Top Biggest Islands in the Philippines

There are 7,107 islands in the Philippines. Here are the top 10 islands that is the biggest in the Islandic Philippine Archipelago Islands.

Top 1 - Luzon Island
Area in sq. km. - 109,965 Luzon  is the largest  island  in the  Philippines. It is located in the northernmost region of the  archipelago, and is also the  name of one of the three primary island groups in the country. Luzon as an island group includes Luzon proper, the  Batanes  and  Babuyan  groups of islands to the north, and the outlying islands of Catanduanes ,  Marinduque ,  Masbate ,  Romblon  and  Mindoro. Luzon is the economic and political center of the Philippines, being home to the country's capital city,  Manila, and about half of the country's population. It is one of the most populated islands in the world, only behind  Java ,  Honshu  and  Great Britain. It has a similar population size to  Sumatra  but much smaller area.

Top 2 - Mindanao Island
Area in sq. km. - 97,530 Mindanao is the second largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country consisting of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. Davao City is the largest city in Mindanao. Mindanao is the only geographical area of the Philippines with a significantly large Muslimpresence. Due to widespread poverty and religious differences, the island has seen a communist insurgency as well as armed Moro separatist movements. Mindanao, about the same area as South Korea, is considered the agricultural basin of the Philippines. Eight of the top 10 agri-commodities exported from the Philippines come from here.

Top 3 - Negros Island
Area in sq. km. - 13,084 Negros is an island of the Philippines located in the Visayas. It is the third largest island in the country, with a land area of 13,328 square kilometres (5,146 sq mi). Inhabitants of the island are called Negrenses.





Top 4  - Samar Island
 ​Area in sq. km. - 12,849 Samar is an island in the Visayas, within the central Philippines. The island is divided into three provinces: Samar province (the Mainland of Samar), Northern Samar province, and Eastern Samar province. These three provinces, along with the provinces on the nearby islands of Leyte and Biliran are part of the Eastern Visayas region. It is the third largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon and Mindanao. Samar is the easternmost island in the Visayas. The island is separated from Leyte by the San Juanico Strait, which at its narrowest point is only about two kilometers across. This strait is crossed by the San Juanico Bridge. Samar lies southeast of the Bicol Peninsula on Luzon, the country's largest island; the San Bernardino Strait separates the two. To the south of Samar is the Leyte Gulf, the site of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the most decisive naval battles during the Second World War. The gulf opens out into the Philippine Sea, found to the east of Samar and is part of the Pacific Ocean.

Top 5 - The Palawan
Area in sq. km. - 12,189  Palawan Island is the largest island of the Palawan Province, Philippines. The northern coast of the island is along the South China Sea, while the southern coast forms part of the northern limit of the Sulu Sea. This island is very undeveloped and traditional. Abundant wildlife, jungle mountains, and white sandy beaches attract many tourists. Palawan, the only Philippine island cited, is rated by  National Geographic Traveler magazine as the best island destination in  East  and  Southeast Asia  region in 2007, and the 13th best island in the world having  ''"incredibly beautiful natural seascapes and landscapes. One of the most biodiverse (terrestrial and marine) islands in the Philippines. The island has had a Biosphere Reserve status since early 1990s, showing local interest for conservation and sustainable development". ''Iwahig Prison and Penal Farm, one of seven operating units of the  Bureau of Corrections , is located on the island. In April 2013, a fishing vessel loaded with illegally poached animals ran aground on a coral atoll off the coast of Palawan Island.

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​Area in sq. km. - 12,011  Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into four provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, andIloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoroand northwest of Negros, separated by the Guimaras Strait. Between Negros and Panay Island lie the island-province of Guimaras. To the north is the Sibuyan Sea and the islands of Romblon; to the southwest is the Sulu Sea and the Panay Gulf. The island has many rivers including Akean, Halaur River, Banica, Iloilo, and Panay. Panay was the seat of the ancient Confederation of Madja-as—the first pre-Hispanic Philippine state within the Visayas islands region, and the second Srivijayan colony in the Philippine Archipelago, next to the Sulu Archipelago. It was established by nine rebel datus or high officials connected with the court of Brunei, who were forced to leave that country on account of enmity of the Rajah at that time ruling the land. The datus, together with their wives and children, as well as few faithful servants and followers were secretly escorted out of the country by the Rajah's Chief Minister, whose name was Datu Puti. The local folklore says that the name of the Bornean Rajah was Makatunao. They embarked on sailing rafts of the type used by the Visayans (the term used in the Malay settlements, of what is now Borneo and Philippines, to refer to Srivijayans) in Sumatra and Borneo. According to tradition, which survive in the local culture of Western Visayas, this seafaring vessel is called  Balangay, from which  Barangay —the smallest social unit in the present-day Philippines—came from. The semi-democratic confederation reached its peak during the 15th century under the leadership of Datu Padojinog when it warred against the Chinese Empire, the  Rajahnate of Butuan, and the sultanates of  Sulu  and  Maguindanao. It was also feared by the people of the  Kingdom of Maynila  and  Tondo. [5]  It was integrated to the Spanish Empire through pacts and treaties (c.1569) by  Miguel López de Legazpi  and his grandson  Juan de Salcedo. During the time of their hispanization, the principalities of the Confederation were already developed settlements with distinct social structure, culture, customs, and religion. [6]  Among the archaeological proofs of the existence of this Hiligaynon nation are the artifacts found in pre-Hispanic tombs from many parts of the island, which are now in display at Iloilo Museum. Another testimony of the antiquity of this civilization is the longest and oldest epic in the region, the  Hinilawod.

Top 7 - The Mindoro IslandShell_beach.jpg
​Area in sq. km. - 10,572 Mindoro   is the seventh-largest island in the  Philippines. It is located off the coast of  Luzon, and northeast of  Palawan. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the  Sulu Sea.

Top 8 - North and South LeyteShell_beach.jpg
​Area in sq. km. - 7,368 Leyte  is an island in the Visayas group of the Philippines. Politically, the island is divided into two provinces: (Northern) Leyte and Southern Leyte. Territorially, Southern Leyte Province includes the island of Panaon to its south. Biliran Island, to the north of Leyte Island, was formerly a sub-province of Leyte, and is now a separate province, Biliran Province. The major cities of Leyte are Tacloban City, on the eastern shore at the northwest corner of Leyte Gulf, and Ormoc City, on the west coast. Leyte today is notable for the geothermal electric power plants near Ormoc. However, Leyte is most famous for its role in the reconquest of the Philippines in World War II. On 20 October 1944, General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore on Leyte, saying "I have returned". However, the Japanese did not give up so easily, as the ensuing Battle of Leyte proved, and convergence of naval forces resulted in the four-day Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history.

Top 9 - Metropolitan Island of Cebu
Area in sq. km. - 4,468 Cebu is an island of the Philippines. It is the main island ofCebu Province at the center of the Visayan Islands, 365 miles (587 km) south of Manila. It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on both sides by the Cebu Strait (between Cebu and Bohol) and Tañon Strait (between Cebu and Negros). Cebu is located between 9°25'N and 11°15'N latitude and between 123°13'E and 124°5'E longitude in the center of the archipelago. Cebu Island is a long narrow island stretching 225 km (140 mi) from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighboring smaller islands, that includes Mactan, Bantayan,Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. The island is also known as the site of Ferdinand Magellan's death in the Battle of Mactan. Magellan had joined forces with Spanish soldiers and was leading them againstLapu-Lapu, a Visayan chieftain. There are memorials to both men on the island in Lapu-Lapu City. Cebu City is the capital of Cebu Province and largest city on the island. It is centrally located in the widest portion of the island at the east coast harbor, facing Bohol. Cebu City is a commercial center whose main industries include copper mining, fishing and aquaculture, farming and agriculture, shipbuilding, steel and cement. In addition to University of San Carlos, major universities in Cebu City include Southwestern University, the University of the Visayas, Cebu Doctors' University, the University of Southern Philippines Foundation, University of San Jose – Recoletos, Cebu Technological University, University of Cebu, Cebu Normal University, Cebu Institute of Technology - University and the University of the Philippines Cebu College. The harbor of Cebu City is an international port with ocean-going vessels and domestic ships and five inter-island shipping companies, providing access to all other major islands of the Philippines. Cebu's international airport has daily flights to Manila and other domestic and international destinations. Its location combined with a sheltered deep water harbor has made Cebu City the base for most of the country's domestic shipping and the gateway to the central and southern Philippines.

Top 10 - Bohol Island
Area in sq. km. - 3,821 Bohol Island  is the main island of  Bohol Province  in the  Visayas. It lies southeast from  Cebu Island  across the  Cebu Strait  and southwest from  Leyte Island, separated by the  Camotes Sea  and  Canigao Channel. Bohol is also located north of  Mindanao  with the  Bohol Sea  between them.

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