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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. 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. 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. |
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