North Luzon
Northern Luzon is determined by the mountain range of the Philippine Cordilleras . These consist of the Cordillera Central in the west, the Caraballo Mountains in the center and the Sierra Madre in the east.
An elongated, narrow plain of the Ilocos region extends along the western coastline , behind which the Cordillera Central rise towards the interior. This broad mountain range consists of three mountain ranges that have a north-south orientation. The western mountain range of the Cordillera Central already reaches heights of around 1500 meters, such as at the Tirad Pass . Behind the western mountain range lie the broad river valleys of the Abra and Laoag , which, like the Amburayan, break through the western cordelliers and end in wide estuaries in the sea. In the southeast of the Cordillera Central lies the valley of the Magat River , in which the 117 km² Magat reservoir is located.
High mountain ranges and deeply cut valleys characterize the central section of the Cordillera Administrative Region , the central area of the Cordillera Central. The region is very watery and the great rivers Agno and Rio Chico have their source on the Data mountain . In the central part of the Cordillera, the mountains reach heights of 2,500 to 2,700 meters and flatten out towards the north to heights of 1,000 to 1,500 meters. The highest mountains are in the southern part of the Cordillera and reach their greatest height on the Pulag .
If you overcome the Cordillera Central and move further east, you reach the Cagayan Valley. This large valley, or rather this plain, takes up most of the northeastern region of the island and is bordered by the Sierra Madre in the east and the Caraballo Mountains in the south. The Cagayan , the longest river in the Philippines, flows through the plain from south to north . The other large river in this plain is the Abulug , it drains the northwestern part of the plain. In the extreme northeast of the region is the small island of Palaui , off the main island. It is also known as Boracay of the North .
The Sierra Madre Mountains are around 350 kilometers long and are the longest continuous mountain range in the Philippines. It begins in the extreme northeast of the island and very quickly reaches heights of over 1000 meters above sea level. It stretches along the entire east coast of Luzon down to the isthmus in the province of Quezon and reaches its greatest height in the region of northern Luzon, up to 1,850 meters on Mount Anacuao. In the middle part of its extension, the mountain range unites with the Cordillera Central. This mountain knot is known as the Caraballo Mountains . The transition from this mountainous region to the central level of Luzon marks the end of northern Luzon. For the areas west of the Sierra Madre Mountains, the mountains represent something like a wall that opposes most tropical cyclones.
Central Luzon
Below the Ilocos region , which defines the northwest of Luzon , a wide but elongated peninsula protrudes into the ocean, which houses the massif of the Zambales Mountains . This massif separates the central plains of Luzon from the South China Sea and forms the western front of the Philippine Cordilleras. The largest elevation of this train is the Tapulao mountain , which is also known as the High Peak and reaches a summit height of 2,037 meters. Here is also the home of the famous Pinatubo mountain , the summit of which is 1,486 m above sea level. The southern foothills of the Zambales Mountains extend to the Bataan peninsula . This is dominated by the two majestic volcanoes Mariveles and Natib and protrudes far into the Bay of Manila and thus forms the north-western part of this large bay .
Since Manila Bay is almost completely enclosed by land except for a 19 km wide entrance, it serves as a natural harbor for the Philippine metropolitan area of Manila, which takes up the entire east bank of the bay. To the north and east of Manila Bay opens up the central Luzon plain, which is drained by large rivers such as the Pampanga and whose northern foothills extend to the Gulf of Lingayen . In the center of the plain, the 1,026 meter high stratovolcano Arayat rises like an island mountain from the flat terrain . The Candaba river marshes spread out southeast of the extinct volcano . The plain is one of the most densely populated areas in the Philippines and at the same time represents one of the most important agricultural regions in the country. The most important cities outside the metropolitan area are Tarlac City , Angeles City and Cabanatuan City . The eastern part of central Luzon is dominated by the Sierra Madre mountain range. With the construction of the Angat reservoir and the establishment of the Angat Watershed Forest Reserve in the Sierra Madre, this region plays an important role in the water and energy supply of Metro Manila . Another large dam is the Pantabangan Reservoir in the region. The geographic southern end of this large plain marks the largest inland freshwater lake in the Philippines, the Laguna de Bay . In the southern Sierra Madre which are Caliraya Lake and the Lumot Lake , both an important recreational area are. A hilly landscape extends south of Manila in which the Taal volcano and the Taalsee are popular excursion destinations. Another volcano, the Panay , is located southwest of the Taalsee on the Calumpang peninsula , which separates the Balayan Bay from the Batangas Bay . Both are popular waters for divers from all over the world due to the very clear waters. To the south of Laguna de Bay, other mighty mountains tower up, such as the 2,158 meter high Banahaw , which also represents the southern border of central Luzon.
The Bicol Peninsula
In the southeast of the island of Luzon, the land mass between the Bay of Lamon and the Bay of Tayabas tapers into a narrow band that widens as it continues to form the Bicol Peninsula. This represents the southeastern extension of Luzon and is connected to the main island by the isthmus of Tayabas. In the northern part of Lamon Bay is the Polillo Archipelago, which consists of 24 islands . To the north of the peninsula lies another group of islands, the Calaguas, in the Philippine Sea.
There are numerous active volcanoes on the Bicol Peninsula , such as the Masaraga , Malinao , Pocdol Mountains and Mayon , which is considered to be one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. Because of the almost perfectly shaped cone, it is one of the most famous sights of the Philippine archipelago. Around this mighty elevation, the peninsula is defined by an extensive plain, which primarily favors rice cultivation. Numerous other peninsulas spread out from the Bicol peninsula, such as the mountainous Caramoan peninsula , which has the shape of an anvil , or the sweeping Bondoc peninsula , which forms the Gulf of Ragay . The Gulf of Lagonoy extends southeast of the Caramoan Peninsula and is separated from the Gulf of Albay by the islands of Rapu-Rapu , Batan and Cagraray Island .
The largest river on the Bicol Peninsula is the Bicol River , the sources of which are on Mount Labo and around the Iriga and Isarog volcanoes . It drains the central part of the peninsula and forms numerous lakes, such as Lake Bato , the Lake Buhi and the lake baao and mündetin the San Miguel Bay . North-east of the Bicol peninsula is the island of Catanduanes , which with 1,492 km² is one of the largest islands in this district. The southeastern tip, in turn, belongs to the province of Sorsogon and is characterized by an irregular topography , the highest peak of which is Bulusan at 1,565 m .
Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Masbate
If you move west from the center of the Bicol peninsula, you first come to the smaller island of Marinduque , which has an area of 953 km² and is determined by the 1,157 m high Malindig volcano . Like most of the other islands, Marinduque is surrounded by numerous smaller ones, it is mountainous and heavily forested in the center.
Further west is Mindoro Island , the seventh largest in the Philippines. Its coasts border in the northwest on the South China Sea, in the northeast on the Isla Verde Strait , in the southeast on the Sibuyan Sea and in the west on the Mindoro Strait . In the north of the island are the Lubang Islands and in the northeast the island of Luzon.
The topography of Mindoro is determined by a mountain range that extends over the entire north-south extension of the island. The higher mountains can be found in the central part of the island mountains. The Mount Halcon , the highest mountain of Mindoro, dominated with 2,582 m the northern part, while the 2,488-meter high mountain Baco dominates the south. Larger plains can be found in the eastern part of the island, where the largest inland lake in Mindoro is located, the Naujan Lake . With 81.25 km² it is the fifth largest inland body of water in the Philippines.
The island province of Romblon extends southeast of Mindoro and consists of the three main islands Tablas , Sibuyan and Romblon itself. The archipelago is located almost in the center of the Philippine archipelago and is partly as mountainous as it is green, like the 2,058 meter high guiting-guiting on the 465 km² island of Sibuyan .
South of the Bicol peninsula and southeast of the Romblon province, the island of Masbate and the province of the same name borders the Sibuyan Sea. The province of Masbate consists of three islands of Masbate, Burias and Ticao, which together have a total area of 4,152 km².
Visayas group
The name Visayas is used to summarize the centrally located Philippine islands, which define the area between the large islands of Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south. The Visayas include, from west to east, the islands of Palawan, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar.
Negros and the Calamian Islands
The island of Negros , which marks the central, outer west of the archipelago, is also the fourth largest Philippine island with 13,328 km². It includes a few other smaller islands that are spread around the main island. The controversial Spratly Islands , just a few hundred kilometers to the west. The Calamian Islands are also part of the province of Palawan . It includes the island of Coron and Busuanga , which are known for their sometimes bizarre coastal shapes . Giraffes and other large African game live on the Calauit peninsula on Busuanga . East of Palawan is the Cuyo Archipelago and southeast of the Cagayan Archipelago , in the middle of the Sulu Sea .
The island of Palawan (belongs to Region IV-B / MIMAROPA ) is almost 434 km long, a maximum of 39 km wide and at the narrowest point, on Ulugan Bay , only 8.5 km wide. The island has an irregular coastline of almost 2,000 km in length, which is lined with 1,780 islands and islets. Its rocky bays and white sandy beaches make it an attractive tourist destination, the deepest bay is the Malampaya Sound , where the rare Irrawaddy dolphin lives. The main island is overgrown with primeval forest over long stretches, which lies like a carpet over the mountain ranges inland. The highest peak, Mount Mantalinganhan , rises 2085 m. In addition to the mountainous sections, the terrain offers a mixture of coastal plains, rugged foothills and valley deltas that are covered by dense forest and crossed by numerous rivers. In the northeast of the island lies the largest inland lake on the island of Palawan, the Manguao Lake .
Panay
Panay Island is east of Palawan . It has an approximately triangular shape whose tips are oriented to the southwest, northwest and northeast. The island province of Guimaras is located between Panay and the island of Negros further east . In the north of Panay, in the middle of the Sibuyan Sea that spreads here , lies the island of Romblon . In the northeast of the island lies the Bancal Bay , with the islands of Gigantes , Calagnaan and Sicogon in front of it . To the west of Bancal Bay, on the north coast, lies the large, sweeping Bay of Pilar . To the east of Panay is the island of Pan de Azucar , on which the 606 meter high mountain Manaphaga rises and forms a striking landmark. In the west of the island, the smaller islands of Maniguin , Mararison and Batbatan are in front of the main island . Further west of Panay is the Cuyo Archipelago , which has more than 40 islands.
The 12,224 km² island is traversed in the western part from south to north by the Central Panay Mountains , the highest point of which is Mount Madias at 2,117 m, which is located in the province of Antique . These mountains merge to the east into a gently undulating hilly landscape and extensive plains extend along the coasts in the north and east . The island is crossed by a number of rivers such as the Aklan, Jalaur , Iloilo and Panay Rivers . At its mouth, near the city of Kalibo , the Alkan River forms a 250 km² river delta called the Kalibo wetland .
In the northwest of the island is the Aklan Peninsula, in front of it is the world-famous island of Boracay , which is known for its long, white sandy beaches. In the recent past it has developed into one of the most important tourism centers in the Philippines and gained international fame. Further west of the peninsula are the Caluya Islands .
From an indentation in the southern part of Panay, as well as from the island of Guimaras and the western section of Negros, the Gulf of Panay forms, which belongs to the Sulu Sea , which extends to the west and south-west . The island is separated from its neighboring island of Negros by the Guimaras Strait .
Negros
Negros is geographically slightly below the center of the Philippine archipelago and has a total area of 13,328 km². The island is defined by a mountain range in the center, along which the borderline between the two provinces of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental runs.
The island has a shape that is reminiscent of a potato, but the coastline is relatively even and is only cut deeper by a few deeper bays , such as the bay of Bais City . Off the coast are numerous coral reefs and smaller islands, such as Apo Island in the south and Sipaway Island in the east. In the southwest of the island is the catchment area of the Ilog River , which forms a 50 km² delta at its mouth.
The topography of the island is determined by the volcanic mountains of the Cuernos de Negros (Mount Talinis) in the southeast and the active volcanoes Mandalagan , Kanlaon and Silay in the northern center of the island. In the northeast and northwest of the island there are large plains. Mainly sugar cane is grown on these . Negros is the largest producer of sugar in the Philippines, which earned it the nickname Sugar Island . There are some interesting tourist spots on Negros, such as the Chocolate Hills of Negros in San Carlos City , the Twin Lakes and Lake Balanan . The Casaroro waterfalls on Mount Talinis are the highest on the Visayas archipelago.
Cebu
Again east of Negros, separated by the Strait of Tañon , one reaches the elongated island silhouette of Cebu . A water channel runs along its east coast, the Strait of Cebu , which separates it from the southeastern island of Bohol .
Measured from north to south, Cebu has a total length of 196 km and a maximum width of 32 km. It is surrounded by 167 smaller islands, such as Mactan, Bantayan , Malapascua , as well as the archipelago of the Olango Archipelago and the Camotes Islands .
The island is known for its narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus and coastal plains that have all the characteristics of a typical tropical island. The topography of the island is also characterized by gentle hills that merge into rugged mountain ranges that cross the interior of Cebu from north to south and separate the east and west coasts. Cebu's steep mountain ridges reach an altitude of over 1,000 meters, with the island having flatter areas, especially in its northern region. The highest mountain on the island is the 1,013 meter high Osmeña Peak . A flat hilly landscape stretches from Mandaue City to Liloan , in it lie some lagoon-like bays , like the Silot Bay , which are filled with brackish water and offer a special habitat for mangrove forests . The total area of the island is 4,468 km².
The most important island belonging to Cebu is Mactan , which is separated from the city of Cebu City by a narrow, a few 100 m wide waterway and on which the Mactan-Cebu International Airport is located. Numerous beach resorts have emerged on the east side of Mactan in recent years, which ultimately made it an internationally renowned tourist destination.
Bohol
Southeast of Cebu is the island of Bohol with an area of 3,821 km² and a coastline of 261 km. It is the tenth largest island in the Philippines and is surrounded by 70 smaller islands. The largest of them is the 375 km² island of Lapinin . The famous island of Panglao is one of the best developed tourist regions of the island, it is located opposite Tagbilaran City and is known for its hotel complexes with attractive sandy beaches. From the south coast one can see the island of Camiguin, 54 km away, which geographically is assigned to Mindanao.
Topologically, Bohol is consistently hilly and covered by rocky limestone, which is dotted with strange, evenly shaped hilly fields. These hills are known as the Chocolate Hills and are the island's main attraction. Mountain ranges similar to low mountain ranges run along its edge, while the entire center of the island can be seen as a single large plateau. In the north of the island is the Danajon reef system , the largest coral reef system in the Philippines. The north and east coast of the island has numerous bays, in which there are large mudflats and mangrove forests . Some of these are under nature protection, such as in Cogtong Bay .
There are only a few sandy beaches on Bohol, but the few that can be found on the island of Panglao, near the village of Anda, and in Guindulman, are a valued tourist destination. The rest of the Bohol coast is characterized by cliffs and steep slopes that are only partially suitable for swimming.
Leyte-Samar-Biliran
The eastern region of the Visayas is dominated by the islands of Leyte , Samar and Biliran , which together form the province of VIII Eastern Visayas . These islands are close to each other and are the only main islands in the country connected by bridges, making it possible to reach any point on them by land. Leyte has an area of 7,368 km² and is positioned west of Samar, which with 12,849 km² in turn has the largest land area of the three mentioned islands and is therefore the third largest of the archipelago. Leyte is connected to Samar by the San Juanico Bridge . At the northeast tip of Leyte is the island of Biliran, which is the smallest of the three islands in the eastern part of the Visayas at 501 km² and has a connection to neighboring Leyte via the Biliran Bridge.
The topology of all three is primarily characterized by mountain chains that define the interior of the island and gently slope towards the coastal plains. Leyte offers a much more mountainous terrain, while Samar, on the other hand, is more dominated by hilly areas and flat plains. The climate is that of a tropical rainforest and, according to the Köppen system, is characterized by even rainfall spread over the year.
The Mindanao Group
With a total area of 97,530 km², Mindanao is the second largest in the Philippine island world. The island consists of a large mountainous land mass that has numerous terrain forms. In the northwest, the territory tapers and merges into a long extension, the Zamboanga Peninsula, which extends far to the southwest and, together with the main mass of Mindanao and the island of Basilan, forms the Gulf of Moro .
Zamboanga Peninsula
In western Mindanao, a series of mountain ridges known as the Zamboanga Cordilleras form the narrow and elongated Zamboanga Peninsula . This is connected to the main mass of Mindanao by a narrow isthmus between the Bay of Panguil and the Bay of Illana .
The elevations of the peninsula are on average 1,200 m high. In the northeast they continue to rise and reach a height of 2,404 meters above sea level on Mount Malindang . The narrow coastal plain of the peninsula is heavily populated and reaches its greatest population density in the Misamis Occidental . South of the Malindang is the largest lake on this peninsula, the Wood Sea , and Mount Timolan rises above it . Several flat coastal plains have formed on the coasts of the Zamboanga peninsula, offering a fertile area for agriculture. The Batorampon Point, located in the interior of the city of Zamboanga City, reaches the highest point on the southern tip of the peninsula with a summit height of 1335 m.
With the exception of the narrow coastal plains, the terrain is determined by hilly and mountainous sections.
Central Mindanao
Starting from Dipolog City , eastward and along the northern coast of Mindanao, a continuous coastal plain of varying widths of a few kilometers extends to Butuan City . Behind the coastal plain, the topography is mostly rugged, as here rugged mountains, such as the aforementioned Malindang and the Ampiro, rise abruptly from the coast. The central part, on the other hand, is characterized by sloping plains and river valleys.
The north coast of Mindanao is highly fragmented, three large peninsulas stretch far into the Mindanao Sea . The coastal plain is heavily populated and several large cities such as Cagayan de Oro and Iligan City are located on it. North of the central peninsula of North Mindanao, about 10 km above the northern tip of this peninsula, lies the 37 x 14 km island of Camiguin . It is dominated by seven volcanoes, of which the 1332 m high mountain Hibok-Hibok is the most famous. There are numerous waterfalls in the coastal mountains of North Mindanao, such as the Tinago and Limunsudan waterfalls .
In the northwest of central Mindanao lies the largest lake on the island and the second largest in the Philippines, Lake Lanao . It is located on a high plateau, at an altitude of about 700 meters. At its northern tip, the Agus River is the lake's only outflow. On its short river course of only 37 kilometers it overcomes the considerable difference in altitude of 700 meters before it flows into the Bay of Iligan . For this reason, a number of hydropower plants were built on the Agus, which also feeds the majestic María Cristina waterfalls . The north of central Mindanao is spanned by a series of volcanic mountains in a west-east direction. In the south of the province of Lanao del Sur , on the border with the province of Cotabato, lies a ridge marked by the Makaturing , Latukan and Ragang volcanoes . In the northeast of this mountain range, in the province of Bukidnon, is the Kalatungan Mountains , which reach a height of 2,824 meters. It is separated from the Kitanglad Mountains by the valley of the Cagayan River . The second highest mountain in the Philippines, the Dulang-dulang, is located in the Kitanglad Mountains . The high plateau of Bukidnon extends northeast and east of the Kitanglad Mountains, where the Tagoloan River and the Pulangi River have their sources in the Tago Mountains . This high plateau borders in the east on a mountain range that has various regional names, but is collectively referred to as Central Mindanao Cordillera. It extends from the Mindanao Sea, in the north, to Cape Sarangani, in the south, over a length of more than 300 kilometers. In its central and northern section, several peaks rise over 2,000 meters, including the active Talomo volcano west of Davao City at 2,674 m and Mount Apo, which is the highest mountain in the Philippines at 2954 meters. South of the Apo the central mountain belt flattens out somewhat and forms the transition to the Cotabato Valley. In the southern part of the mountain range, the ridge reaches an average of 1,100 to 1,800 meters in altitude.
South of the Bukidnon highlands is the Central Mindanao Plain, also known as the Cotabato Valley. It is created by the river system of the Rio Grande de Mindanao along with its tributaries, the Catisan River and the Pulangi River. It extends far into the south of Mindano and has a total length of 190 km and a width that varies between 19 km at the mouth of the river and around 97 km in the center of the Cotabato province. At the confluence of the Rio Grande de Mindanao with the rivers Buluan, Maganao and Alah, the Ligawasan river marshes extend over an area of approx. 2880 km².
In addition, there are many other coastal lowland areas on Mindanao. These mostly present themselves as small isolated sections, as they occur along the northwest coast of Zamboanga. In other areas such as the Davao plain, these flat land sections are up to 16 km wide, with their lengths several times longer.
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In the southwest of the Cotabato Valley, a number of volcanic mountains line the coast of the Celebes Sea, which form the mountain range of the Daguma mountain range . The entire ridge has a maximum extension, from northwest to southeast, of 180 km with a width of about 48 km. The highest mountain is Mount Busa with a summit height of 2,083 meters. The most famous mountain of this ridge, however, is the Parker mountain , whose almost circular crater lake is 2.9 km in diameter and spreads out about 300 meters below the 1,824 m high summit. North of the Parker, the mountain Matutum defines the landscape, it is one of the most important landmarks of the province of South Cotabato . Sarangani Bay forms the southeastern end of the Daguma Mountains and is shaped like a thumb. Southeast of the bay is Cape Sarangani, the southernmost landmark on Mindanao Island. In front of it are the two islands of Balut and Sarangani .
East Mindanao
A large lowland area separates the east of Mindanao from the central part of the island. This lowland area extends from the Butuan Bay to the Davao Gulf and is formed by the Agusan River valley . Also known as the Agusan Valley, the valley is a series of three “hollows” in which there are numerous extensive swamps known as the Agusan Marshes , one of the most important swamp and wetlands in the Philippines. These are bordered between the central mountain ranges and the mountains of the east coast. This plain has a maximum extension of 180 km from south to north and varies in width between 32 and 48 km.
In the extreme east, a series of mountain ranges run parallel to the island's coast and are collectively referred to as the Eastern Mindanao Cordilleras and run from Surigao del Norte in the northeast of the island down to Cape Agustin in the southeast of Davao City . The northern section is called the Diwata Mountains , but the mountain range is not very high and in its southern part it is to be regarded as hilly. Between Bislig City on the east coast and the Agusan River, the 16 km wide saddle reaches a maximum height of less than 250 meters. The highest mountain in the northern Cordilleras of East Mindanao is Hilong Hilong , 17 km northeast of Butuan City . It reaches a height of 1,920 meters.
The southern section of the Cordilleras of East Mindanaos, on the other hand, is wider and even more rugged than the northern part. In the east of Davao , several peaks reach heights of over 2,500 meters, with the Tagub mountain rising 2670 m above sea level. The 1,620 meter high Hamiguitan on the St. Augustin Peninsula forms the southern end of the Cordilleras of East Mindanaos .
The eastern coastal region of Davao del Norte and Surigao del Sur is characterized by a series of narrow plains that are separated from one another by rugged hilly land and that widen towards the coastline. There are numerous coral reefs and small islands off the coast. A few nautical miles off the coast of Mindanao, the sea floor at Galathea Depth reaches a measured depth of 10,540 m, making it one of the deepest known places on earth.
The Sulu Archipelago
The archipelago consists of around 80 larger and hundreds of smaller islands that make up the extreme southwest of the Philippines. It is not, as might be assumed, the remains of a land bridge between Borneo and the Philippines. Rather, it is formed from the edge of a small submarine ridge that was created by a tectonic tilting of the sea floor. So it is in Basilan , Jolo and the other islands of the group to extinct volcanic cone, which are the highest points of this southernmost underwater ridge.
Basilan, the largest island of Sulu, is only 17 km from the southern tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula and separated from the city of Zamboanga City by the Strait of Basilan . It has an area of 1,372 km² and is covered by dense jungle.
Southwest of Basilan is the slightly smaller island of Jolo with 894 km², which is surrounded by numerous islets and dotted with several volcanic cones. Even further south-east and 64 km off the coast of Borneo you reach the archipelago of Tawi-Tawi . The chain of islands is 55 km long and 10 to 23 km wide, of a hilly shape and characterized by some rocky bays. North of Tawi-Tawi is the ecologically important archipelago of the Turtle Islands , one of the world's most important breeding areas for sea turtles .
climate
The Philippines has a tropical marine climate that is dominated by a rainy season and a dry season. In summer, heavy monsoon rains can occur in most areas of the archipelago from May to October , while the winter monsoons from December to February bring cooler and drier air with it. Manila and most of the flat areas present themselves as hot and dusty regions from March to May. But even during this time, temperatures rarely rise above 37 ° C. At sea level, the annual average temperatures also rarely fall below 27 ° C. Due to the high temperatures and the surrounding water, the average humidity reaches relatively high values between 71% in March and 85% in September. Annual rainfall is around 4000 millimeters in the mountainous areas of the east coast, but in some of the protected valleys it reaches less than 1000 mm.
The monsoon rains, although hard and pouring, are mostly hardly accompanied by strong winds and waves. Nevertheless, the Philippines are located within the typhoon belt, which is why the country is exposed to strong storms from July to October each year. These are particularly dangerous for northern and eastern Luzon, as well as for Bicol and the areas of the Eastern Visayas district . But Manila is also affected by these tropical storms at regular intervals.
Natural disasters have ravaged the Philippines many times over the past decade. In 2005 alone, the district of Central Luzon was hit by a drought on the one hand, and on the other hand a typhoon hit the area this year, which flooded practically all the lower streets of Manila. An earthquake in 1990 that devastated large parts of Luzon, particularly the province of Baguio and other areas to the north, caused even more damage . The Philippines are extremely vulnerable to typhoons; every year around 18–21 of them move across the island nation. In addition, volcanic eruptions often occur here. One of the most spectacular was the eruption of Pinatubo in 1991, which destroyed large parts of central Luzon, the lahar of which buried cities and farmland, and the ashes of which also influenced global temperatures.
The unconventional nature of nature has therefore always been taken into account when building buildings. Most rural buildings are made up of nipa huts, which while being easily damaged, are cheap and easy to replace. Most urban buildings are constructed of steel and concrete and are designed to withstand both typhoons and earthquakes. However, the damage caused by such natural disasters is becoming increasingly significant.
Political division
The Philippines are subdivided into a hierarchy of so-called Local Government Units (LGUs) with currently 80 provinces, which represent the primary units. The provinces are further subdivided into cities and independently administered municipalities, which in turn are made up of barangays . The barangays represent the smallest administrative units.
The country is divided into 16 administrative districts. In addition, the National Capital Region itself has an autonomous status and is divided into four independent districts.
Most government offices have regional district offices which serve the constituent provinces. The regions themselves do not have their own local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao . The districts of the Philippines are listed below according to their region numbering, the provinces are listed alphanumerically:
Districts
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Provinces
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Philippines are now 500 islands richer !. Travelbook, October 22, 2019.
- ^ Website of the Government of the Philippines , accessed September 27, 2011
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i philippines-travel-guide , accessed September 27, 2011
- ↑ Trans Asia - Philippines , access on Sept. 23, 2011
- ↑ National Statistics Office: The Philippines in Figures 2011 ( Memento of the original dated November 13, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed October 2, 2011
- ^ Geography.about.com - Philippines , accessed September 23, 2011
- ↑ a b c d e f PinoyMountaineer , accessed September 23, 2011
- ^ Britannica Laguna de Bay , accessed September 24, 2011
- ^ Britannica Lake Lanao , accessed September 24, 2011
- ^ Britannica Lake Taal , accessed September 24, 2011
- ^ Britannica Lake Mainit , accessed September 24, 2011
- ↑ a b Der Neue Knaur, 1975, 1st edition, Volume 7, p. 4675, section: "Philippinengraben", Droemersche Verlagsanstalt Th. Knaur Nachf. Munich / Zurich
- ↑ ExplorePhilippines 870 feet = 265 m ( Memento of the original dated December 3, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 24, 2011
- ↑ The Magatstausee on Hydroelectrik Power.com
- ↑ The Pantabangan Reservoir on the JICA website ( Memento of the original from October 5, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Website of the island province ( Memento of the original from September 11, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ Malapascua - Mount Bulusan , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ Website of the MIMAROPA district ( Memento of the original from June 5, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 30, 2011
- ^ Naujan Lake National Park , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ Official website of the Province of Romblon ( Memento of the original from October 28, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 30, 2011
- ^ Official website of Masbate Province , accessed October 1, 2011
- ^ A b Britannica - Palawan , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ mountain-forecast - Mt-Madias , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ ThePhilippineIsland.com - Negros , access September 27, 2011
- ^ Britannica - Cebu (Iceland) , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ ThePhilippineIsland.com - Bohol , access September 27, 2011
- ^ Britannica - Samar , accessed September 23, 2011
- ↑ a b Philippine-islands-guide - Eastern Visayas ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 23, 2011
- ↑ Official website of the Camiguin Province ( Memento of the original from May 29, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ PinoyMountaineer - Mt. Hibok-Hibok , accessed September 24, 2011
- ↑ Pinoymountaineer - Mount Talomo , accessed September 23, 2011
- ↑ volcano.si.edu , accessed September 25, 2011
- ↑ Peakbagger- Mount Hilong-hilong, Philippines , accessed September 26, 2011
- ↑ Government website of the Philippine Tourism Center ( Memento of the original from July 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 26, 2011
- ^ Britannica - Jolo Island , accessed September 26, 2011
- ^ Britannica - Tawitawi , accessed September 26, 2011
- ↑ a b c Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Science Administration ( Memento of the original from May 25, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. , Accessed September 26, 2011
Coordinates: 11 ° N , 123 ° E