Geography
Elevation: (Highest) Mount
Apo on the island of Mindanao is 9,692 feet above
sea level.
(Lowest) The Mindanao Deep (The Philippine Trench) is 34,400 feet below
sea level, one of the deepest chasms in the ocean floor.
Area: 115,831 square miles (land area is the same as Arizona)
Greatest Distances: 668 miles (east to west)
1,100 miles (north to south)
Climate: The climate in the lowlands is warm and humid. The average
temperature is 70° - 80° F all year. The average rainfall in Luzon
ranges from 35 to 216 inches. From June to November, it is the wet season.
In the cooler months, monsoon winds come from the northeast. From April to
October, the monsoons blow from the southwest. The rainiest seasons occur
from July through October. Overall, about 40 typhoons hit the Philippines
each year.
Warning Signals: A three stage warning system is used to announce the
onset of typhoons. Signal No. 1 means a possible threat of typhoon within
72 hours, No. 2 within 48 hours, and No. 3 within 36 hours. Schools,
businesses, and government offices close when the Signal No. 3 is hoisted.
Mountains: The larger islands are mountainous. Mountains or hilly
terrain make up 65% of the total land area.
Islands: 7,107 (official count) are scattered over 500,000 square miles.
Filipinos only occupy about 1,000 islands, and about 95% of the population live
on just 11 islands.
Provinces: 72
Chartered Cities: 61
Volcanoes: The Philippines is part of the "Ring of Fire," a
narrow band of intense
volcanic and earthquake activity that circles the Pacific Ocean. There are
21 active
volcanoes, most of which are located on the eastern or Pacific Rim of the
archipelago, and over 200 dormant volcanoes.
