A perilous geographic situation

Lying on the Ring of Fire, the Philippines are islands that are volcanic in origin; at least 20 volcanoes in the country are active. The best known of these is Mount Pinatubo, which became active in 1991 after 600 years of dormancy. The effects of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption were felt for several years in the entire Northern hemisphere, as it caused a drop in temperature of 0.2°C to 0.3°C.

Located in the tropical zone, the Philippines have serious meteorological problems. Annual precipitation can reach 2033 mm. The rainy season, which lasts from May until November, also announces the arrival of typhoons. The Philippines were hit by more than 75 typhoons between 1986 and 1995, which killed 12,460 people. In addition, the number of storms has been increasing in the last few years, a phenomenon that can be attributed to global warming.

The city and its shantytowns

Attracted by the promise of work, rural Filipinos flock to the shantytowns (see suburbs) surrounding big cities like Manila. As Manila is situated on the ocean, its inhabitants are therefore more vulnerable to tropical storms. It is also quite common for people who make their living from garbage picking to die in garbage landslides.

About the Philippines

Philippines (Wikipedia)

Philippines (Encarta)

Philippines (GESource World Guide)

Maps

Map of the Philippine archipelago

Blank outline map of the world (Word or PDF)

Blank outline map of Asia

Blank outline map of the Philippines