The Philippines is an archipelago of over 7,100 islands. Its seas cover 2.2 million square
kilometers (km2) and its coastline stretches over 18,000 km. The Philippine coastal zone covers
about 11,000 km2 of land and 267,000 km2 of coastal waters. About 60 percent of the population
and 70 percent of 1,525 municipalities are located in the coastal zone. More than 60 percent of
coastal municipalities are classified as 4th or 5th class.3 The coastal zone, with its abundant fish
stocks, mangrove forests, coral reefs, and seagrasses, and its bays and coastal shelf, is the most
biologically productive of marine environments. The coastal zone provides jobs, recreation, and
valuable and diverse flora and fauna and is a major settlement area, a breeding ground and
habitat for wildlife, and a great part of the country’s natural beauty. Coastal activities such as
tourism and mariculture, and contiguous upland activities also impact on the area.
