Philippines Geography: Islands, Location & Neighbors

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Introduction to Geography of Philippines

Philippines, or Republic of the Philippines, a country in the Pacific Ocean off the southeast coast of Asia. The country includes several small island groups but consists mainly of the Philippine Islands, one of the largest chains in the Malay Archipelago. Nearest neighbors are Taiwan and China, to the north, and Malaysia and Indonesia, to the south.

Surrounding waters include the Pacific Ocean and Philippine Sea on the east, the Sulu and Celebes seas on the south, and the South China Sea on the west. Separating the islands are numerous straits, bays, gulfs, and seas. Among them are the Sibuyan, Visayan, and Bohol seas.

Physical Geography

The Philippines is an island country in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

There are about 7,100 islands, many of them unnamed and uninhabited small islands and islets. Luzon, in the north, and Mindanao, in the south, are by far the largest. Together, they form about two-thirds of the Philippines' total area. Other major islands include Mindoro, Palawan, and those forming the heart of the Visayan Islands—Masbate, Samar, Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte. The distance from the northern end of Luzon to the southern tip of Mindanao is about 1,000 miles (1,600 km).

Land

The islands consist mainly of mountains thrust up from the floor of the Pacific. They were formed by folding, faulting, and much volcanic activity. In the east the ranges trend in either a north-south or a northwest-southeast direction. In some of the more westerly islands, including Cebu, Negros, Palawan, and the Sulu Archipelago, the trend is predominantly northeast-southwest.

Most of the ranges rise 2,000 to 6,000 feet; (600 to 1,800 m) above sea level. They culminate in 9,606-foot (2,928-m) Mount Pulog, on Luzon, and 9,692-foot (2,954-m) Mount Apo, on Mindanao. Apo is an active volcano and the country's highest peak. Mayon Volcano, on Luzon, is one of the world's most perfectly shaped volcanic cones; it reaches a height of 7,943 feet (2,421 m). Earthquakes of varying intensity frequently strike the islands.

Luzon has sizable interior plains, chief of which are the Cagayan River valley and the central plain. The heavily populated central plain runs from Manila Bay northward to Lingayen Gulf. There are also large interior plains on Mindanao and small ones on Panay, Leyte, and Negros. Elsewhere, level land consists mainly of narrow coastal lowlands.

Water

Most rivers in the Philippines are relatively short and swift. Among the major rivers on Luzon are the Pasig, which flows through Manila, and the Cagayan, Agno, and Pampanga rivers. Chief rivers on Mindanao are the Agusan and Mindanao-Pulangi rivers. Except for Laguna de Bay, Taal, and Lanao, there are no large lakes.

Climate

The Philippines lie roughly between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator and have a tropical to subtropical climate. Except in the mountains, where the weather is cool, average temperatures range from about 75° to 85° F. (24° to 29° C.) throughout the year, the warmest areas being in the south.

Rainfall totals 40 to 140 inches (1,020 to 3,560 mm) a year, with the different regions of the country varying in the seasonal incidence of rainfall. Southern Mindanao and adjacent parts of the country are rainy throughout the year. Farther north, exposed western sides of islands receive heavy rains from June through October from the southwest monsoon. The rest of the year is relatively dry. The eastern islands receive their heaviest rains from November through March.

The Philippines lie in a path taken by many typhoons, which often bring widespread destruction with their violent winds, high waves, and torrential rains.

Vegetation and Wildlife

Because of abundant rainfall and warm temperatures, tropical vegetation predominates in most parts of the islands. Forests cover about 35 per cent of the land area. Tropical hardwoods are the chief trees, except in some mountain areas, where there are large stands of pine. Mangrove swamps and palm trees are found along the coasts. Flowering plants and ferns are abundant.

Large animals include wild buffalo, deer, wild hogs, and monkeys. A number of rodent and reptile species and a great variety of birds are native to the Philippines.

Economy

The economy of the Philippines has long been based on agriculture, which employs roughly 45 per cent of the labor force and accounts for about 20 per cent of the gross domestic product. Industrial development is encouraged by the government through various incentive programs. Many foreign companies, notably American and Japanese firms, have operations in the Philippines. Overall, economic development has been slow and poverty is widespread. Rapid population growth and a high rate of unemployment are serious problems. Money sent home by Filipinos working abroad is important to the nation's economy.

Agriculture

About a fourth of the land area of the Philippines is suitable for farming. About 17 per cent of the cropland is under irrigation. The central plain and Cagayan River valley of Luzon are the major farming areas, but crops are grown throughout most of the country.

Most farms are small, averaging less than seven acres (3 hectares). Many farmers are tenants, although land reform programs have increased the number of owner-operated farms. The use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and mechanized equipment is increasing; most farmers rely on age-old methods and equipment.

The chief food crop is rice, which usually occupies about a quarter of the agricultural land. The Philippines has been a leader in the development of high-yielding strains of rice, which have helped to increase the nation's rice output In most years enough rice is produced to provide for domestic needs. Corn is the second most widely cultivated food crop. Chief commercial crops are coconuts, of which the Philippines is one of the world's largest producers; bananas; sugarcane; and pineapples. Also significant is the production of coffee, cotton, tobacco, and a variety of fruits and vegetables. Livestock and poultry account for a relatively small share of farm income. Hogs and chickens are the chief animals raised.

Manufacturing

About 10 per cent of the nation's workers are employed in manufacturing, and manufacturing accounts for about a quarter of the gross domestic product. The processing of foods and the making of textiles, apparel, and wood products and paper are the chief manufacturing activities. Also important is the assembly of electric and electronic devices, mainly from foreign-made components. The processing of metallic minerals, the refining of petroleum, and the making of cement, fertilizer, and industrial chemicals are the chief heavy industries. Manufacturing is centered in and around Manila and in southern Luzon.

Mining

The Philippines has an abundance of mineral resources and produces cobalt, chromite, copper, gold, and nickel. Copper and gold usually account for the largest share of the value of mineral production. Iron ore, silver, manganese, lead, and zinc are also produced. Petroleum, from offshore wells, and coal are produced in moderate amounts; most mineral fuel is imported. Much of the nation's mineral wealth remains unexploited, largely because of inadequate transportation and lack of funds for exploration and development.

Forestry and Fishing

Hardwoods, chiefly mahogany, are the principal trees harvested commercially. Overharvesting and the clearing of forests for growing crops have caused widespread deforestation. Despite a government ban, there is considerable exportation of hardwoods. Bamboo and the Kapok tree which produces a fiber called kapok, used to make insulation, mattresses, and upholstery, also grow in Philippines. The chief commercial forests are found in eastern Luzon and on Mindanao, Samar, Negros, and Palawan.

Fish are plentiful in coastal waters, especially around the Visayan Islands. Fish are a primary source of protein for most Filipinos. Fish caught include Indian mackerel, milkfish, skipjack, tilapia, and yellowfin tuna. Shrimps and prawns make up an important part of the total catch.

Transportation

Luzon has the nation's most extensive system of roads and highways, which link most of the large cities. The nation's chief route is the Pan-Philippine Highway, which runs through Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao; inter-island crossings are made by ferries. Bright looking shared taxis called jeepneys are a popular mode of transportation. Most of the railway trackage is on Luzon. A light-rail rapid-transit system operates in the Manila region.

The largest airport is at Manila. Philippine Airlines serves both internally and abroad. Numerous international airlines serve the nation, mainly through Manila. The city is also the chief port for international shipping. Other major ports are Cebu City and Davao. Most of the larger islands have one or more ports. Coastal shipping is important.

Trade

Major trading partners include Japan, the United States, Taiwan, Germany, and Saudi Arabia.

The People

The earliest inhabitants of the Philippines were the Negritos, whose descendants live mainly in remote mountain areas. They were followed by Indonesians and, later, Malays, and today persons of Malayo-Indonesian ancestry make up 95 per cent of the population. There are small numbers of Chinese, whose ancestors came as merchants. Neither the Spanish, who began arriving in the 1550's, nor the Americans, who came after 1900, were numerous enough to form permanent minority groups, but both had a strong influence—the Spanish on the country's art and architecture, religion, and customs, the Americans on its political institutions.

Language

The national language is Pilipino, a formal version of Tagalog, an indigenous language. English is widely used in commerce and education. More than half of the people are able to speak the national language, and 45 per cent can speak English. Only “a few people are able to speak Spanish. Of the numerous indigenous languages—based mainly on Malayo-Polynesian languages—there are 11 major ones. Of these, the most widely spoken are Cebuano, Tagalog, Ilocano, and Hiligaynon.

Religion

About 84 per cent of the people are Roman Catholics. About 6 per cent belong to the Filipino Independent Church (commonly called the Aglipayan Church),: founded in 1902 by Gregorio Aglipay in protest against Spanish domination of the Catholic clergy. Moros (Muslims) make up about 5 per cent of the population; Protestants, about 4 per cent. Smaller groups include Buddhists and animists.

Education

Elementary school begins at age seven and lasts six years. Secondary school lasts five years. More than 90 per cent of the elementary schools are maintained by the government, but about 60 per cent of the secondary schools are private. In elementary school, Pilipino and English are the languages of instruction. English is the principal language of instruction in the high schools and the universities. The literacy rate is 93 per cent.

Institutions of higher learning include the University of Santo Tomás (founded 1611) in Manila, Ateneo de Manila University (1859), University of the Philippines (1908) in Quezon City, and University of Manila (1913). There are also a number of teacher-training, technical, and commercial schools.

The Arts

The Philippines developed a literary tradition in the 19th century. Writers of this era included the poets Fernando M. Guerrero and José Palma and the novelist José Rizal. Most 19th-century poets and novelists wrote in Spanish. Since the beginning of the 20th century most Philippine literature has been in English; the works of Nick Joaquin (novels, plays, poems) and José Garcia Villa (poems) have been the most notable. Literature in Pilipino, by such writers as Andrés Cristóbal Cruz and A. G. Abadilla, also has become popular.

Painting flourished after Damian Domingo founded the first art school in the Philippines, in Manila, in 1815. Well-known 19th-century painters included Juan Luna and Felix R. Hidalgo. The most notable painters of the 20th century were the Impressionist Fernando Amorsolo, the still-life painter Victorio C. Edades, and the muralist Enrique Ruiz. Thriving folk arts include embroidery and wood sculpture.

The predominant music of the Philippines is Western music, both popular and classical. It is often influenced by indigenous folk elements, such as kundiman (traditional sentimental music). Among tribal groups, traditional Asian music played on flutes and lutes is still performed. Among the Moros xylophone ensembles are popular. The Philippines has a rich folk dance tradition; notable dances include the tinikling, in which dancers step through clashing bamboo poles, and the pandanggo sa ilaw, in which dancers balance glasses of burning oil on their heads and hands.

Sports and Recreation

Basketball is the most popular sport in the cities, and there is a professional league. Cockfighting is the most popular sport in rural areas. Filipinos also enjoy baseball, soccer, jai alai, and sipa (a kicking game involving a beanbag-like object). Throughout the Philippines, communities hold fiestas—featuring parades, dancing, and eating—on their patron saints' feast days.

Government

Under the constitution of 1987, the country is a republic with a presidential form of government. The president and vice president are elected for six-year terms. The president is assisted by a cabinet of ministers. The legislature, called the Congress, has two chambers, the Senate with 24 members and the House of Representatives with 250. Senators are elected at large and serve six-year terms. Representatives are elected from districts and serve three-year terms.

The judicial system is headed by a supreme court composed of a chief justice and 14 associate justices.

The country is administratively divided into provinces and autonomous regions.