Philippines' Geography | Philippines Geography

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

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 36,289 km

Maritime claims: 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 exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: to depth of exploitation

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: 18.95% permanent crops: 16.77% other: 64.28% (2001)

Irrigated land: 15,500 sq km (1998 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 especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds

Environment - international agreements: Party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants

Geography - note: The Philippine archipelago is made up of 7,107 islands; favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait

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