Africa | Antarctica | Arctic | Asia | Australia/Oceania | Caribbean | Central America | Europe | Islands of the World
Middle East | North America | South America | World Atlas | WIN $100 here

PHILIPPINES A Brief Description Fast Facts Flag Landforms Lat/Long Links Maps Time Traveler Info Weather

PRINT THIS MAP A Brief Description Positioned on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, along the Ring of Fire, the Philippines is the second-largest archipelago on the planet, with over 7,100 individual islands counted within its borders. For hundreds of years the Philippines were a Spanish colony, but then were ceded to the US in 1898, following the Spanish-American War. One of the main focal points of battles between Japan and the US during World War II, at the end of that war (in 1946) with the US victory in the South Pacific, the Philippines attained total independence. The dictatorial government of Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, and since then, a long parade of electoral presidential problems and internal struggles have continued. In addition, Abu Sayyaf, an armed Muslim insurgency group operating in the south, has collectively plagued the country for many years, and is now causing serious disruptions, especially in western tourism visits. In 1992, after many years of negotiations, the US finally closed its last military bases on the islands, and in the view of many, the Philippines lost much needed revenue from that action. And speaking of problems, the Philippines has one of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. At the current rate of deforestation it's been estimated that the country’s virgin forests are in danger of disappearing by 2010. Tourism has never been a major industry in the Philippines, although Manila, beaches and resorts on some of the smaller islands, as well as rain forest tours remain popular. Read more about the Philippines here! Mayon Volcano, Philippines! Travel the World through Poster Art! Facts and Figures Name Philippines (long form) Republic of the Philippines Population 87,857,500 Population & Density (all countries) here Capital City Manila (10.8) metro (14.9 mil) Currency Philippine Peso (PHP) Currency Converter here Languages Filipino (official), English (official) Flag here National Day June 12 Religions Catholic (81%), Muslim (5%), Christian (5%), and others Geographic Coordinates Latitude/Longitude (Capital City) 14º 37' N, 120º 58' E Relative Location The Philippines are located in both the northern and eastern hemispheres. Positioned off the southeastern coast of Asia, directly east of Vietnam and northeast of Malaysia, this island nation is literally surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, and many smaller bodies of water including the Philippine Sea, Celebes Sea, Sula Sea and South China Sea. Land Statistics Coastline 22,549 miles (36,289 km) Land Areas (land) 115,831 sq miles (300,000 sq km) (water) 707 sq miles (1,830 sq km) (TOTAL) 115,124 sq miles (298,170 sq km) Land Area (all countries) here Landforms The Philippine islands, positioned on the Ring of Fire, are subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Mayon Volcano is the most active in the Philippines, and considered one of the most dangerous on the planet, however, it does not stand alone; in 1991, Mount Pinatubo burst, and proved to be one of the most significant volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Extending about 1,100 miles (north to south), its many islands (vocanic in origin) are mostly mountainous, with narrow coastal plains; many islands are covered by tropical rain forest. Luzon is the largest island, followed by Mindanao, and both have numerous volcanoes. The longest river is the Cagayan (Río Grande de Cagayan) on Luzon, 217 miles, (350 km) long. Other significant rivers (on Luzon) include the Abra, Bicol, Chico, and Pampanga. On Mindanao, important rivers include the Mindanao River and the Agusan. Laguna de Bay, just southeast of Manila, is the largest lake of the Philippines. Lake Taal, also south of Manila, occupies a huge volcanic crater and contains an island that is itself a volcano. Lake Lanao is the largest lake of Mindanao and the source of the Agusan River. Highest Point Mt. Apo - 9,692 ft. (2,954 m) Lowest Point Philippine Sea - (0 ft.) (0 m) Land Divisions 79 provinces and 115 chartered cities. Provinces include: 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, Compostela, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, 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, North Cotabato, 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 and Zamboanga Sibugay. Chartered cities here! Contact Us | Privacy Statement Copyrighted by Graphic Maps All rights reserved! All maps, graphics, flags and original descriptions created by Graphic Maps, a d/b/a of the Woolwine-Moen Group, unless otherwise noted and/or directly linked to the source, and use of same for any application whatsoever (with the exception of outline maps) requires written permission. We make no copyright claim on any statistical data on this page, nor on any non-original graphics, and/or pictures not produced by us. Certain statistical data is gathered from the CIA World Factbook, as well as numerous public domain reference materials. Every effort is made to be as accurate as possible when disseminating information on any worldwide destination. We are not responsible for unintentional data entry errors or omissions. If you would like to submit an addition, change or correction, or suggest a new link, please forward it to our map department and we will give it our immediate attention. Maps Philippines (large color) Map here Philippines Outline Map here Philippines CIA version here Philippines Maps at UT here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Asia Continent (printable) here Asia Outline Map here Asia (Southeast) Outline Map here Asia (Name the Country) Map Test here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Indian Subcontinent Map here Middle East Landforms here Middle East Map here Middle East Outline Map here Middle East Rivers here Ring of Fire Map here Tsunami Map (December 2004) here - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - World Outline Maps (printable) here World Time Zone Map here Recommended Links Philippines (Complete) info on the (GDP) economy, imports and exports, natural resources, government, population, military, transportation, and more here! Philippines Embassy (Washington DC) here! Philippines News here! Philippines Photos at TrekEarth.com here! Philippine Tourism here! The Philippines here! Time and Weather Climate The Philippines are very warm and humid throughout the year, and all are subject to seasonal monsoon rains (May - October) and (November - February) Annual rainfall is heavy but varies widely. The greatest amounts fall along the mountainous east coasts of Luzon, Samar, and the northern tip of Mindanao. The Philippines (especially the eastern coasts of Luzon and Samar) are subject to typhoons (July - October), and on average, 5 may cause significant destruction. Between March and May, hot, dry weather prevails across the islands, with high humidity levels. Temperatures in Manila range from 70° F to 90° F, with an average annual temperature of 80° F. A rice paddy village in the Philippines! Travel the World through Poster Art! Traveler Info Attractions On one side of the coin, the terrorist threat to American citizens in the Philippines remains high and the US State Department warns against all but essential travel to the Philippines. The U.S. Embassy continues to receive reports of ongoing activities and of multiple planned attacks throughout the Philippines by known terrorist groups. All western travelers should consider the risks of travel to the Philippines. On the positive side, this lush tropical country is replete with fascinating landscapes, active volcanoes, splendid beaches, coral waters and tropical rain forests. In addition, transportation between islands is very affordable, and for the most part, functional. (Not to be missed) is the frantic pace of Manila's nitelife, its many museums, and World War II markers; the incredible Banaue rice terraces; the world-famous White Beach on Boracay Island, widely considered the most beautiful tropical beach in the world; Cebu and Palawan islands, and their world class diving spots; the white beaches of Mindoro Island; the Taal Volcano and its volcanic lake, and the Spanish-Chinese colonial structures of Vigan in Ilocos - to truly only name but a few. Add to that mix the indigenous colorful festivals that cover the calendar, and the smiling and welcoming Filipino people, and well, the Philippines are waiting. Boracay Hotels, Tours and Travel Information Country Dialing Code 63 Electricity Philippines uses 220 volts AC (50 Hz) Electrical adapters, products and tips here Travel Warnings here Visa Information here A busy street (to say the least) in Manila! Travel the World through Poster Art! PLEASE NOTE: Before making travel plans for any worldwide destination, we strongly recommend you authenticate important details regarding visas, local health care, customs, etc. We always find it helpful to contact the nearest consulate of any country before beginning a journey into a foreign land. Asian Countries Afghanistan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Terr. Brunei Burma (Myanmar) Cambodia China º Hong Kong º Macau East Timor India ° Andaman Is. ° Nicobar Islands Indonesia ° Bali Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russian Fed. Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan U.A.E. Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Afghanistan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Terr. Brunei Burma (Myanmar) Cambodia China º Hong Kong º Macau East Timor India ° Andaman Is. ° Nicobar Islands Indonesia ° Bali Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russian Fed. Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan U.A.E. Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen Afghanistan Bahrain Bangladesh Bhutan British Indian Ocean Terr. Brunei Burma (Myanmar) Cambodia China º Hong Kong º Macau East Timor India ° Andaman Is. ° Nicobar Islands Indonesia ° Bali Iran Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Lebanon Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal North Korea Oman Pakistan Philippines Qatar Russian Fed. Saudi Arabia Singapore South Korea Sri Lanka Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Thailand Turkey Turkmenistan U.A.E. Uzbekistan Vietnam Yemen