Читать книгу Beautiful Philippines: A Handbook of General Information - Philippine Islands. Commission of Independence - Страница 8
ОглавлениеV. Geographical Items of Interest
The Philippine Archipelago is entirely in the Tropics. They lie north of the Dutch and British Island of Borneo and the Dutch Island of Celebes; South of the Japanese Island of Formosa; East of French Indo-China, and Southeast of Hongkong and the Southern provinces of China.
Number of Islands There are 7,083 islands in all extending 1,152 statute miles from north to south and 688 statute miles from east to west. Two thousand four hundred and forty-one of the Islands have names, while 4,642 are unnamed. The northernmost Island known as Y’Ami Island is 65 miles from Formosa while the southernmost, called Salwag, 4° 40′ from the Equator, is only 30 miles east of Borneo.
Total Land Area The total land area of the entire archipelago is approximately 115,000 square miles. This is in excess of the combined areas of the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware; only about 7,000 square miles less than the total area of the British Isles; about 5,000 square miles more than the total area of Italy; and about two-thirds the size of Spain. Luzon Island alone which is the largest is as large as Denmark, Belgium, and Holland combined. It contains 46,969 square miles. Mindanao, the second largest, is about equal in area to Portugal. Ten islands contain more than 10,000 square miles each or 6,400,000 acres; while 20 of the islands have between 100 and 1,000 square miles each. About seven-eighths of the total number of islands composing the Archipelago contain less than 1 square mile each.
Bays and Straits There are twenty-one fine harbors and eight land-locked straits. Manila Bay with an area of 770 square miles and a circumference of 120 miles is reputed to be the finest in the Far East. It is said that it can accommodate the entire fleet of the world. It is a roadstead, in all parts of which vessels can anchor. Manila, Cebu, Iloilo, Zamboanga, and Jolo are at present the ports of entry.
The interisland waters are shallow, averaging between seventy-five and five hundred fathoms.
Mountains There are at least seven principal mountain ranges and twenty more or less active volcanoes. Mount Apo in Mindanao is the highest being 9,610 feet. Canlaon in Negros is second with 7,995 feet; Mayon in Albay third, with 7,943 feet.
Rivers Nearly all the principal islands have important river systems. In Luzon are the Rio Grande de Cagayan, 220 miles long, which drains 16,000 square miles of territory, the Rio Grande de Pampanga, emptying into Manila Bay through a dozen mouths, the Agno, the Abra, Bued, and the more familiar Pasig. The Rio Grande de Mindanao, 330 miles long, is the largest in the Islands, and the Agusan, also in Mindanao, is the third in size. Mindoro has 60 rivers and Samar, 26. In Panay, are the Jalaud and Panay and in Negros the Danao and the Lanao. Inter-island steamers berth in the Pasig as far as the Jones Bridge. The larger rivers, in addition to being navigable for steamers and launches of light draft for distances of from 20 to 200 miles, could furnish abundant water power for manufacturing purposes.
Lakes Mindanao, especially the basin of the Agusan, has a vast number of lakes, among them the famous lakes Lanao, Mainit, and Lagusan. Laguna de Bay, near Manila, Lake Naujan in Mindoro, Taal, and Bombon lakes in Batangas, and Lake Bito in Leyte are also noted for size and beauty.
Falls The Falls of Pagsanjan and the Botocan at Majayjay, in Laguna Province; the Maria Cristina, the Pigduktan, and Kalilokan, in Mindanao, are the largest and most beautiful.
Mineral Springs Some 170 or more medico-mineral springs, hot and cold, are known in the Islands, many rivaling the most famous of Europe and America. Near Manila are those of Los Baños, Sibul, Lemery, Tivi, and Marilao.
Climate Father Algué, the world famous Director of the Weather Bureau, divides the climate into three types, the classification being based on distance above sea level and exposure to ocean breezes.
November, December, January, and February are the temperate months. The mean average temperature at this season is about 77° to 79° Fahrenheit. In April, May, and June, the hot months, the mean average is between 83° and 84°. In other months it is about 80°. The nights are seldom unpleasantly hot even in the hot season, and a temperature of 100° is a rarity in Manila. The mountain regions of the north are cool as September in the temperate zone. The mean average maximum for Baguio is 80° and the minimum 53°. Far south, nearer the equator, in some localities it is hotter; but Zamboanga and the Provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao boast a most agreeable and healthful climate.
The climate is thus mildly tropical. Sunstrokes are unknown. The recorded death rate per 1,000 whites in Manila for 1917 was 8.8, as compared with 16.5 for New York, 15 for San Francisco, 14 for Chicago, 18 for Glasgow, and 22 for Belfast.
DIFFERENCES IN TIME
| Manila is in advance of: | |
| London | 8 hours and 3 minutes. |
| New York | 12 hours and 59 minutes. |
| San Francisco | 16 hours and 11 minutes. |
| Washington | 13 hours. |
COMPARATIVE AREAS
| Sq. Miles | |
| Philippines | 114,400 |
| British Isles | 121,438 |
| New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware | 104,970 |
| Japan | 147,698 |
| Hungary | 125,641 |
| Italy | 110,660 |
| Norway | 124,675 |
RAINFALL
Maximum days of rain in July, August, September.
Minimum days of rain in February and March.
Dry Season: November to May, inclusive.
Wet Season: June to October, inclusive.
Typhoons: Frequent in July, August, September, and October.
The lowest average rainfall for the last twelve years for the whole Archipelago was 60.73 inches in the driest region, the highest, 125.68, in the wettest. Manila’s average was 75.46.
