Explain how majority of the islands in the

Philippines originated. Make at least 5

statements that explain the formation of the
Islands of the Philippines.

How Were The Islands In The Philippines

Formed?
The Philippines did not break out from Pangaea. Rather, these islands
were formed by volcanic eruptions that occurred under the Pacific
Ocean over millions of years. ... Over millions of years and many
eruptions, this hardened magma eventually formed the land of the
Philippine islands.
A few countries around the world are archipelagos, made up of
thousands of islands. One such country is the Philippines which is
made up of over 7,000 islands. The country is situated along the Pacific
Rim of Fire, an active volcanic zone. The movement of tectonic plates
and volcanic eruptions have contributed over millions of years to the
formation of the islands of the Philippines.

Islands of the Philippines

The vast majority of the islands which make up the Philippines are of
small size and 11 of the biggest islands account for over 90% of the
country’s total land area. The two largest islands, Luzon and Mindanao,
cover a combined area which is equivalent to over 50% of the country’s
land area. Luzon alone occupies an area of 40,541 square miles while
Mindanao covers an area of 36,680 square miles. The Philippines is
situated about 500 miles from the Asian mainland and so has
numerous unique geographical, geological, and historical
characteristics.

Plate Tectonics
To understand how the islands were formed, it is important first to know
about plate tectonics. Tectonic plates are the divisions of the earth’s
crusts which are in constant movement. The movement of these plates
is made possible by the churning of magma (molten rock) found
beneath the crust. The plates are classified into two categories based
on size; major plates and minor plates. The planet is made up of seven
major plates and numerous other minor plates. At times one plate will
collide with another, the result of which is that the heavier plate will
move under the lighter one in what is known as subduction of plates.
The process forces the underlying magma to the crust from where it
emerges in violent eruptions. When the subduction and resultant
eruptions happen in submerged sections of the crust over an extended
period of geological time, it leads to the formation of island arcs.

The Foundation of the Archipelago

The presence of volcanic activity around the country offers a glimpse of
the violent volcanic origin of the country which lies along the Pacific
Ring of Fire. Some of the prominent volcanic features found in the
country include the nation’s highest mountain, Mount Pinatubo, which is
remembered for its violent eruption in 1991. The formation of the
islands involved the movements of three plates which converged in the
region, two of them being major plates (the Indo-Australian and
Eurasian plates) and one minor plate (the Philippine Sea Plate). The
Eurasian plate is made up of the continents of Asia and Europe and
extends into the surrounding oceans and seas while the Indo-Australian
plate is made up of the Indian subcontinent and the continent of
Australia. The Philippine Sea Plate is the minor plate on which the
islands of Taiwan, Indonesia, and the Philippines sit.

Formation of the Archipelago

Many of the thousands of islands which make up the Philippines are
classified as island arcs which were formed as a result of subduction
after the collision of the three plates (the Eurasian Plate, the Philippine
Sea Plate, and the Indo-Australian Plate). The formation of the original
island arcs is believed to have occurred millions of years ago at the
southern part of the Philippine Sea Plate. The original island arcs are
believed to have later collided with Sundaland forming a series of other
islands in the archipelago.