The 7,107 islands of the Philippines cover a combined area of 115,830 square miles (300,000 square kilometers), but the islands are spread over a much larger territory. Most of the population lives on 11 main islands, of which Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are the largest. Many islands are mountainous, and there is potential for volcanic and earthquake activity throughout the country.
The climate is generally tropical and humid. The Luzon highlands, near Baguio, have a mild climate with low humidity. More than one-fourth of the country's fertile soil is under cultivation. About 25 percent of the land is covered with forests (down from 40 percent a decade ago). The rainy season extends from June to October. Typhoons are likely from June to November, but they may occur during any season because the Philippines is in the typhoon belt.
