Philippines

The Republic of the Philippines (Filipino: Republika ng Pilipinas), or the Philippines (Filipino: Pilipinas), is a nation in Southeast Asia. It lies 1,210 km (750 mi) away from mainland Asia and consists of 7,107 islands that form part of the Malay Archipelago.

Geography

The Philippines constitutes an archipelago of 7,107 islands with a total land area of approximately 300,000 km². It lies between 116° 40' and 126° 34' E. longitude, and 4° 40' and 21° 10' N. latitude. It is bordered on the east by the Philippine Sea, on the west by the South China Sea, and on the south by the Celebes Sea. The island of Borneo lies a few hundred kilometers to the southwest and Taiwan directly north. The Moluccas and Celebes are farther south, and on the eastern side of the Philippine Sea is Palau.

Related Topics:
Archipelago - Philippine Sea - South China Sea - Celebes Sea - Borneo - Taiwan - Moluccas - Celebes - Palau

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The islands are commonly divided into three major groups: Luzon (Regions I to V + NCR & CAR), Visayas (VI to VIII), and Mindanao (IX to XIII + ARMM). The busy port of Manila, on Luzon, is the country's capital and second-largest city after Quezon City.

Related Topics:
Luzon - Visayas - Mindanao - Manila - Capital - City - Quezon City

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The local climate is hot, humid, and tropical. The average yearly temperature is around 26.5° Celsius. There are three recognized seasons: Tag-init or Tag-araw (the hot season or summer from March to May), Tag-ulan (the rainy season from June to November), and Taglamig (the cold season from December to February). The southwest monsoon (May-October) is known as the "Habagat" and the dry winds of the northeast monsoon (November-April) as the "Amihan".

Related Topics:
Climate - Habagat - Amihan

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Most of the mountainous islands used to be covered in tropical rainforests and are volcanic in origin. The highest point is Mount Apo on Mindanao at 2,954 m. Many volcanoes in the country, such as Mayon Volcano, Mount Pinatubo and Taal Volcano, are active. The country is also astride the typhoon belt of the Western Pacific and is struck by about 19 typhoons per year.

Related Topics:
Rainforest - Mount Apo - Volcano - Mayon Volcano - Mount Pinatubo - Taal Volcano - Typhoon

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Lying on the northwestern fringes of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the Philippines experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activities.

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