Agriculture

Barangays

Mt. Pinatubo

Map courtesy of www.theodora.com/maps Used with permission.

The Republic of the Philippines, in Southeast Asia, stretches over a thousand miles along an archipelago formed by centuries of volcanic activity. The surrounding waters include the Philippine Sea, the South China Sea, the Celebes Sea, the Sulu Sea, and the Strait of Luzon. China and Taiwan lie to the north, Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia to the west, Indonesia to the south, and, 5000 miles to the east, Hawaii.

Agriculture
Over 7000 islands constitute the country, with 11 main islands comprising 95% of its total landmass. A population of over 80 million inhabits an area slightly larger than the state of Arizona. The mountainous terrain has been extensively terraced to facilitate agriculture.

Barangays
Geographically the islands are divided into three regions: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Manila, the capital city, lies in Luzon and is the heart of a larger urban area called Metro Manila. Administratively there are fifteen regions, subdivided into provinces, cities, and barangays. Barangays, the smallest political unit in the Philippines, are roughly the equivalent of townships in the US.

The Philippines’ tropical climate offers two seasons: wet and dry. About 80 inches of rain fall annually. Average temperatures range from 75F (24C) to 87F (31C). Monsoons and tradewinds influence the islands’ weather patterns, and the area is subject to typhoons, landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes.

Mt. Pinatubo
The Mayon volcano on the Bicol Peninsula has a classic cone shape—some say it is the most perfect such cone in the world, surpassing even Mt. Edgecumbe in Alaska and Mt. Fuji in Japan. Mayon has erupted 47 times since 1616, making it the most active volcano in the Philippines. Mt. Pinatubo, on the island of Luzon, erupted in June 1991 for the first time in 460 years. The explosion caused extensive damage and loss of life. SEND missionaries were involved in relief work following the eruption.

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