Short facts about the geography of Philippines
| Location: |
Southeastern Asia, archipelago between
the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of
Vietnam |
| Geographic
coordinates: |
13 00 N, 122 00
E |
| Map
references: |
Southeast
Asia |
| Area: |
total: 300,000 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km
water:
1,830 sq km |
| Area -
comparative: |
slightly larger than
Arizona |
| Maritime
claims: |
continental shelf:
to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM
territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 NM
from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed
polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 NM in
breadth |
| Climate: |
tropical marine; northeast monsoon
(November to April); southwest monsoon (May to
October) |
| Terrain: |
mostly mountains with narrow to
extensive coastal lowlands |
| Elevation
extremes: |
lowest point:
Philippine Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Apo 2,954
m |
| Natural
resources: |
timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt,
silver, gold, salt, copper |
| Land
use: |
arable land: 19%
permanent crops: 12%
permanent
pastures: 4%
forests and woodland: 46%
other:
19% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
15,800 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
astride typhoon belt, usually affected
by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis |
| Environment
- current issues: |
uncontrolled deforestation in watershed
areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in Manila; increasing pollution of
coastal mangrove swamps which are important fish breeding
grounds |
| Environment
- international agreements: |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed,
but not ratified: Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol | Source: World Factbook |
