he Philippine archipelago lies in Southeast Asia in a position that has led to its becoming a cultural

crossroads - a place where Malays, Hindus, Arabs, Chinese, Spaniards, Americans, and others had
interacted to forge a unique cultural and racial blend. The archipelago numbers some 7,107 islands;
and the nation claims an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles (370 km) from its
shores. The Philippines occupies an area that stretches for 1,850 kilometers (1,150 mi) from about
the fifth to the twentieth parallels north latitude. The total land area is slightly more than 300,000
square kilometers (115,831 sq mi). Only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated, and fewer
than one-half of these are larger than 2.5 square kilometers (1 sq mi). Eleven islands make up 95
percent of the Philippine landmass, and two of these Luzon and Mindanao measure 105,000
square kilometers (40,541 sq mi) and 95,000 square kilometers (36,680 sq mi), respectively. They,
together with the cluster of islands in Visayas in between them, represent the three principal regions
of the archipelago that are identified by the three stars on the Philippine flag. Topographically, the
Philippines is broken up by the sea, which gives it one of the longest coastlines of any nation in the
world.
Off the coast of eastern Mindanao is the Philippine Trench, which descends to a depth of 10,430
meters (34,220 ft). The Philippines is part of a western Pacific arc system characterized by active
volcanoes. Among the most notable peaks are Mount Mayon near Legazpi City,Taal Volcano south
of Manila, and Mount Apo in Mindanao. All of the Philippine islands are prone to earthquakes. The
northern Luzon highlands, or Cordillera Central, rise to between 2,500 meters (8,200 ft) and 2,750
meters (9,020 ft), and, together with the Sierra Madre in the northeastern portion of Luzon and the
mountains of Mindanao, boast rain forests that provide refuge for numerous upland tribal groups.
The rain forests also offer prime habitat for more than 500 species of birds, including the Philippine
eagle (or monkey-eating eagle), some 800 species of orchids, and some 8,500 species of flowering
plants.
The country's most extensive river systems are the Pulangi River, which flows into the Mindanao
River (Rio Grande de Mindanao); the Agusan, in Mindanao which flows north into the Mindanao
Sea; the Cagayan in northern Luzon; and the Pampanga, which flows south from east Central Luzon
into Manila Bay. Laguna de Bay, east of Manila Bay, is the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines.
Several rivers have been harnessed for hydroelectric power.
To protect the country's biological resources, the government has taken a first step of preparing
a Biodiversity Action Plan to address conservation of threatened species.