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Jolo

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

Jolo is a volcanic island located in the southwest Philippines.

Ph locator sulu jolo island
Ph locator sulu jolo island

It sits within the Sulu Archipelago. This group of islands lies between Borneo and Mindanao. The island is the main land for the province of Sulu. The capital city of that province also shares the name Jolo. About 500,000 people live on this island.

Tulay Mosque
Tulay Mosque

It is a busy and important place in the region.

The island is shaped by fire and earth. It is home to the Jolo Group of Volcanoes. This is an active volcanic group. Because of this, the land has many craters and volcanic cones. One of these is the Bud Dajo cinder cone.

Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48
Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48

This cone is currently active. The high points and deep holes show how the earth has changed here over time.

Many different groups have controlled Jolo throughout history. Spanish forces captured Jolo city in 1876. They wanted to stop slave raiding and protect their interests. Admiral José Malcampo led a large group of 9,000 soldiers to take the city.

Sultan Jamalul Azam (1879 photo)
Sultan Jamalul Azam (1879 photo)

The Spanish built walls and forts to protect their new settlement. Later, the Americans arrived in 1899. They signed the Bates Treaty to try to keep peace in the area.

World War II brought more changes to the island. The Japanese occupied Jolo during this time. In April 1945, U.S. troops landed to fight for the island. They had to fight their way up Mount Daho.

Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48
Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48

This is the highest point on the island. During those three weeks of fighting, many soldiers were lost. The local Sultan, Muhammad Janail Abirin the 2nd, promised to help remove the Japanese.

Jolo has also faced hard times with fighting between different groups. A group called Abu Sayyaf was once active there. They were militants, and they are now disbanded.

Tulay Mosque
Tulay Mosque

There was fighting in 2005 between Philippine troops and militants. In 2019, a bomb hit the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Even with these difficult moments, Jolo remains a central part of the Sulu Archipelago.

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🖼️ Images & Media (5)
File:Ph_locator_sulu_jolo_island.png
Ph_locator_sulu_jolo_island.png
File:Atlas pittoresque pl 138.jpg
Atlas pittoresque pl 138.jpg
File:Sultan Jamalul Azam (1879 photo).jpg
Sultan Jamalul Azam (1879 photo).jpg
File:Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48.jpg
Knocking Out the Moros. DA Poster 21-48.jpg
File:Tulay Mosque.jpg
Tulay Mosque.jpg
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