Geography of the Philippines

Prepared by: Jerlie Mae C. Lofranco

Philippine Map

Continent AsiaRegion Southeast AsiaCoordinates 13°00'N 122°00'EArea Ranked 64th • Total 300,000 km2 (120,000 sq mi)

 • Land 99.38% • Water 0.62%

Demographic Profile

Coastline 36,289 km (22,549 mi)

Borders None

Highest point Mount Apo 2,954 m (9,691 ft)

Lowest pointGalathea Depth10,540 m/34,580 ft (sea level)

Longest river Cagayan RiverLargest lake Laguna de Bay

population 92,337,852(2010)

12th populous (2012) country in the world81 provinces

17th largest island of the world

Luzon

19th largest Island of the world

Mindanao

The Philippines is an archipelago that consist 7,107 islands with a total land area of 300,000

square kilometers (115,831 sq mi).

The 11 largest islands contain 94% of the total land area. The largest of these islands is Luzon at about 105,000 square kilometers (40,541 sq mi).

The next largest island is Mindanao at about 95,000 square kilometers (36,680 sq mi). The archipelago is

around 800 kilometers (500 mi) from the Asian mainland and is located between Taiwan and Borneo.

The islands are divided into three groups: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The Luzon islands include Luzon Island itself, Palawan, Mindoro, Marinduque, Masbate and Batanes Islands.

The Visayas is the group of islands in the central Philippines, the largest of which are: Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar.

The Mindanao islands include Mindanao itself, plus the Sulu Archipelago, composed primarily of Basilan, Sulu Island, and Tawi-Tawi.

Physical SettingsThe Philippines

occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers (1,150 mi) from about the fifth to

the twentieth parallels north

latitude.

Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the Philippine Trench, which descends to a depth of 10,430 meters (34,220 ft).

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 in Mindanao. All of the Philippine islands are prone to

earthquakes.

The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of

birds, including the Philippine eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800

species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering plants.

Laguna de Bay, east of Manila Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines. Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power.

Political Geography

The Philippines is divided into a hierarchy of local government units (LGUs) with the 80 provinces as the primary unit.

Provinces are further subdivided into cities and municipalities, which are in turn composed of barangays.

The barangay is the smallest local government unit.

The Philippines is divided into 17 regions with all provinces grouped into one of 16 regions for administrative convenience. The National Capital Region however, is divided into four special districts.

The regions themselves do not possess a separate local government, with the exception of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

Short Name Full name Regional center

NCR NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION MANILA CITY

CAR CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION BAGUIO CITY

REGION I ILOCOS REGION SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION

REGION II CAGAYAN VALLEY TUGUEGARAO CITY

REGION III CENTRAL LUZON SAN FERNANDO CITY,PAMPANGA

REGION IV-A CALABARZON CALAMBA, LAGUNA

REGION IV-B MIMAROPA CALAPA

REGION V BICOL REGION LEGAZPI CITY

REGION VI WESTERN VISAYAS ILOILO CITY

REGION VII CENTRAL VISAYAS CEBU CITY

REGION VIII EASTERN VISAYAS TACLOBAN CITY

REGION IX ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA PAGADIAN CITY

REGION X NORTHERN MINDANAO CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

REGION XI DAVAO REGION DAVAO CITY

REGION XII SOCCSKSARGEN KORONADAL CITY

REGION XIII CARAGA REGION BUTUAN CITY

ARMM AUTONOMOUS REGION IN MUSLIM MIDANAO COTABATO CITY

Ilocos Region (Region I)

Bangui Windmills

Bojedor Lighthouse

Marcos Residence

Marcos Museum

Basilica Minore of Our Lady of Charity

Cagayan Valley (Region II)

Callao Cave

Mt. Pulag – Countries’ second highest peak

Calimudinan Falls Sta. Margarita, Baggao,

Cagayan

Central Luzon (Region III)

Dambana ng Kagitingan

Angat damMt.Pinatubo

Pantabangan Dam Barasoain church

CALABARZON (Region IV-A)

This artificial reef, located approximately 60 ft. deep in Calatagan, Batangas

MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)

Palawan

Bicol Region (Region V)Mayon volcano

Western Visayas (Region VI)

Antique

Igang Cave - Capiz

Guimaras

Iloilo Museum

Central Visayas (Region VII)

Mactan Island Lapu-lapu

Magellans cross

Virgin Beach Resort

Siquijor

Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)

Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)

Northern Mindanao (Region X)

Davao Region (Region XI)

Soccsksargen (Region XII)

Caraga (Region XIII)

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)

National Capital Region (NCR; Metro Manila)

List of Provinc

es

Abra Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Aklan Albay Antique Apayao Aurora Basilan Bataan Batanes Batangas Benguet Biliran

Bohol Bukidnon Bulacan Cagayan Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Camiguin Capiz Catanduanes Cavite Cebu Compostela Valley Cotabato Davao del Norte

Davao del Sur Davao Occidental Davao Oriental Dinagat Islands Eastern Samar Guimaras Ifugao Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Iloilo Isabela Kalinga La Union Laguna

Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur Leyte Maguindanao Marinduque Masbate Misamis

Occidental Misamis Oriental Mountain Province Negros Occidental Negros Oriental Northern Samar Nueva Ecija

Nueva Vizcaya Occidental

Mindoro Oriental Mindoro Palawan Pampanga Pangasinan Quezon Quirino Rizal Romblon Samar Sarangani Siquijor Sorsogon

South Cotabato Southern Leyte Sultan Kudarat Sulu Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Tarlac Tawi-Tawi Zambales Zamboanga del

Norte Zamboanga del Sur Zamboanga

Sibugay

List of landlocked provinces in the Philippines

A landlocked province is one that has no coastline, meaning no

access to sea or ocean. There are 16 landlocked provinces in the

Philippines:

All provinces of Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain

Province, Ifugao and Benguet

Two provinces of Cagayan Valley (Region II): Nueva Vizcaya and Quirino

Two provinces of Central Luzon (Region III): Nueva

Ecija and Tarlac

Three provinces of Mindanao:Bukidnon of Northern Mindanao (Region X)

South Cotabato of SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)Agusan del Sur of Caraga (Region XIII)

List of island provinces in the Philippines

An island province completely surrounded by water, is the opposite

of a landlocked one. There are 16 island provinces in the Philippines:

One province of Cagayan Valley (Region II): Batanes

Three provinces of MIMAROPA (Region IV-B): Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan

Two provinces of Bicol (RegionV): Catanduanes and Masbate

One province of Western Visayas (Region VI): Guimaras

Three provinces of Central Visayas (Region VII): Cebu, Bohol and Siquijor

One province of Eastern Visayas (Region VIII): Biliran

One province of Northern Mindanao (Region X): Camiguin

One province of Caraga (Region XIII): Dinagat Islands

Three provinces of Autonomous Region in Muslim

Mindanao (ARMM): Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi

Geographic centerThe island province

of Marinduque prides itself as being the geographic center of the Philippines.

The extreme points under Philippine control as of 2010 are:

Direction Location

Coordinates

Latitude (N) Longitude (E)

North Amianan Island, Batanes 21º7’18.41" 121º56’48.79"

East Pusan Point, Davao Oriental[a] 7º17’19.80" 126º36’18.26"

South Frances Reef, Tawi-Tawi 4º24’53.84" 119º14’50.71"

West Thitu Island[b], Kalayaan, Palawan 11°3’10.19" 114°16’54.66"

Climate

The Philippines has a tropical wet climate dominated by a rainy season

and a dry season. The summer monsoon brings heavy rains to most

of the archipelago from May to October, whereas the winter

monsoon brings cooler and drier air from December to February.

The Philippines is prone to about 6-9 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.

Terrain The islands are

volcanic in origin, being part of

the Pacific Ring of Fire, and are

mostly mountainous.

The Philippine Archipelago is

geologically part of the Philippine Mobile Belt located between

the Philippine Sea Plate, the South China

Sea Basin of the Eurasian Plate, and the Sunda Plate.

The highest point in the country is the peak ofMount Apo in Mindanao, which is 2,954 meters (9,692 ft) above sea level.

The second highest point can be found on Luzon at Mount Pulog, a peak 2,842 meters (9,324 ft) above sea level.

The Philippine Trench (also called the Mindanao Trench) is a submarine trench 1,320 kilometers (820 mi) in length found directly east of the Philippine Mobile Belt and is the result of a collision of tectonic plates.

Its deepest point, the Galathea Depth, has a depth of 10,540 meters (34,580 ft). The Philippine Fault System consists of a series of seismic faults that produce several earthquakes per year, most of which are not felt.

Mount Mayon has the world's most perfectly-shaped cone. It has a violent history of 47 eruptions since 1616 and another violent eruption is currently feared.

Taal Volcano, also located on Luzon, is one of the Decade Volcanoes.

The longest river is the Cagayan River or Rio Grande de Cagayan in northern Luzon measuring 354 kilometers.

In Mindanao, the longest river is the Rio Grande de Mindanao or Mindanao River

Most of the islands used to be covered by tropical rainforests.

LuzonThe Batanes and Babuyan Islands

are found on the Luzon Strait north of the Philippines 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.80.4672 kilometers (50.0000 mi) wide).

Western Luzon This region stretches from Mairaira Point

in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte in the north to Cochinos Point in Mariveles, Bataan 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 is a region of the Philippines, also designated as Region II or Region 02.

It is composed of five provinces, namely: Batanes with Basco as the capital, Cagayan, Tuguegarao City as the capital, Isabela considered to be the

heart of the region with Ilagan City as the capital, Nueva Vizcaya with Bayombong as the capital, and

Quirino with Cabarroguis as the capital. It has four cities; Cauayan and Ilagan City in

Isabela, its regional center - Tuguegarao City in Cagayan, and its commercial center - Santiago City

in Isabela.

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 2, sometimes 3,

mountain ranges that are found in northwestern central Luzon.

Sierra Madre rangeThe Sierra Madre range is the longest mountain

range in the Philippines and lies in the Northeastern part of Luzon Island.

Central Luzon plains

The largest plain in the country and produces most of the country's rice

supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Bowl of the Philippines". Its provinces are: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva

Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales.

Manila-Calabarzon plains This region is where the capital of the

Philippines is located. In the Northern part of the region, that is,

Manila and Rizal, most of the plain has been converted into cities, and are thus industrialized.

The plain harbors the largest inland freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, the Laguna de Bay

Mindoro coastal plains

Mindoro's coastal plains are characterized by rice and corn fields, rivers, beaches, and

extensive open space areas. The endangered tamaraw, or Mindoro dwarf buffalo, is located on Mindoro.

PALAWANKalayaan islands (Spratly Islands)

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

MINDANAOIt is the second largest island in the country

at 94,630 sq. mi.Zamboanga Peninsula has a very

mountainous terrain. The chain of mountain ranges in this region is

called Zamboanga Cordilleras. The highest mountain in these ranges is Mt. Dapi, which

is 2,617 meters (8,586 ft) high.

Bukidnon-Lanao plateausThe plateaus are located in the north-central

portion of Mindanao. They are extensive flatlands around the height of 1,300 meters

(4,300 ft) above sea level.

STATISTICS

AreaTotal: 300,000 square kilometres (115,831 sq mi)

Land: 298,170 square kilometres (115,124 sq mi)Water: 1,830 square kilometres (707 sq mi)

The information is taken from CIA Factbook information for the Philippines.

Coastline36,289 kilometres (22,549 mi)

Maritime claims(measured from claimed archipelagic baselines)

Continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

Exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 km)

Natural resourcesTimber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt,

silver, gold, salt, copper, silverLand use

Arable land: 19%Permanent crops: 16.67%

Other: 64.33% (2005)

Irrigated land15,500 square kilometers (5,985 sq mi)

(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 issuesUncontrolled 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 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

Largest cities and towns

Major IndustriesCAR (Cordillera Administrative Region)

• CROPS – Banana, Coffee, Corn, Palay, Potato, Sweet Potato

• MINERALS – Gold, Silver, Copper

• MINING TEXTILES & FURNITURE

• HANDICRAFTS & FURNITURES

REGION 1 (Ilocos Region)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Banana, Mango, Tomato, Tobacco, Coconut

• FOOD PROCESSING• MASS TRANSPORATATION

OPERATION• AQUA CULTURE• MINING

Major IndustriesREGION 2 (Cagayan Valley)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Sugarcane, Tomato, Peanut, Coffee, Coconut, Sweet Potato

• MINING• MILLING• MACHIENERIES• FOOD PROCESSING

REGION 3 (Central Luzon)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Banana, Mango, Tomato, Tobacco, Coconut

• FOOD PROCESSING• MASS TRANSPORATATION

OPERATION• AQUA CULTURE• MINING

Major IndustriesREGION 4.A (CALABARZON)• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Banana,

Mango, Coffee, Coconut, Sweet Potato, Pineapple

• FOOD PROCESSING• MACHINERIES• TEXTILES & GARMENTS• HANDICRAFTS & FURNITURES• AQUA CULTURE• TOURISM• MINERALS – Gold, Silver,

Copper, Nickel

REGION 4.B (MIMAROPA)• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Mango,

Banana, Coffee, Coconut, Sweet Potato, Pineapple

• FOOD PROCESSING• MINING & QUARRYING• NATURAL GAS• HANDICRAFTS & FURNITURES• AQUA CULTURE• TOURISM• MINERALS - Gold, Silver,

copper, Nickel

Major IndustriesNCR ( National Capital Region)• CROPS – Palay, Mango,

Coffee, Coconut, Corn, Banana

• FOOD PROCESSING• MASS TRANSPORTATION

OPERATION• TOURISM• MACHINERIES• TEXTILES & GARMENTS• HANDICRAFTS & FURNITURES

Region 5 ( Bicol Region)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Banana, Jackfruit, Coconut, Pineapple

• FOOD PROCESSING• MINING• AQUA CULTURE• MINERALS - Gold, Silver,

Chromite

Major IndustriesREGION 6 (Western Visayas)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Coconut, Banana, Sugarcane

• FOOD PROCESSING• TOURISM• MILLING• AQUA CULTURE

REGION 7 ( Central Visayas)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Banana, Coconut, Sugarcane, Sweet Potato

• FOOD PROCESSING• TOURISM• MILLING• AQUA CULTURE• MINERALS – Gold, Silver,

Copper, Manganese

Major IndustriesREGION 8 ( Eastern Visayas)• CROPS – Palay, corn,

Coconut, Jackfruit, Sweet Potato

• AQUA CULTURE• ENERGY RELATED• MINING• MINERALS - Chromite

REGION 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula)

• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Coconut, Coffee, Banana

• FOOD PROCESSING• MINING• MILLING• MASS TRANSFORMATION

OPERATION• MINERALS - Chromite

Major IndustriesREGION 10 ( Northern Mindanao)

• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Banana, Sugarcane, Coconut, Pineapple

• FOOD PROCESSING• TOURISM• MILLING• AQUA CULTURE• MINERALS – Chromite,

Manganese

REGION 11 ( Davao Region)• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Banana,

Sugarcane, Coconut, Pineapple, Durian

• AQUA CULTURE• FOOD PROCESSING• MINING• LIVESTOCK/POULTRY• TOURISM• FOREST PRODUCTS• MINERALS – Gold, Copper, Silver,

Chromite

Major IndustriesREGION 12 ( SOCCSKSARGEN)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Banana, Coconut, Durian• ENERGY RELATED• FOREST PRODUCTS• MILLING

REGION 13 (CARAGA)• CROPS – Palay, Corn,

Coconut, Sweet Potato, Banana

• AQUA CULTURE• FOREST PRODUCTS• MINING• HANDICRAFTS &

FURNITURES• MINERALS – Gold, Silver,

Copper, Nickel, Chromite

Major IndustriesARMM (Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao)

• CROPS – Palay, Corn, Banana, Coconut, Durian, Pineapple

• FOOD PROCESSING• MASS TRANSPORTATION

OPERATION

REGION 1 – ILOCOS REGION

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationIlocos Norte 3,467.9 568,017Ilocos Sur 2,596.0 658,587La Union 1,497.7 741,906Pangasinan 5,451.0 2,779,862Total 13,012.6 4,748,372

REGION 2 – CAGAYAN VALLEY

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBatanes 219.0 16,604Cagayan 9,295.8 1,124,773Isabela 12,414.9 1,489,645Nueva Vizcaya 3,975.7 421,355Quirino 2,323.5 176,786Total 28,228.9 3,229,163

REGION 3 – CENTRAL LUZON

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationAurora 3,147.3 201,233Bataan 1,373.0 687,482Bulacan 2,796.1 2,924,433Nueva Ecija 5,751.3 1,955,373Pampanga 2,062.5 2,014,019

Angeles City 326, 336Tarlac 3,053.6 1,273,240Zambales 3,830.8 534,443

Olongapo City 221,178Total 22,014.6 10,137,737

REGION 4.A – CALABARZON

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBatangas 3,119.8 2,377,395Cavite 1,574.2 3,090,691Laguna 1,917.9 2,669,847Quezon 9,069.6 1,740,638

Lucena City 246,392Rizal 1,191.9 2,484,840Total 16,873.4 12,609,803

REGION 4.B – MIMAROPA

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationMarinduque 952.6 227,828Occidental Mindoro 5,865.7 452,971Oriental Mindoro 4,238.4 785,602Palawan 17,030.8 771,667

Puerto Princesa City 222,673Romblon 1,533.5 283,930Total 29,621 2,744,671

REGION 5 – BICOL REGION

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationAlbay 2,575.8 1,233,432Camarines Norte 2,320.1 542,915Camarines Sur 5,497.0 1,822,371Catanduanes 1,492.2 246,300Masbate 4,151.8 834,650Sorsogon 2,119.0 740,743Total 18,155.9 5,420,411

REGION 6 – WESTERN VISAYAS

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationAklan 1,821.4 535,725Antique 2,729.2 546,031Capiz 2,594.6 719,685Guimaras 604.6 162,943Iloilo 5,079.2 1,805,576Iloilo City 424,619Negros Occidental 7,965.2 2,396,039Bacolod City 511,82oTotal 20,794.2 7,102,438

REGION 7 – CENTRAL VISAYAS

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBohol 4,821.0 1,255,128Cebu 5,342.0 2,619,362Cebu City 866,171Lapu-Lapu City 350,467Mandaue City 331,320Negros OrientaL 5,385.5 1,286,666Siquijor 337.5 91,066Total 15,886.0 6,800,180

NCR- National Capital Region

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationCaloocan City 55.8 1,489,040Las Piñas City 32.7 552,573Makati City 21.6 529,039Malabon City 15.7 353,337Mandaluyong City 9.3 328,699

Manila 25.0 1,652,171Marikina City 21.5 424,150Muntinlupa City 39.8 459,941Navotas City 8.9 249,131

NCR- National Capital Region

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationParañaque City 46.6 588,126Pasay City 14.0 392,869Pasig City 48.5 669,773Pateros 10.4 64,147

Quezon City 171.7 2,761,720San Juan City 6.0 121,430Taguig City 45.2 644,473Valenzuela City 47.0 575,356

Total 619.7 11,855,975

Region 8 – Eastern Visayas

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBiliran 536.0 161,760Eastern Samar 4,660.5 428,877

Leyte 6,515.1 1,567,984Northern Samar 3,692.9 589,013Samar 6,048.0 733,377Southern Leyte 1,798.6 399,137

Total 23,251.1 3,880,148

Region 9 – Zamboanga Peninsula

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationZamboanga Del Norte 7,301.0 957,997Zamboanga Del Sur 5,194.2 959,685

Zamboanga City 807,129Zamboanga Sibugay 3,607.8 584,685

City of Isabela 223.7 97,857Total 17,046.6 3,407,353

Region 10 – Northern Mindanao

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBukidnon 10,496.6 1,299,192

Camiguin 238.0 83,807Lanao del Norte 4,159.9 607,917

Iligan City 322,821Misamis Occidental 2,055.2 567,642Misamis Oriental 3,544.3 813,856

Cagayan De Oro City 602,088Total 20,494 4,297,323

Region 11 – Davao Region

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationCompostela Valley 4,479.8 687,195Davao del Norte 3,427.0 945,764Davao del Sur 6,771.0 868,690

Davao City 1,449,296Davao Oriental 5,679.6 517,618

Total 20,357.4 4,468,563

Region 12 – SOCCSKSARGEN

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationNorth Cotabato 9,008.9 1,226,508Sarangani 3,601.3 498,904South Cotabato 4,428.8 827,200

General Santos City 538,086Sultan Kudarat 5,298.3 747,087Cotabato City 176.0 2 71,786

Total 22,513.3 4,109,571

Region 13 – Caraga

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationAgusan Del Norte 3,546.9 332,487

Butuan City 309,709Agusan Del Sur 9,989.5 656,418Dinagat Island 1,036.3 126,803Surigao Del Norte 1,972.9 442,588Surigao Del Sur 4,932.7 561,219

Total 21,478.3 2,429,224

ARMM – Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

Land Area Sq. KM PopulationBasilan 2,295.0 293,322Lanao Del Sur 13,494.4 933,260Maguindanao 9,729.0 944,718Sulu 3,436.99 718,290Tawi-Tawi 3,626.6 366.550

Total 12,694.3 3,256,140

The Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park is one of the most significant protected areas of he Philippines. It is located

in the mid-west Coast of Palawan, some 76 kms northwest of Puerto Princesa City. The site features a spectacular limestone or karst mountain landscape with one of the most impressive cave

systems in the world. It contains an 8.2 kilometer-long underground river that flows directly to the sea.

Puerto Princesa Underground River, Palawan

Mount Pulag, Benguet

As the second highest mountain peak in the Philippines, Mt Pulag attracts a lot of mountain climers. Highlights of the climb include the forest and the grassland summit with its ‘’ Sea of Clouds” phenomenon. Described as a rejuvenating experience, the mountain has one o the best sunset and sunrise views in the country where you can see the entire Cordillera around you.

Kapurpurawan Rock Formation, Burgos, Ilocos Norte

The Kapurpurawan Rock Formation was created through weathering and erosion on the rocky coast of Burgos, Ilocos Norte. It offers a breathtaking view of different rock shapes that can completely amaze tourists who visit

the place.

Mt. Pinatubo, Zambales

Mt. Pinatubo is an active volcano located on the island of Luzon at the intersection of the borders of the provinces of Zambales, Tarlac, and

Pampanga. The volcano’s eruption in June 1991,which was one of the largest and most violent eruptions of the 20th century,came after 500

years of dormancy.

Callao Caves, Peñablanca, Cagayan

Callao Cave is a seven chambered cave with a Cathedral-like chamber which was turned into a chapel by the Local Government. Outstanding stalactites and stalagmites are

formed in the deeper chambers of the cave.

Banaue Rice Teracces, Ifugao

The world famous rice terraces is an engineering marvel built more than 2,000 years ago by Ifugao

tribes people. It is listed in the UNESCO World Herotage Sites and dubbed as the “Eight Wonder of

the World”

Boracay Island, Malay, aklan

Shaped like a dumbbell, Boracay Island is located on the northwestern tip of Panay Island. The island is about7kms

long and consist of three communities locally called barangays: Yapak in the north, balabag in the Center and

Manoc-Manoc in the South.

Apo island, Negros Oriental Apo island is one of the smallest volcanic islands

in the Philippines. It is one of the world’s best

known marine sanctuaries. Beneath the

clear sparkling blue waters of the island lies a breathtaking collection of

over 600 documented fish species and 400 varieties of corals.

Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

Lake Sebu is a natural lake located in the municipality of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato within

the Allah Valley Region. The government has recognized it as one of the country’s most important

watersheds.