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Sulu Archipelago
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2010) |
Native name: سُوگْ | |
|---|---|
 | |
.svg)  Sulu Archipelago Location within the Philippines | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Southeast Asia |
| Coordinates | 6°N 121°E / 6°N 121°E |
| Archipelago | Philippines |
| Adjacent to | |
| Major islands | |
| Area | 4,068 km2 (1,571 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Philippines | |
| Region | Bangsamoro Zamboanga Peninsula |
| Provinces | |
| Largest settlement | Jolo |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 1,996,970 (2020) |
| Pop. density | 313/km2 (811/sq mi) |
| Ethnic groups | |
The Sulu Archipelago (Tausug: سُوگْ, Jawi: كڤولاوان سولو, Filipino: Kapuluan ng Sulu) is a chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean, in the southwestern Philippines. The archipelago forms the northern limit of the Celebes Sea and southern limit of the Sulu Sea.[1] The Sulu Archipelago islands are within the Mindanao island group, consisting of the Philippines provinces of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; hence the archipelago is sometimes referred to as Basulta, derived from the first syllables of the three provinces.
The archipelago is not, as is often supposed, the remains of a land bridge between Borneo and the Philippines. Rather, it is the exposed edge of small submarine ridges produced by tectonic tilting of the sea bottom.[2][3] Basilan, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi and other islands in the group are extinct volcanic cones rising from the southernmost ridge. Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost island of the group, has a serpentine basement-complex core with a limestone covering.[3] This island chain is an important migration route for birds.
The largest municipalities in the area are on the island of Jolo. The larger island of Palawan to its north, the coastal regions of the westward-extending Zamboanga Peninsula of Mindanao, and the north-eastern part of the island of Borneo were formerly parts of the thalassocratic Sultanate of Sulu.
The archipelago is the home of the indigenous Tausug people; various group of Samal (or Sama) people including the semi-nomadic Badjaw; the land-based Sama; the related Yakan people; and the Jama Mapun people. The Tausug language is spoken widely in the Sulu Archipelago as both first and second languages throughout these islands. The Yakan language is spoken mainly in Basilan Island. Numerous dialects of Sinama are spoken throughout the archipelago, from the Tawi-Tawi Island group, to the Mapun island group (Mapun), to the coast of Mindanao and beyond.
- ^ C.Michael Hogan. 2011. "Celebes Sea". In P. Saundry & C. J. Cleveland (eds.). Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington, D.C.
- ^ Scott, William Henry (1984). "1. Archeology". Prehispanic Source Materials for the Study of Philippine History. Quezon City: New Day. ISBN 971-10-0227-2.
- ^ a b Wernstedt, Frederick L.; Spencer, Joseph Earle (1967). The Philippine Island world: a physical, cultural, and regional geography. University of California Press. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-520-03513-3.
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