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Philippines
/ Geography
The 11 largest
islands are: Luzon (102,649 sqkm, 39,633 sqmi), Mindanao (91,028
sqkm, 35,146 sqmi), Samar (17,428 sqkm, 6,729 sqmi), Palawan (14,896
sqkm, 5,752 sqmi), Negros (13,328 sqkm, 5,146 sqmi), Panay (13,032
sqkm, 5,032 sqmi), Mindoro (10,245 sqkm, 3,955 sqmi), Leyte (8,003
sqkm, 3,090 sqmi), Cebu (5,088 sqkm, 1,965 sqmi), Bohol (4,117
sqkm, 1,590 sqmi), Masbate (4,048 sqkm, 1,563 sqmi).
The Philippines
like many Pacific islands are the peaks of mountains whose base
is on the ocean floor and is part of an island string extending
from Siberia to Australia. The crust of the earth is made up of
a number of movable plates and mountains are formed when one plate
pushes under another.
The more than
7,000 islands are part of the Pacific rim of fire at the interface
where the Pacific plate slides under the Asian plate. The friction
of their movements against one another gives rise to volcanos
as well as causing earthquakes and produces ocean trenches in
waters off the east coast which are 10,497m (about 6 mi) deep
at the deepest point.
Minor earthquakes
are common in the Philippines. However, there is also a long history
of major earthquakes which happen from time to time. that have
cost the lives of thousands of people. The worst earthquakes of
the last three decades occurred on August 2, 1968, August 17,
1976, and July 16, 1990. In August 1968, more than 200 people
died in an earthquake that was particularly strong in central
Luzon and Manila. The quake of August 1976 cost more than 2000
lives in the Southern Philippines. But most casualties were not
victims of the earthquake itself but of a tidal wave (tsunami)
which followed, sweeping coastal areas all around Mindanao to
a height of more than 5m (about 15ft). The most recent earthquake,
July 16, 1990 centered about 10km southeast of Cabanatuan City,
killed more than 1,600 people and demolished Agoo, La Union, Baguio
City and Dagupan City. The heaviest casualties were in Baguio
and Cabanatuan Cities.
An politically
influential earthquake occurred August 17, 1983. Actually, it
was not very strong, and there were no fatalities but one of the
few buildings which suffered cracks was a famous old church in
Paoay, near the home of the then President Marcos. Therefore superstitious
people and Christian fundamentalists took the earthquake as a
heavenly sign against Marcos.
Certainly,
fear of earthquakes would not be sufficient reason to avoid the
Philippines. However, even after minor earthquakes, travel in
mountainous areas is difficult because road connections are often
interrupted by landslides.
Geophysical
Features Mountains
Luzon's east coast from its northeastern tip south to near Lucena
has a mountain range, the Sierra Madre, 479km (300mi) in
length extending through the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora,
Quezon and Laguna.About
70km (44mi) from the west coast of Luzon another range, called the
Central Mountains in the north and the Cordillera in the
south, runs from the island's northwest tip 263km (164.5mi) south
and then bends east to connect to the Sierra Madre. The range passes
through the provinces of Ilocos Norte, Kalinga-Apayao, Mountain
Province, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya.
Eight
of the 11 larger islands have a coastal plain and a central range,
e.g. Mindoro whose central range is 132km (82mi) long but some,
e.g Masbate and Bohol lack central ranges and Panay's range is
in the west.
Lakes
The largest
inland body of water in the Philippines is Laguna de Bay.
It has an area of about 1,510sqkm (583sqmi) bounded by Metro Manila
and the provinces of Rizal and Laguna. Since it is connected to
Manila Bay by the Pasig River the water is brackish. The degree
of salinity is determined by the amount of rain and the tides.
A good portion of the surface is covered with fish pens.
Lake Lanao in
Lanao del Sur on Mindanao is the largest fresh water lake in The
Country . It has an area of 376sqkm (145sqmi).
Rivers
On Luzon, between the Sierra Madre range on the east coast and the
central Cordillera range to the west there is a broad valley, Cagayan,
202km (126mi) in length and about 47km (29mi) wide, formed by the
Cagayan river, 263km (164mi) long which runs north draining water
from central Luzon into the Babuyan channel near Aparri.The central
plain north of Manila is about 174km (109mi) long and 66km (41mi)
wide. It is nick-named the rice bowl and as the name indicates it
is the major rice producing area of The Country .Manila was established
on a swamp and is on an isthmus almost at sea level between Laguna
de Bay and Manila Bay which are connected by the Pasig river and
its tributaries notably the San Juan and Marikina rivers. The Pasig
river is still important for barge traffic and at one time it
was possible to take a boat up the Pasig and across Laguna Bay.South
of the Sierra Madre mountains is the Bicol plain which, though dotted
with mountains, runs to the southern tip of Luzon.Mountain ranges
of Mindanao are more extensive and complex than those of Luzon.
The majority of the land is hilly or mountainous but there are a
number of broad valleys.The Agusan river and its tributaries
drain a valley northward 159km (100mi) long and 94km (59mi) at its
widest point through the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del
Sur, Surigao del Sur and Davao to empty into Butuan Bay, 197km from
its headwaters near Mt. Kanpalili in Davao province..Another major
river basin and valley 108km (67.5mi) by 150km (94mi) is formed
by the Mindanao river and its tributaries. The system from its origin
in Mt. Sinalagas in north Bukidnon to its end is 254km (159mi) in
length. Its mouth is near Cotabato City.
Soil
The heavy rainfall in the Philippines and other tropical areas leech
the nutrients from the typically red or yellow colored soil, and
the higher temperatures speed the decay of vegetable materials so
that generally soils here have low fertility and fertilizers are
required.Exceptions to these general comments are broad river valleys
and areas near volcanos; volcanic ash and lava contribute to its
fertility.Only about one-fourth the land area of The Country is
suitable for growing crops. The type of crop depends on climate
and soil. Rice requires a clay type of soil so that water is at
an even depth that will remain over the roots and lower parts of
the stalk. However, rice also requires two weeks before harvest
a dry soil with little rain. Therefore, a climate with both a rainy
and dry season is needed. Sandy soil which drains water rapidly
is needed for root crops, corn and sugar cane.Less than one half
The Country is forest and the percentage decreases at a rapid rate
annually causing increase n soil erosion. The cleared land reverts
to a relatively tall useless grass - cogon.
Minerals
The principal minerals of the Philippines are low grade coal, copper,
chromite, gold (the world's sixth largest producer), lead, manganese,
mercury, silver, nickel, iron, salt, phosphate, sulfur, sand; gravel,
and marble.A few oil fields have been developed off the shores of
Palawan.
Energy
The majority of energy used is from petroleum and approximately
95% of this petroleum is imported. A nuclear plant was built under
the Marco' government, however, it was decided by the present government
to mothball it. Solar energy is used in enormous amounts to dry
foods, rice, coffee beans, fish, and of course clothes.Unconventional
(nz = near zero)
Coconut waste 7
Agri-waste 10
Alcohol 0.16 Conventional
Coconut oil nz
Petroleum 52
Biogas 0.03
Coal 9
Methane, propane etc. 0.04
Hydro 12
Wind nz
Geothermal 10
Tidal 0
Nuclear 0
Solar water heater nz
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