Physical Characteristics

Topographical and Hydrological Features

     The terrain of the province is rugged particularly on the western portion where a chain of mountain ranges rise to heights up to 2,086 meters. Except for the wide plain in the north and pockets of big valleys and delta lands along the shore down to the south, the west coast is practically devoid of coastal land and consists mainly of craggy foothills and mountains close to the sea.

     Rivers and streams traverse through the province but the most unusual is the seven-kilometer underground river flowing under limestone rocks and emptying into Saint Paul Bay. The only principal river in the province is Iwahig River.

Land Classification

     As of 2006, of the 1.5 million hectares total land area of the province, 69.68 percent or 1.0 million hectares were forested lands while the remaining 30.52 percent or 453.7 thousand hectares were certified alienable and disposable lands. About 74.07 percent (767.3 thousand hectares) of the total forest land were part of the national parks/game refuge and bird sanctuaries/wilderness areas; 171.8 thousand hectares were established timberlands; 25.4 thousand hectares were civil reservations and 71.4 thousand hectares were established forest reserves.

Soil Type

     Palawan has many types of soil varying from clay loam to rough mountain land.

Climate

     Based on the station in Puerto Princesa, records on climatological normals from 1994 to 2000 showed that most of the rains registered on the month of October with 19 days while the least number of rains registered on February with 3 rainy days. The total rainfall in those years amounted 1,514.1 millimeters.

     The mean temperature was registered at 27.4°C. The coldest month was January with minimum temperature of 22.7°C and the hottest month was April with a maximum temperature of 32.7°C.

     Mean sea level pressure was 1,009.8 millibars and the prevailing wind directed to the east with a speed of 2 miles per second.