Palawan (island)

Palawan is a major island located in the Philippines. It is the largest island within the province of Palawan. Nationally, it ranks as the fifth-largest island in the country. As of the 2024 census, the island has a population of 1,023,849 people. The island is bordered by two distinct bodies of water. Its northwest coast lies along the Palawan Passage in the eastern South China Sea. The southeast coast marks the northern limit of the Sulu Sea. The island contains one city and 12 of the province's 23 municipalities.

The physical landscape of Palawan is defined by a continuous mountain range. This range runs the entire length of the island. Mount Mantalingajan is the highest peak in this range. Other notable peaks include Mount Gantung in Batazara and Victoria Peak in Narra. Several outlying islands surround the main landmass. These include Cagayancillo to the far east and the Cuyo Archipelago to the northeast. Linapacan and Busuanga Island sit to the north-northeast. The Kalayaan Municipality lies to the far west, while Balabac Municipality is south of the western edge.

The geology of Palawan is unique compared to the rest of the Philippines. The northeast part of the island originated from the southeastern edge of the Chinese continental crust. This area is part of the Eurasian Plate. Scientists describe this as a microcontinent that drifted south during the opening of the South China Sea. This microcontinent forms the shallow waters in the Reed Bank-Dangerous Ground area. The northeast contains some of the oldest rocks in the Philippines from the Permian-Carboniferous age. These rocks are part of the North Palawan Block.

In contrast, southwest Palawan is composed of different materials. This area primarily exposes ophiolitic material. Ophiolite refers to rocks that come from uplifted oceanic crust and the mantle. This specific ophiolite is approximately 34 million years old. It was thrust onto the continental crust during the late Eocene or early Oligocene. The transition between these two geological zones occurs in central Palawan. This happens around Ulugan Bay and the Sabang area. Here, the Sabang thrust shows ophiolite being pushed onto continental clastic rocks.

Other geological features add to the island's complexity. North of Palawan, the Malampaya Sound and El Nido areas contain deep marine chert and limestone. This limestone has created a spectacular karst terrain. Karst is a landscape shaped by the dissolving of soluble rocks. In central and northern Palawan, young granite bodies have intruded these older rocks. The Kapoas intrusion is about 13 to 15 million years old. Additionally, a basaltic cinder cone exists in the Taytay area. These volcanic activities are linked to widespread magmatism in the South China Sea region.

Archaeological finds in Ille Cave provide a glimpse into the island's prehistoric past. Researchers discovered articulated tiger bones alongside stone tools. These fossils date to between 9,000 and 12,000 years ago. The presence of these bones suggests early humans used fire and accumulated animal remains. Other fossils include macaques, deer, pigs, and various reptiles. Scientists identified two types of deer fossils through dental comparisons. These included taxa related to the Calamian hog deer and the Philippine brown deer. These findings suggest a complex ecosystem of ancient wildlife.

The culture of Palawan is defined by significant linguistic diversity. More than 50 percent of the population speaks Tagalog. Native languages include Cuyonon, spoken by 26.27 percent, and Palawano, spoken by 4.0 percent. Kinaray-a is also spoken by 19 percent of the residents. Historically, Tausūg was a common language for Muslim groups in the south. Migration from other parts of the Philippines has changed the language landscape. Many people from Mindanao brought languages like Maguindanao, Maranao, and Iranun to the island. In Puerto Princesa, English is common among the younger population.