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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of Vietnam
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Geographic coordinates:
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13 00 N, 122 00 E
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Map references:
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southeast asia
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Area:
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total: 300,000 sq km
water: 1,830 sq km
land: 298,170 sq km
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Area - comparative:
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slightly larger than Arizona
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Land boundaries:
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0 km
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Coastline:
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36,289 km
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: irregular polygon extending up to 100 nm from coastline as defined by 1898 treaty; since late 1970s has also claimed polygonal-shaped area in South China Sea up to 285 nm in breadth
continental shelf: to depth of exploitation
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
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Climate:
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tropical marine; northeast monsoon (November to April); southwest monsoon (May to October)
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Terrain:
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mostly mountains with narrow to extensive coastal lowlands
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Philippine Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Apo 2,954 m
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Natural resources:
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timber, petroleum, nickel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper
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Land use:
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arable land: 18.95%
permanent crops: 16.77%
other: 64.28% (2001)
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Irrigated land:
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15,500 sq km (1998 est.)
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Natural hazards:
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astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
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Environment - current issues:
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uncontrolled deforestation especially in watershed areas; soil erosion; air and water pollution in major urban centers; coral reef degradation; increasing pollution of coastal mangrove swamps that are important fish breeding grounds
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants
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Geography - note:
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favorably located in relation to many of Southeast Asia's main water bodies: the South China Sea, Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, and Luzon Strait
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