GEOGRAPHY OF THE PHILIPPINES: LAND AND SEA FEATURES, DATA, HIGHLIGHTS

GEOGRAPHY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Philippines' regions and provinces

The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands that extends for 1,125 kilometers (700 miles) from east to west and stretches for 1,770 (1,100) miles from the south of Taiwan to eastern Borneo and northern Indonesia. For decades it was reported that the Philippine archipelago contains 7,107 islands. in 2016, the national mapping authority reported that hundreds of new islands had been discovered and increased the number of islands to 7,641, though not all of the new islands have been verified, [Source: CIA World Factbook]

Situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Philippine Sea to east, the South China Sea to the west and the Celebes Sea to the south, the Philippines comprises an area of 300,000 square kilometers (115,831 square miles), which is roughly the size of Arizona, West Virginia, or Italy but slightly smaller than the British Isles. The closest neighbors of the Philippines are Borneo (Malaysia and Indonesia) six kilometers 10 miles to the south, Taiwan 104 kilometers (65 miles) to the north, Vietnam 1,000 kilometers (630) miles to the west, and the Micronesian island of Palau 810 kilometers (500 miles) to the east. The Philippines's location between China, Southeast Asia, Indonesia and the Pacific cultural has made it major crossroads for people around southern Asia and the South China Sea as well as people moving between Asia and America.

The Philippines archipelago is divided into four regions. 1) Luzon, the largest and most populated island, in the north (Manila lies in southern Luzon, the entire island is about the size of Kentucky); 2) the Visayas, a group of about 6,000 islands that includes Cebu, Leyte, Negros and Samar, in the central Philippines; 3) Mindanao, a large, troubled, mostly Muslim island, in the south, and 400 small islands near it (Mindanao is the second largest island, it is about the size of Indiana); and 4) Palawan, a densely-forested, finger-shaped island that stretches from Luzon to Malayan Borneo, to the west.

The Philippines is roughly equidistant from the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator. It is one of the largest archipelago nations in the world. Water covers much of the Philippines’s total area. Less than 1,000 of the islands are inhabited and more emerge at low tide. Most of the land and people are concentrated on a few islands, namely Luzon, Mindanao and Cebu. After Luzon and Mindanao the largest islands landwise are Samar, Negros, Palawan, Panay, Mindoro, Leyte, Cebu, Bohol and Masbate. The 11 largest islands make up 95 percent of the total area of the Philippines. Fewer than 500 islands are more than 2.6 square kilometers (one square mile) in size. There are many natural harbors, coves and bays. The only real area of plains is on Luzon.

About 42 to 47 percent of the Philippines' total land area is currently classified or utilized as agricultural land. However, when specifically looking at highly productive arable land (land capable of being plowed and used to grow crops), it is a much smaller portion—about 16 percent (or roughly 4.9 million hectares) of land. The archipelago's numerous active volcanoes have created very fertile soil as well as catastrophes. About 40 percent of the land is covered by forest (down from nearly 80 percent 50 years ago). The Philippines is one of the most heavily deforested countries in the world. Logging companies clear cut much of the original forest that once covered much of the archipelago. The remainder of he country is covered by swamps, marshes and mountains. Of the northeast coast of Mindanao is the Philippine Trench, one of the deepest places in the ocean (34,000 feet).

Cities and Provinces of the Philippines

Philippines provinces by percent of forest cover.png

Administrative divisions: 81 provinces and 38 chartered cities; provinces: Abra, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Aklan, Albay, Antique, Apayao, Aurora, Basilan, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Biliran, Benguet, Bohol, Bukidnon, Bulacan, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Camiguin, Capiz, Catanduanes, Cavite, Cebu, Cotabato, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Iloilo, Isabela, Kalinga, Laguna, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, La Union, Leyte, Maguindanao, Marinduque, Masbate, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Mountain, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, 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; chartered cities: Angeles, Bacolod, Baguio, Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Caloocan, Cebu, Cotabato, Dagupan, Davao, General Santos, Iligan, Iloilo, Lapu-Lapu, Las Pinas, Lucena, Makati, Malabon, Mandaluyong, Mandaue, Manila, Marikina, Muntinlupa, Naga, Navotas, Olongapo, Ormoc, Paranaque, Pasay, Pasig, Puerto Princesa, Quezon, San Juan, Santiago, Tacloban, Taguig, Valenzuela, Zamboanga. [Source: CIA World Factbook]

Major Cities: Manila, Quezon City. Davos and Cebu. The first four cities of Metropolitan Manila — Manila, Quezon, Pasay and Caloocan — were created when Metropolitan Manila was officially formed in 1975 under Presidential Decree No. 824 along with 13 surrounding municipalities. Manila is the capital of the Philippines. The highly urbanized National Capital Regionis made up of 12 other urban areas including the cities of Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon, Kalookan, Valenzuela, Las Piñas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, and Pasay. The main financial district is in Makati City. Quezon City is the second biggest city in the Philippines. The largest city area-wise is Davao City, with an area of 2,211 square kilometers (853 square mile), and is about three times the size of Manila. Cebu is the oldest Philippine city. Negros Occidental has the most cities among Philippine provinces. Rivers and Lakes: Most Philippines rivers ate short and filled with rapids. Only three—the Cagayan on Luzon and the Pulagi and the Aguan, on Mindanao—extend more than 200 miles and have significantly navigable sections. The largest lake, Laguna de Bay, is near Manila. It is a salt water lake that covers 890 square kilometers (343 square miles).

Geography Data for the Philippines

Area: total :300,000 square kilometers (115831 square miles); land: 298,170 square kilometers (115,124 square miles); water:1,830 square kilometers (706 square miles). The Philippines is slightly less than twice the size of Georgia; slightly larger than Arizona. Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 122 00 E. The flagpole located in Rizal Park, is where the starts of 0 kilometer reading in measuring all distances from Manila. [Source: CIA World Factbook]

Longest distances: 1,851 kilometers (1,150 miles) from south-southeast to north-northwest, 1,062 kilometers (660 miles) from east-northeast to west-southwest. Coastline: 36,289 kilometers (22,550 miles). In comparison, the coastline of the continental United States is only 16,312 kilometers (12,000 miles) in length. Elevation: highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 meters (9691 feet) is a a dormant volcano; lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 meters; mean elevation: 442 meters (1,450 feet).

Land use: agricultural land: 42.7 percent (2023 estimate); arable land: 18.7 percent (2023 estimate); permanent crops: 18.9 percent (2023 estimate); permanent pasture: 5 percent (2023 estimate); forest: 24.7 percent (2023 estimate); other: 32.7 percent (2023 estimate). Arable land is land cultivated for crops like wheat, maize, and rice that are replanted after each harvest. Permanent crops is land cultivated for crops like fruit trees oranges that are not replanted after each harvest. Irrigated land: 16,270 square kilometers (2012).

Philippines Map from 1749

Maritime and Territorial cCaims: territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nautical miles (185 kilometers) from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s the Philippines has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea as wide as 285 nautical miles (528 kilometers); and exclusive economic zone: 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers); continental shelf: to the depth of exploitation. [The Philippines claims part of the Spratly Islands, in the South China Sea, as do China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. About 1,000 Philippine marines were stationed in the Spratlys, which are called the Kalayaan (Freedom) Islands in the Philippines, in 1983. The Philippines also has a claim on Sabah in Malaysian Borneo, dating back to 1670. Source: CIA World Factbook]

Population distribution: is concentrated in areas with good farmland. The highest concentrations are northwest and south-central Luzon, the southeastern extension of Luzon, and the islands of the Visayan Sea, particularly Cebu and Negros; Manila is home to one eighth of the national population. [Source: CIA World Factbook]

Islands and Archipelagos of the Philippines

The Philippine Archipelago contains about 7,100 islands and stretches approximately 1,609 kilometers (1,000 miles) from north to south. Only 154 of the islands are larger than 13 square kilometers (5 square miles). The two largest islands, Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south, account for about 65 percent of the country’s total land area. They and the central Visayas group are represented by the three stars in the Philippine flag. Less than half of the Philippines islands have names. Only around 400 are permanently inhabited. The northernmost point of land, the islet of Y'Ami in the Batan Islands, is separated from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel, which 80 kilometers (50 miles) wide). [Source: Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed., Columbia University Press]

Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, has an area of 104,687 square kilometers (40,420 square miles) or 108,171 square kilometers (41,765 square miles), depending on the source. The main part of the island is roughly 402 kilometers (250 miles) long and between 120 and 160 kilometers (75 and 100 miles) wide. Just south of Luzon lies Mindoro, a largely mountainous island with peaks rising above 2,438 meters (8,000 feet). Coastal lowlands are located to the east and northeast of the mountain region. Southwest of Mindoro is the Calamian Group of islands, beyond which lies the long, narrow island of Palawan. More than 1,100 smaller islands and islets surround Palawan. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003

More than half of the islands in the Philippines belong to the Visayan group, which forms a rough circular pattern around the Visayan Sea. The Visayas include the seven large populated islands of Masbate, Samar, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Panay, and Negros, along with many smaller islets. The narrow island of Cebu is the site of the country’s largest copper mine and also produces low-grade coal and limestone used in cement production.

Mindanao, the second largest island in the Philippines, has an area of 94,630 square kilometers (36,537 square miles) or 99,078 square kilometers (38,254 square miles), depending on the source. In the eastern part of the island, the Agusan River flows between two mountain ranges. To the southwest, several rivers converge in the Cotabato Basin, while mountain peaks rise toward the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau. West of the plateau, the island narrows to an isthmus about 16 kilometers (10 miles) wide, from which the Zamboanga Peninsula extends to the southwest. The peninsula is largely mountainous and has limited coastal lowlands.

Southwest of the Zamboanga Peninsula lies the Sulu Archipelago, a chain of smaller volcanic and coral islands rising from a submarine ridge. The Sulu Archipelago extends for about 322 kilometers (200 miles) and contains more than 800 islands. Its three principal islands are Basilan, Jolo, and Tawi-Tawi.

Topography of the Philippines

The complex and volcanic origin of most of the Philippine islands is visible in its varied and rugged terrain. Most of the Philippines is mountainous except for river valleys, narrow to extensive coastal lowlands and the heavily indented coastlines and central plains of Luzon. The The Central Luzon Plain is barely above sea level and has extensive swamps to the north of Manila Bay, including the Candaba Swamp. There are also larger plains in the Cagayan Valley of northern Luzon and Cotabato and Davao-Agusan valleys) in Mindanao some on Negros and Panay. The low Ragay Hills overlook Ragay Gulf on the southeastern Bicol Peninsula.

Relief Map Of The Philippines

Mountain ranges divide most of the island surfaces into narrow coastal strips and low-lying interior plains or valleys. There are more than 50 volcanoes in the Philippines. Of these 22 are active. The spring 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo was one of history's major volcanic explosions and caused atmospheric effects that impacted the entire world. Savannahs, which are a mixture of grasslands and scrub woods, can be found in the Cagayan Valley in Luzon, as well as amid the hills of Mindoro, Negros and Masbate, and on Panay and the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau in Mindanao.

The Philippines are part of a vast submarine mountain range, whose peaks rise above the ocean to form islands. Many of the islands are rugged remnants of extinct volcanoes. A typical island has a high rugged interior with a fringe of narrow coastal plains. Some have volcanoes, plateaus, coastal mountain ranges, and/or inland mountains and have indentured coastlines. A few of the islands contain wide valleys and interior plains suitable for farming. Most Philippines islands are rocky outcrops of coral reefs.

To the south of Samar, rocky hills up to 305 metres (1,000 feet) high are scattered across the terrain. In central Bohol, there is a 52-square-kilometre (20-square-mile) area known as the Chocolate Hills. These hills consist of 1,268 individual mounds, each between 50 and 200 metres (164 and 656 feet) high, and are covered in grass which turns brown in the dry season. Their origin has not been determined, but scientists speculate that they were formed from eroded coral limestone. Similar hill areas exist on Panay and nearby Guimaras, as well as on Masbate, Tablas and Romblon. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003]

Geology of the Philippines

The Philippines is a complex and highly active island arc system shaped by intense tectonic activity, widespread volcanism, and abundant mineral resources. The archipelago was formed through the convergence of the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, creating a dynamic geological environment characterized by deep ocean trenches, active fault systems, and diverse rock formations. Much of the country lies within the Philippine Mobile Belt, a rapidly deforming zone caught between these two major tectonic plates. As a result, the Philippines experiences frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and ongoing crustal deformation.

The Philippines was created by volcanoes that rose up out of the ocean, where two tectonic plates converge. The archipelago began to develop about 50 million years ago as volcanoes and mountains rose of from the ocean along the where the convergence lines.. During period of Ice Ages shorelines expanded and retracted and land bridges emerged and disappeared ed as the sea levels rose and fell.

While most of the islands are located on the Eurasian tectonic plate, a major fault line extends along the eastern part of the archipelago, aligned over the boundary with the Philippine plate. The Philippine Trench, which is off the northeast coast of Mindanao, is one of the deepest spots in all the oceans at 10,539 meters (34,578 feet) beneath the surface of the sea.The Calbiga Cave is the Philippines’ biggest karst formation and one of the largest in Asia. The 2,968-hectare cave system comprises 12 caves with wide underground spaces, unique rock formations, and subterranean watercourses.

Earthquakes epicentres for the Philippines and adjacent areas for the period 1900 to 2012 taken from USGS

The Philippine Fault Zone is a major left-lateral strike-slip fault that extends from northern Luzon through the Visayas and into Mindanao. This fault system is responsible for much of the nation's seismic activity and reflects the intense tectonic forces acting on the archipelago. The Philippines is also bordered by several deep oceanic trenches associated with active subduction. To the west lie the Manila and Sulu Trenches, while the Philippine Trench and East Luzon Trench are located to the east. These subduction zones play a central role in shaping the country's geology and generating earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines contains dozens of active volcanoes that have been built by the ongoing subduction of oceanic crust beneath the archipelago. Among the most notable are Mayon Volcano, renowned for its nearly perfect cone shape; Taal Volcano, one of the world's most complex volcanic systems; and Mount Pinatubo, whose powerful 1991 eruption had global climatic effects. Continuous volcanic activity has contributed significantly to the development of the country's landscape and natural resources. The interaction between tectonic plates and volcanic processes remains one of the defining features of Philippine geology.

Not all parts of the Philippines share the same geological origin. The islands of Palawan, Mindoro, and Romblon belong to the Palawan Microcontinental Block, which originated as fragments of the southern margin of mainland Asia. These landmasses later drifted and eventually collided with the Philippine Mobile Belt, giving them geological characteristics distinct from much of the rest of the archipelago. Another notable geological feature is the Chocolate Hills of Bohol, a famous karst landscape formed from thick deposits of marine limestone that accumulated when the area was submerged beneath the sea. Subsequent tectonic uplift and millions of years of erosion by tropical rainfall sculpted the limestone into more than 1,700 distinctive cone-shaped hills.

The Philippines is also one of the most highly mineralized countries in the world due to its long history of volcanism and magmatic activity. Mineral-rich deposits formed through these geological processes have made the country a major global producer of nickel ore. Large reserves of copper and gold are also found throughout the archipelago, particularly in regions such as Benguet, Masbate, Cebu, and Surigao. These resources have played an important role in the country's economy and continue to attract significant mining activity. The close relationship between tectonic processes, volcanism, and mineral formation underscores the geological significance of the Philippines within Southeast Asia and the Pacific region.

Mountains and Volcanoes of the Philippines

All of the Philippine Islands are of volcanic origin. Consequently, the country is very mountainous. The northern part of Luzon Island is particularly rugged. The island's highest peak is Mount Pulog at 2,934 metres (9,626 feet). The island has three mountain ranges that run roughly parallel from north to south. The eastern range, the Sierra Madre, runs so close to the island's eastern shore that there is hardly any coastal lowland. The Cagayan River valley separates the eastern range from the large Cordillera Central mountain complex to the west. To the west, the Zambales Mountains extend southwards and terminate at Manila Bay. Southeastern Luzon consists of a large peninsula. This mountainous and volcanic area contains the active volcano Mount Mayon, which rises to 2,420 metres (7,941 feet). [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003

Philippine Sea

The large island of Mindanao has five major mountain systems, some of which were formed by volcanic activity. The eastern edge of Mindanao is highly mountainous and includes the Diuata Mountains, which have several peaks above 1,828 metres (6,000 feet), as well as the southeastern ranges, which reach a maximum elevation of 2,804 metres (9,200 feet). Central Mindanao is characterised by a broad expanse of rugged mountain ranges, one of which runs from north to south across the island. This range contains Mount Apo (9,692 feet/2,954 metres), the highest peak in the country, which overlooks Davao Gulf. The central mountain complex of Mindanao extends into the northwest corner of the island, terminating in the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau. At an elevation of approximately 609 metres (2,000 feet), the plateau is interspersed with extinct volcanic peaks. In the southeast of Negros, the volcanic Tablas plateau rises to an elevation of between 152 and 305 metres (500 and 1,000 feet).

Camiguin province holds the distinction of having the most number of volcanoes per square kilometer than any other island on earth. It is also the only place in the Philippines which has more volcanoes (7) than towns (5). The mountain rice terraces of northern Luzon's Cordillera region are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Built by the indigenous Ifugao people over the last two millennia, the terraces follow the contours of mountains over 1,000 meters (3,300 feet) high to create a productive agricultural landscape in harmony with nature. Many of the Philippines' rivers have cut deep canyons through the mountains. The Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau of Mindanao is particularly notable for its deep canyons. Southeast of Manila on Luzon, Pagsanjan Gorge National Park is a river gorge, with steep faces towering to a height of 91 metres (300 feet).

Seas, Straits and Coastal Feature of the Philippines

The Philippines is separated from Taiwan on the north by the Bashi Channel (forming part of the Luzon Strait) and from Sabah, Malaysia (northern Borneo), on the southwest by the Balabac Strait (off Palawan) and the Sibutu Passage (off the Sulu Archipelago). Bordering seas include the Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean on the east, the Celebes Sea on the south, the Sulu Sea on the southwest and the South China Sea on the west. The Philippines has a total coastline of 36,289 kilometers (22,549 miles). [Source: Worldmark Encyclopedia of Nations, Thomson Gale, 2007]

All of the waters surrounding the Philippines are part of the Pacific Ocean system. The eastern coast of the country faces the Philippine Sea, where the Philippine Trench, also known as the Emden Deep, is located. The northwest coast borders the South China Sea, while the Sulu Sea lies to the southwest. To the south, between Mindanao and the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, is the Celebes (Sulawesi) Sea. North of Mindanao lies the Bohol Sea. The Visayan Sea is enclosed by Panay, Masbate, Cebu, Negros, and several smaller islands. The Sibuyan Sea borders southern Luzon and eastern Mindoro, while the Camotes Sea lies between Cebu, Leyte, and Bohol. The Samar Sea is located between Samar and Masbate. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003

There are numerous straits and channels between the islands of the Philippine archipelago. Among the most important are the San Bernardino Strait and the Verde Island Passage, both of which provide major routes for ocean travel across the northern Philippines. The Surigao Strait connects the Pacific Ocean with the Bohol Sea in the south. The Mindoro Strait lies between Mindoro and the Calamian Group of islands. North of the Philippines, several channels form the Luzon Strait, which separates Luzon from Taiwan. The San Juanico Strait is said to be the narrowest yet most navigable strait in the world.

The shores of many of the islands have bays. (Manila Bay is one of the finest harbors in East Asia); however, several islands lack adequate harbors and require offshore lightering for sea transport. Several major gulfs and bays indent the coastline of Luzon. Lingayen Gulf lies along the island’s western coast, while farther south Manila Bay is enclosed by the Bataan Peninsula. The city of Manila is situated on the eastern shore of Manila Bay. Along the southern coast of Luzon, Tayabas Bay and Ragay Gulf border the Bondoc Peninsula. The southeastern extension of Luzon forms the Sorsogon Peninsula. On the island’s eastern coast are Lamon Bay, Dingalan Bay, and Escarpada Point. Among the Visayan Islands, two of the largest coastal inlets are Leyte Gulf in the southeast and Panay Gulf in the west.

Mindanao has a highly irregular coastline marked by large gulfs, bays, and peninsulas. The Surigao Peninsula forms the island’s northernmost point, with Butuan Bay to the west. Iligan Bay cuts deeply into the northern coast and helps create the narrow isthmus connecting the Zamboanga Peninsula to the rest of Mindanao. The Sibuguey and Baganian Peninsulas extend from the southern coast of the Zamboanga Peninsula into Moro Gulf. Pagadian Bay lies south of the isthmus, while Illana Bay continues along the southwestern coastline. Sarangani Bay cuts into the coast near the island’s southern end at Tinaca Point, while Davao Gulf lies farther east and is bordered by Cape San Agustin.

Lakes and Rivers of the Philippines

In general, the rivers of the Philippines are navigable only for short distances. Many rivers and their tributaries are subject to seasonal flooding during typhoons and the southwest monsoon, when heavy rainfall causes rivers to overflow and inundate surrounding lowlands. Some rivers only have significant flows during the rainy season, which lasts from June to February. [Source: Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Physical Geography, Gale Group, Inc., 2003

The Cagayan River, also known as the Rio Grande de Cagayan, is the longest and widest river in the Philippines. The Cagayan River system is in northern Luzon. It flows northward through the Cagayan Valley and empties into the Luzon Strait at Aparri. Small streams originating from the Balete Pass in the Cordillera, the Caraballo Mountains and the Sierra Madre Mountains meet to form the Cagayan River. Central Luzon contains an extensive river network crossing the broad lowland plain. Among the most important rivers are the Agno River, which flows into Lingayen Gulf, and the Pampanga River, which drains into Manila Bay. The Pasig River, although short, is historically important because it connects Laguna de Bay with Manila Bay and passes through Metro Manila.

Mindanao contains two major river systems. The Agusan River, about 386 kilometers (240 miles) long, flows northward through the Agusan Valley into Butuan Bay and the Bohol Sea. The Mindanao River, also known as the Rio Grande de Mindanao, and its tributaries drain the Cotabato Basin before emptying into Moro Gulf. On Palawan, the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River flows through an extensive limestone cave system before reaching the sea. The St. Paul River on Palawan is an eight-kilometer-long underground river. It is one of the world’s longest underground river systems accessible to man and can be found at the St. Paul National Park, which is known for its cave formations and wildlife, including bats and swiftlets.

Vulcan Point is an island within a lake on an island within a lake on an island. It is a small island about 40 meters long, located in Crater Lake atop Taal Volcano, which sits within Taal Lake on the island of Luzon. The largest lake in the Philippines is Laguna de Bay, a freshwater lake southeast of Manila Bay on Luzon. It has a surface area of about 922 square kilometers (356 square miles). Southwest of Laguna de Bay is Taal Lake, which surrounds Volcano Island and Taal Volcano. Other notable lakes include Lake Danao and Lake Balinsasayao in Negros. On Mindanao, Lake Sultan Alonto, formerly known as Lake Lanao, lies on the Bukidnon-Lanao Plateau. It is the country’s second-largest lake, with an area of about 347 square kilometers (134 square miles). It is probably the deepest lake in the Philippines, and is considered one of the major tropical lakes in Southeastern Asia. The lake is home to endemic cyprinids, species found only in the lake and nowhere else in the world.South of the plateau is the shallow Lake Buluan. On Mindoro, Lake Naujan is one of the country’s larger lakes and supports diverse fish and bird life.

Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads — the “Kingdom of Humanity.”

The Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads was a claimed micronation in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea. According to its supporters, the state was founded in the late nineteenth century by British sea captain James George Meads, who allegedly claimed the islands in the 1870s and established a settlement called the “Kingdom of Humanity.” The story describes the kingdom as a refuge for persecuted and displaced people from around the world. However, historians have found no reliable contemporary evidence that either the kingdom or Captain Meads actually existed, and his name does not appear in British naval records. [Source: Wikipedia +]

According to later accounts published by supporters of the micronation, the kingdom expanded under the rule of James Meads and his descendants. The narratives claimed that the population grew into the thousands and that diplomatic relations were established with Britain and France. One account even stated that Britain signed a treaty in 1893 granting defense protection in exchange for naval privileges. These claims, however, have never been independently verified and are generally regarded as fictional or highly doubtful by scholars and governments.

The micronation’s stories became more elaborate during the twentieth century. Supporters claimed that the islands were invaded by Japan during World War II and that members of the Meads family later served with Allied forces in Australia and the United States. After the war, the alleged kingdom supposedly struggled to rebuild before transitioning toward republican government in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In 1963, the state was renamed the Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads, with Christopher Schneider becoming its first chief of state while Morton F. Meads represented the republic internationally.

One of the most unusual aspects of the story involved attempts to gain international recognition. In 1972 Morton Meads reportedly petitioned the United Nations, Taiwan, and the Philippines to recognize the republic’s sovereignty over the Spratly Islands. That same year, according to the micronation’s account, most of the government leadership died in a shipwreck while traveling to present their case abroad. The republic later claimed that surrounding countries, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, and the Philippines, occupied its territory after valuable oil and natural gas reserves were discovered in the region.

The Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads continued to exist mainly through websites and self-published historical accounts maintained by supporters in exile, particularly in Australia. The micronation portrayed itself as a government-in-exile seeking international recognition and the restoration of sovereignty over the Spratly Islands. Despite these claims, no government or international organization has recognized the republic, and historians generally classify it as a fictional or symbolic micronation rather than a real historical state. Its story remains notable because it blends invented royal history, Cold War geopolitics, and real territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons

Text Sources: “Encyclopedia of World Cultures Volume 5: East/Southeast Asia:” edited by Paul Hockings, 1993; “Culture Shock!: Philippines” by Alfredo Roces and Grace Roces, Marshall Cavendish International, 2010; National Geographic, Live Science, Philippines Department of Tourism, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Encyclopedia.com, Library of Congress, The Conversation, The New Yorker, Time, BBC, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Google AI, Wikipedia, The Guardian and various websites, books and other publications.

Last updated May 2026