LocationSoutheastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam Geographic coordinates13 00 N, 122 00 E Map referencesSoutheast Asia Areatotal: 300,000 sq km Area - comparativeslightly larger than Arizona Land boundaries0 km Coastline36,289 km Maritime claimsterritorial 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 Climatetropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October) Terrainmostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands Elevation extremeslowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m Natural resourcestimber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper Land usearable land: 19% Irrigated land15,500 sq km (2003) Total renewable water resources479 cu km (1999) Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)total: 28.52 cu km/yr (17%/9%/74%) Natural hazardsastride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis Environment - current issuesuncontrolled 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 agreementsparty 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 Geography - notethe 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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Source: CIA World Factbook | |
