Interesting facts about Philippines

Listed are the 50 most interesting facts about the Philippines (THE LARGEST, SMALLEST, BIGGEST, HEAVIEST and many others…

1. The world’s longest snake and longest reptile which can be found in the Philippines and nearby areas is the Reticulated Python (Python reticulatus). Adults grow to a maximum of over 28 feet or 8.7 meters in length.

2. The extremely venomous Faint-banded Sea Snake is the most toxic snake in the world. It can be found in the waters of Visayas and Panay areas in the Philippines, New Guinea, Australia, Solomon Islands, Gulf of Thailand and Timor Sea.

3. The Philippine Mouse Deer (Tragalus nigricans) of Balabac Island in Palawan is the world’s smallest hoofed animal. It is locally known as Pilandok and stands only about 40 centimeters at the shoulder level.

4. A shell called Glory of the Sea (Connus gloriamaris) that is found in the Philippines is considered as one of the most expensive shells in the world.

5.The largest eagle in the world is the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi). It is formerly known as Monkey-eating Eagle.

6. The Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta) is considered as the world’s smallest primate. It measures only about twelve centimeters in length. Its two big eyes cannot move and do not have a tapetum – the upper protective tissue.

7. The Saltwater Crocodile (Crocodylus porosus), which can be found in the Philippines and nearby countries, is considered as the world’s largest reptile.

8. The Dwarf Goby (Pandaka pygmaea) is the world’s second smallest freshwater fish. It measures 1.2 centimeters or less than half of an inch, the 2nd tiniest known vertebrate.

9. The Philippines has the most numerous species of birds and butterflies in the world.

10. Fish species found in Philippine waters is the most diverse in the world.

11. The world’s smallest commercial fish is “Sinarapan” (Mistichthys luzonensis). It can only be found in Lakes Bato and Buhi in Camarines Sur. It grows to an average length of 1.25 centimeters, only slightly longer than the Dwarf Goby.

12. The largest bat in the world is the Giant Golden-crowned Flying-fox (Acerodon jubatus). It is a rare and endangered fruit bat that can be found only in the Philippines. It has a wing span of at least 1.5 m (5 ft) and weighs approximately 1.2 kg (3 lbs) and is also known as the Golden-capped Fruit Bat.

13. The world’s tiniest shell and can be found under Philippine waters is the Pisidum. It measures less than 1 millimeter long.

14. The Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) found off the shores of the Philippines is the largest living bivalve mollusk and can weigh more than 200 kilograms (440 pounds), measure as much as 1.2 meters (4 feet) across and have an average lifespan in the wild of 100 years or more.

15. An endangered flower, locally named as “Uruy”, (Rafflesia sp.) has no stem and leaves is one of the largest flowers in the world. It measures about 22 inches in diameter. It can be found in Sibalom National Park in Antique province and other places in Southeast Asia.

16. The Philippines is the world’s number one producer of coconut. Likewise, the Philippines is one of the largest exporter of tropical fruits.

17. The sweetest mango can be found in the Philippines.

18. The largest Pineapple was harvested in one of the largest plantation in southern Philippines.

19. The Philippines is the only Christian nation in Asia.

20. The third largest English-speaking country in the world is the Philippines.

21. Mount Pinatubo’s eruption in the Philippines on June 15, 1991 created one of the world’s largest mushroom clouds. The effects of the eruption were felt worldwide. It ejected roughly 10 billion metric tons of magma, and 20 million tons of SO2, bringing vast quantities of minerals and metals to the surface environment. It injected large amounts of aerosols into the stratosphere -more than any eruption since that of Krakatoa in 1883.

22. The largest province in the Philippines is Palawan followed by Isabela. Palawan is considered as the largest province in the country. It has a total land area of 14,896.3 square kilometers distributed in 1,769 islands. The next largest province is Isabela, with a land area of 10,664 square kilometers.

23. The smallest province is Batanes, the northernmost part of the Philippine archipelago with only a total land area of 209 square kilometers.

24. The town of Kalayaan, a group of small islands in South China Sea west of Palawan province, had the smallest population among municipalities at 223.

25. The world’s longest navigable underground river is Puerto Princesa Subterranean River found in Palawan. It features a limestone karst mountain landscape with an 8.2 km. navigable underground river. A distinguishing feature of the river is that it winds through a cave before flowing directly into the South China Sea.

26. At 115, 739 sq. mi, the Philippines is larger than Laos and Cambodia but slightly smaller than Japan and Spain.

27. The largest falls in the Philippines is Maria Cristina Falls in Lanao Del Norte located in the southern part of the country.

28. The largest lake in the Philippines which measures 900 sq km is Laguna de Bay. It is located between the provinces of Rizal and Laguna.

29. Three of the world’s most famous and finest beaches in the world located in the Philippines include Boracay, Dakak and Siargao.

30. Taal Volcano, located in Taal Lake, is a volcano in a volcano. It is considered by many as the world’s most active volcano.

31. Three of the worlds’ top ten largest malls are located in the Philippines; SM City North EDSA in Quezon City with an area of 460,000 m² (4.74 million sq ft), SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City with an area of 410,000 m² (4.67 million sq ft) and SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City with an area of 348,000 m² (3.75 million sq ft). SM City North Edsa is the world’s 2nd largest mall.

32. The Largest pearl ever found is named “Pearl of Allah” or “Pearl of Lao-Tzu”. This was found by Filipino diver in a giant Tridacna in the Palawan Sea in 1934. The Pearl weighs 40 pounds and worth approximately $ 40 USA.

33. “The Harvest” by miniaturist Norris Castillo created what is perhaps the smallest piece of painting in the country. This oil-on-canvas painting measures 1/4 inches in width and 3/8 inches in length. It is now exhibited at the National Museum.

34. The northernmost island of the Philippines is Y’ami (Mavudis) Island, which is 190 km away from Taiwan.

35. Its southernmost island is Saluag Island, which is 43.3 kilometers east of Borneo.

The westernmost part of the Philippines is Palawan and the easternmost is Davao Oriental.

36. The Philippines and Taiwan is separated by the Bashi Channel in the north and separated with Borneo by the Celebes Sea in the south.

37. The Philippines has the world’s longest discontinuous coastline (34,600 km.).

38. The Philippines has 7,107 islands but only approximately 1,000 of its islands are populated.

39. Cagayan River or Magat River is the longest river in the Philippines.

40. Mt Apo in Mindanao at 2,954 meters or 9,691 ft is the highest point in the Philippines.

41. On the opposite, the lowest point in the Philippines is the Philippine Trench. Its deepest point, the Galathea Depth, has a depth of 10,540 meters (5,763 fathoms or 34,580 feet).

42. Davao City, with an area of 2,212 sq km, in southern Philippines is regarded as one of the world’s largest cities. Most of these areas, however, are distributed as forests, coconut groves and rice fields. In comparison, New York, the largest city in the United States, has an area of only 787 square kilometers while the whole of Metro Manila covers only 636 square kilometers.

43. The world’s largest pair of shoes, each measuring 5.5 meters long, 2.25 meters wide and 1.83 meters high can be found in Marikina City. The heel alone measures 41 centimeters or 16 inches. The P2-million shoes can reportedly fit to a 37.5-meter or 125-foot giant. Around 30 people could put their feet into the colossal shoes simultaneously.

44. San Fernando City in Pampanga province created in 2002 the world’s largest Christmas lantern – a P5-million structure with 26.8 meters in diameter.

45. The world’s largest Catholic university located in one campus in terms of student population is the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in Manila. It is an academic institution founded by the Dominicans. It is 25 years older than the oldest university n the US – the Harvard University.

46. The bamboo organ at St. Joseph Church in Las Pinas City is arguably the world’s largest bamboo organ. The centuries-old musical instrument was constructed between 1792 and 1819. It has 174 bamboo pipes, 122 horizontal reeds of soft metal, a five-octave keyboard, and 22 stops arranged in vertical rows.

47. The world’s largest high school in terms of student population is Rizal High School in Caniogan, Pasig City. The school has more than 20,000 students. Graduation rites are conducted 5 times and that means the class valedictorian has to deliver his/her valedictory address 5 times also.

48. The Philippines’ oldest city is Cebu City – the queen city of the south.

49. The residents of Baguio City took pride in having tossed what was believed to be the world’s largest salad – a three-ton mix of assorted vegetables.

50. The longest bridge in the Philippines is San Juanico Bridge located in San Juanico Strait. This bridge connects the islands of Samar and Leyte in the Visayas.

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