In the Philippine archipelago, which has about 7,641 islands, the Philippines claim about 7,641 of them. People live on only about 2,000 islands, and the Republic as a whole is thought to have a population of 100 million. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines are three main groups of islands: Luzon, Mindanao, and the Visayas.
The Philippines shares water borders with Indonesia, Taiwan, Palau, Vietnam, and Malaysia.
Largest Islands of the Philippines
1. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Bohol
The island is the main island of the province of Bohol. It is in the southern part of the Visayas region. Bohol is the tenth largest island in the Philippines. It is 3,269 km2 in size.
The island is known for the Chocolate Hills, which are a unique geological formation. This natural wonder is a National Geological Monument and draws people from all over the country and the world. The Philippine Tarsier, a small primate that only lives in the Philippines, is another thing to see in Bohol.
2. Ifugao Rice Terraces
The Ifugao Rice Terraces are another example of the beautiful scenery you can find all over the Philippines. Since thousands of years ago, rice has been grown on terraced fields in the hills of the Ifugao province. The rice terraces are not only beautiful to look at, but they also show how industry and nature can work together.
3. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Cebu
Cebu Island is the largest island in the Visayas region and is called the “Queen of the South.” It is also the 126th largest island on Earth. From top to bottom, this sunny island is more than 120 miles long and has a lot to offer: dramatic coastlines, beautiful beaches, limestone hills, and beautiful coral atolls just off the coast.
The tropical island of Cebu is home to more than 3.5 million people. It has large areas of development, especially in and around Cebu City, which has an interesting mix of Spanish colonial and modern history. The rest of the island is mostly undeveloped. Cebu island and hundreds of smaller islands make up the province of Cebu, which was once the country’s capital in the 17th century.
4. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Leyte
Leyte is a Philippine island in the Visayas group. The island is split into two provinces for political purposes: (Northern) Leyte and Southern Leyte. Southern Leyte Province is made up of the island of Panaon, which is to the south of it. Biliran Island is north of Leyte Island. It used to be a part of Leyte, but now it is its province, called Biliran Province. The two biggest cities on Leyte are Tacloban City, which is on the island’s east coast at the northwest corner of Leyte Gulf, and Ormoc City, which is on the island’s west coast.
The geothermal electric power plants near Ormoc are a big deal in Leyte today. But Leyte is best known for its role in World War II’s retaking of the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur came ashore on Leyte on October 20, 1944, and said, “I have returned.” But the Japanese didn’t give up so easily, as the Battle of Leyte showed. When naval forces met in the Gulf of Leyte, the largest naval battle in history took place over four days.
5. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Soils
Alluvial plains and terraces on the islands of Luzon and Mindoro have dark black clays that break apart and younger soils that are great for growing rice. Most of the land in the hilly and mountainous areas is made up of moist, rich soils with a lot of volcanic ash, which is good for growing fruit trees and pineapples. In the peat-like areas, oil palms, vegetables, and other crops are grown, as well as in the younger, sand-based soils of the coastal plains, marshes, and lake areas.
Coffee, bananas, and other crops are grown in the Bicol Peninsula, most of the Visayas, and the northwest tip of Luzon, where the land is hilly and the soil is dark, organic, and full of minerals. Soils that are highly weathered and often red or yellow are common in the central and southern Philippines. These soils are often used to grow cassava (manioc) and sugarcane, and they also support forests that can be cut down for wood.
Palawan and the eastern mountains of Luzon have poor soils that have been washed away by rain. They are mostly covered with shrubs, bushes, and other secondary plants that grow in places where the original forest cover has been removed.
6. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Mindoro
The island of Mindoro is the seventh largest in the Philippines. It is between the islands of Luzon and Palawan. The island has a total land area of 10,572 km2. It is split into two provinces: Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro.
White Beach is in the town of Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro. Many Filipinos from Metro Manila like to go there on the weekends because it is close to Luzon. Mindoro is also known for the tamaraw, a water buffalo-like animal that only lives on the island. It is now thought to be on the verge of extinction.
7. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Panay
The island of Panay is the most western of the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines. It is shaped like a triangle. It has nearly 4.5 million people, making it the fourth most populated island in the huge group of islands. To put it in perspective, that’s 4.4% of the total population of the country.
Even though Panay Island is beautiful and has many mysterious caves and rivers, it is often only used as a way to get to the more popular Boracay and its famous White Beach.
8. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Manila
Manila is the capital city of the country. It is known as the “Pearl of the Orient.” This busy, old city is full of places to see and things to do, like museums, parks, theaters, shopping malls, and lots of restaurants. The Philippines is becoming a popular place for foodies to visit, and Manila is known for its wide range of cuisines and street food markets, such as the Legazpi Sunday Market, Quiapo Market, and Binondo, the Philippines’ own Chinatown.
9. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Palawan
Palawan Island is the biggest island in the Philippines’ Palawan Province. The island’s northern coast is on the South China Sea, and its southern coast is part of the northern edge of the Sulu Sea. This island is very traditional and hasn’t changed much. Many people visit places with lots of wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sand beaches. National Geographic Traveler magazine named Palawan, the only Philippine island mentioned, the best place to visit on an island in East and Southeast Asia in 2007 and the 13th best island in the world “beautiful seascapes and landscapes made by nature.
One of the most biologically diverse islands in the Philippines, both on land and in the water. Since the early 1990s, the island has been a Biosphere Reserve, which shows that people there care about conservation and sustainable development “. On the island is Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, one of the seven places where the Bureau of Corrections works. In April 2013, a fishing boat full of animals that had been taken illegally ran aground on a coral atoll near Palawan Island.
10. The Chocolate Hills
The famous Chocolate Hills on the island of Bohol look like they came from another world because they seem to fall one after another as far as the eye can see. The beautiful landscape is made up of natural features that slowly formed over millions of years. People say that in the summer when the more than 1,200 rounded and pointed mounds aren’t covered in green plants, they look like, you guessed it, chocolate. The Chocolate Hills are so beautiful that the Philippines has made them a National Geological Monument.
11. Negros
Negros is an island that was made on May 29, 2015, and it is 5,139 square miles in size. Most of the 4,414,131 people who live in Negros are also from Negros. Negros is close to the Visayan Sea, the Bohol Sea, the Sulu Sea, the Panay Gulf, the Guimaras Strait, and the Taon Strait. The Kanlaon Volcano, which is still active, is the highest point on the island. Electricity is made on the island by using the power of its volcanoes.
The city of Bacolod and the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental make up the island. The island’s main source of income is the production of sugar, as well as the production of hardwood, cotton, and gamefowl.
12. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Samar
Samar Island is the most easterly of the Visayas islands in the central Philippines. It is surrounded by the Samar Sea, the Philippine Sea, and the San Bernardino Strait.
Samar Island is made up of at least three provinces and is connected to Leyte by the San Juanico Strait. About a third of its land is protected by Samar Island Natural Park, which is the Philippines’ largest connected area of old-growth forest. Even though it doesn’t have the famous mountains that the rest of the island chain is known for, it is still mostly hilly with beautiful coastal plains and floodlands.
13. Mindanao
Mindanao is an island that is about 37,657 square miles in size. Most of the island is made up of mountains, and Mount Apo, which is 9,692 feet above sea level, is the tallest mountain in the country. Mindanao is in the Philippines. It is north of the Mindanao Sea, east of the Philippine Sea, west of the Sulu Sea, and south of the Celebes Sea. Some of the islands that make up the larger group of Mindanao islands are Sulu, Samal, Basilan, and Dinagat.
Mindanao is home to about 21,968,174 people, and Davao City is where most of them live. Mindanao makes up 14% of the country’s GDP, and its main economic sectors are farming, fishing, manufacturing, service, and forestry.
14. Calauit Island
The water around Calauit Island is known for being very clear, and eco-tourists can swim with dugongs there. People think that stories about mermaids came from these animals, which are related to manatees. Locals on Calauit Island lead tours that are good for the environment and teach tourists about dugongs and what they can do to help them stay alive.
15. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Luzon
Luzon is the biggest island in the Philippines. It has a land area of 104,688 km2. Luzon is the largest island in the Luzon group of islands. It is in the north of the archipelago. There are 30 provinces of the Philippines on the island of Luzon. The capital city of the country, Manila, is also here.
The Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay is one of the most impressive sights on the island. It is an active volcano that is known for its perfect cone shape. Luzon is also home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Hispanic Town of Vigan in the province of Ilocos Sur and the Rice Terraces in Batad and Bangaan in the region of Ifugao. The Walled City of Intramuros in the capital city of Manila and the town of Donsol in the province of Sorsogon, which is known as the best place to swim with whale sharks, are also popular destinations.
16. 1st Largest Island in The Philippines: Land
The Philippine Sea is to the east, the Celebes Sea is to the south, the Sulu Sea is to the southwest, and the South China Sea is to the north and west. The islands are spread out in the shape of a triangle, with the Batan Islands to the north of Luzon making up the triangle’s point. The islands south of Palawan, the Sulu Archipelago, and the island of Mindanao make up the triangle’s base from west to east. In the past, it was thought that the archipelago had a total of 7,107 islands, but in 2016, the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority of the Philippines announced that more than 500 islands had been found that had never been seen before.
From north to south, the archipelago is about 1,150 miles (1,850 km) long, and at its southern base, it is about 700 miles (1,100 km) wide from east to west (1,130 km). The island of Taiwan is north of the Batan group, the Malaysian part of the island of Borneo is south of Palawan, and the eastern islands of Indonesia are south and southeast of Mindanao. Only about two-fifths of the islands and islets have names, and only about 350 of them are bigger than 1 square mile (2.6 square km).
There are three groups of big islands: (1) the Luzon group, which is in the north and west and includes Luzon, Mindoro, and Palawan; (2) the Visayas group, which is in the middle and includes Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, and Samar; and (3) Mindanao, which is in the south.
17. Vigan
Vigan is on the western coast of the island of Luzon, close to Manila. It was built when Spain ruled the Philippines. Historic Vigan is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has unique buildings and cobblestone streets that show a mix of Asian and European styles.
18. Parks in the U.S.
There are more than 30 national parks in the Philippines. Some of the best ones are Calauit Safari Park, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Aurora Memorial National Park, Biak-na-Bato National Park, Caramoan Peninsula National Park, Libmanan Caves National Park, Mounts Iglit–Baco National Park, Fuyot Springs National Park, and Minalungao National Park. Some of the things you can do in the parks are zip lining, boating, camping, hiking, river cruising, looking for wildlife, snorkeling, kayaking, and paddling a kayak.
19. Masbate Island (3,268 km²)
20. Catanduanes Island (1,523 km²)
21. Basilan Island (1,265 km²)
22. Marinduque Island (920 km²)
23. Busuanga Island (890 km²)
24. Jolo Island (869 km²)
25. Dinagat Island (769 km²)
26. Polilio Island (629 km²)
27. Tawi-Tawi Island (581 km²)
28. Guimaras Island (560 km²)
Tourism In The Philippine Islands
The country’s many islands give the region’s plants and animals a lot of variety. 4.27 million tourists came to the country in 2012. The islands have beaches, mountains, rainforests, and some of the most popular diving spots in the world. The many islands of the Philippine archipelago are also home to a lot of history and culture.
Conclusion
Pinas Muna is proud to say that after a weekend trip to Puerto Galera on January 5 and 6, 2013, it has finally been to all of the Top 10 Largest Islands in the Philippines. If you want to learn more about the Philippines, these ten islands are a good place to start.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the 2nd largest island in the Philippines?
Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon. It is in the south of the archipelago, between the Bohol, Philippine, Celebes, and Sulu seas.
What are the 3 biggest islands in the Philippines?
There are three main island groups in the Philippines: Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao are both named after the biggest island in their groups. The Visayas, which are also called the Visayan Islands, are a group of islands that are joined together.
What are the two 2 biggest islands of the current Philippines?
Manila is the capital, but Quezon City, which is close by, is the most populated city in the country. Both are in Metro Manila, which is part of the National Capital Region and is on Luzon, the largest island. Mindanao is in the southeast of the Philippines. It is the second largest island in the country.
What is the 4th largest island in the Philippines?
Negros is the fourth largest island in the Philippines and has the third most people living on it. It has a total land area of 13,309 km2 (5,139 sq mi). Negros is an island in the Visayas, which are in the middle of the country.
What is the 7th largest island in the Philippines?
#7: The Island of Mindoro The island of Mindoro is the seventh largest in the Philippines. It is between the islands of Luzon and Palawan. The island has a total land area of 10,572 km2. It is split into two provinces: Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro.
What is the oldest city in the Philippines?
Cebu City, which is 365 miles south of Manila, is the capital of the province of Cebu Island. Cebu is the Philippines’ oldest city and first capital. It has a population of 2.5 million people.
What is the biggest and largest island in the Philippines?
Luzon, which is about 105,000 square kilometers, is the biggest of these islands (40,541 sq mi). Mindanao, which is about 95,000 square kilometers, is the next largest island (36,680 sq mi).
What is the Philippines best known for?
People know that the Philippines has a lot of beautiful beaches and tasty fruit. The group of islands is in Southeast Asia, and they were named for Spain’s King Philip II.
Which country has the most islands?
The website worldatlas.com says that Sweden has the most islands in the world, with 221,800. Most of these islands are uninhabited, though. Even Stockholm, the capital, is built on a group of 14 islands connected by more than 50 bridges.
What is the Philippines’ nickname?
The Philippines are known as the Pearl of the Orient or the Pearl of the Orient Seas. In Spanish, these names are written as Perla de Oriente and Perla del mar de Oriente.
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