Also known as the "Pearl of the Orient Seas, is an archi- pelago with N Philipopines, 107 big and small islands. + has an estimated land area O 340,000 square kilometers (130,000 square miles) lies between longitudes 1160 and 1270 East, and between latitudes 423 and 2125 North. surrounded by the Philippine Sea on the east, the South China Sea on the west, and the Celebes Sea on the south.