Читать книгу Journey Through the Philippines - Kiki Deere - Страница 12

WONDERS OF NATURE

A SPECTACULAR NATURAL DIVERSITY, NOW UNDER THREAT

Comprising over 7,000 islands with a complex geological history, the Philippines is home to some of the world’s most spectacular wonders of nature. The diversity of the country is astounding: active volcanoes, limestone formations, white-sand beaches, coral reefs teeming with marine life, jungle-clad peaks, age-old rice terraces—the list goes on.

The Philippines has a plethora of unique biodiversity, with hundreds of endemic species of plants, mammals and birds such as the Philippine Eagle. Once carpeted

in lush rainforest, the archipelago is today one of the world’s most threatened hotspots, with less than 10 percent of original forest remaining. Lying between the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, the country is located on the volcanic Ring of Fire. With over 20 active volcanoes, Mount Mayon in southern Luzon is the most active of all. The Cordillera highlands in northern Luzon rise to about 9,020 feet (2,750m) and, along with the province of Mindanao in the south, have rainforests that are home to dozens of tribal groups.