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Calamian Islands

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The Calamian Islands are a beautiful group of islands. They sit in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. This archipelago includes large islands like Coron, Culion, Busuanga, and Linapacan. Many smaller islands are also part of this group. These islands span across a wide area of the sea.

Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron town, Busuanga (Lubos na naipit na mga batong tsert sa bayan ng Coron)
Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron town, Busuanga (Lubos na naipit na mga batong tsert sa bayan ng Coron)

Nature has shaped these islands in many interesting ways. Coron is the third-largest island in the group. It has steep limestone cliffs and thick mangrove forests. There are also eleven lakes found inside Coron. Kayangan Lake is known as the cleanest lake in the country. Other famous lakes there include Barracuda Lake and Lake Cabugao. The land is made of very old rocks. These include cherts, clastics, and limestones.

History shows many different groups have lived here. Long ago, the islands were part of the nation of Sandao. Later, the Brunei and Sulu Sultanates held the area. The Spanish also had a presence in the islands. They set up a military garrison called a Presidio. In the 1670s, almost 100 Mexican soldier-colonists arrived there. By the end of the 1700s, there were 2,289 native families living in the islands.

Different islands have their own special features. Busuanga and Culion are made mostly of Liminangcong chert. This rock forms the mountain ranges you see there. Calauit Island is home to a special wildlife sanctuary. It was started in the 1970s by President Ferdinand Marcos. It once held African animals like giraffes and zebras. Now, it supports local animals like sea turtles and dugongs. You might also see wild pigs or hornbills there.

The Calamian Tagbanwa are the indigenous people of these islands. They are different from the Tagbanwa on mainland Palawan. These people often live lives based on the sea. They have legal rights to their ancestral lands. In 2004, they received a title for 24,520 hectares of land. They follow special laws to protect sacred sites. They also use these laws to stop illegal fishing.

Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron town, Busuanga (Lubos na naipit na mga batong tsert sa bayan ng Coron)
Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron town, Busuanga (Lubos na naipit na mga batong tsert sa bayan ng Coron)
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File:Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron town, Busuanga (Lubos na naipit na mga batong tsert sa bayan ng Coron).jpg
Highly deformed bedded cherts in Coron...
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