Physical Geography

• The Biblical Origin

  • Genesis (the first book in the Old Testament)
• Geographic Resources of the Philippines

  • Location, Size and Shape
  • Climate and Weather
  • Landforms and Resources
  • Water forms and Resources
  • Forest and Mineral Resources
  • Agricultural Resources and Industrial Development
• Location


  The Philippines is located in South-east Asia, on the eastern rim of the Asiatic Mediterranean
• Specific Location


  The Philippines lies between 4º 23' and 21º 25' north latitude and between 116º 00' and 127º 00" east longitude
• Asian countries north of the Philippines

  • Taiwan
  • China
  • Japan
• Asian countries west of the Philippines

  • Vietnam
  • Laos
  • Cambodia
  • Thailand
  • Malaysia
  • Myanmar
• Asian countries south of the Philippines

  • Brunei Darussalam
  • Indonesia
  • East Timor (Timor Leste)
• Y'Ami (Amianan) Island


  The northernmost island, only some 97 kms from Taiwan
• Saluag Island


  The southernmost island of the Sibutu group
• Omapoy Island


  The nearest to Borneo, only some 32 kms from the northeastern coast of North Borneo or Sabah
• Significance of the Location

  • Nearness to mainland Asia led to migration
  • Proximity to other Asian countries enabled trade contacts
  • Nearness to Spice Islands resulted in Spanish arrival
  • Strategic location led to US colonization
  • Important part of trade and travel in Asia
• Size


  The Philippines is an archipelago of about 7,641 islands, covering a total area (including inland bodies of water) of about 300,000 square kilometers or 299,764 sq. kilometers (115,831 sq mi)
• The three island groups

  • Luzon - 141,395 sq km
  • Mindanao - 101,999 sq km
  • Visayas
• Shape


  The Philippines has an elongated and fragmented shape
• Disadvantages of fragmented shape

  • Difficult to construct continuous network of roads
  • Difficult to attain national unity and solidarity
• Advantages of fragmented shape


  • Long coastline provides fishing grounds, harbors, beaches, and milder climate
• Climate


  Tropical and maritime, characterized by high temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall
• Types of climate in the Philippines

  • Tropical rainforest
  • Tropical monsoon
  • Tropical savanna
  • Humid subtropical
  • Oceanic
• Seasons


  Wet season and dry season, based on rainfall
• Rainfall


  Varies by region due to topography and wind systems
• Rainfall patterns


  • Northeast-monsoon rains (January-May, June-September, October-December)
  • Wettest months (July and August)
  • Driest and warmest months (February-May)
• Average annual rainfall


  Approximately 2,348 millimeters, varying from 960 mm in southeast Mindanao to over 4,050 mm in central Luzon
• Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)


  A band of clouds consisting of showers and occasional thunderstorms that encircles the globe near the equator
• Typhoons

  It is formed in the region of Marianas and Caroline Islands of the Pacific Ocean which is the same latitude as Mindanao.