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Thegeography of theCity of Manila is characterized by its coastal position at theestuary of thePasig River that flows toManila Bay. The city is located on a naturally protected harbor, regarded as one of the finest harbors in Asia.[1] The scarce availability of land is a contributing factor that makes Manila the densest populated city in the world.
Almost all of the city sits atop of centuries of prehistoricalluvial deposits built up by the Pasig River and on some land reclaimed from Manila Bay. The city's land has been altered substantially by human intervention, with considerable land reclamation along the waterfronts since the American colonial times. Some of the natural variations in topography have been evened out due to the urbanization of the city. Manila lies 800 miles (1,300 km) from mainlandAsia.[2]
Before and during theSpanish colonization of the Philippines,Manila was the provincial capital over a province whose territory at one time covered nearly all of Luzon, and included the modern territorial subdivisions ofPampanga,Bulacan,Rizal,Laguna,Batangas,Quezon,Mindoro,Masbate andMarinduque. Later, these subdivisions were themselves made provinces, leaving Manila province with a territory roughly equal to the present City of Manila proper (except Intramuros, the capital site), and the northwestern two-thirds of Rizal province. The boundary of Manila province went from northeast to southwest, includingAntipolo,Cainta,Taytay andTaguig, and all of the towns north and west of them, in Manila province; andAngono,Teresa,Morong, and the towns south and east of them, in Laguna province. Early in the province's history, the provincial name was changed from Manila toTondo Province, by which it was known for most of the Spanish era.
In about 1853, fourpueblos or towns of Tondo Province were joined with the northeastern towns of Laguna province to form the politico-militaryDistrito de los Montes de San Mateo, or District of the San Mateo Mountains. The Tondo Province annexed to this new district the towns ofCainta,Taytay,Antipolo andBoso-boso, while Laguna contributed the towns ofAngono,Binangonan,Cardona,Morong,Baras,Tanay,Pililla andJalajala. But the name of the new district proved unwieldy, too long, and misled many into thinking the town ofSan Mateo (in Tondo province) was the capital of the San Mateo Mountain District, when in reality the district capital was in Morong. So, in 1859, following common practice of the day, the district was renamed after its capital; namely, Morong District. At about the same time, Tondo Province was renamedManila Province.
When the Spaniards turned over the Philippines to the hands of the Americans, a civil government was formed. In about the same period, the Manila Province was dissolved by thePhilippine Commission, and its pueblos were incorporated with those of the District of Morong, forming the newProvince of Rizal. A few weeks, a new charter for the City of Manila, defining its boundaries and annexing some of towns of the Province of Rizal to its districts. These boundaries were slightly revised and redefined on January 29, 1902, when the suburb ofGagalangin was annexed to the city district of Tondo, and the former pueblo ofSanta Ana was turned into a city district of Manila. On July 30 of the same year, the city board officially divided the city into 13 political subdivisions named as districts, and the boundaries of each were defined. On August 15 of the same year, the pueblo ofPandacan was annexed as a city district. Since then the boundaries and city districts of Manila have remained essentially the same.
During World War II, the city of Manila was declared anopen city and its administrative boundaries expanded to outlying cities and municipalities. It was called theGreater Manila and included districts such asBagumbayan means New Town (South of Manila),Bagumpanahon means "New Era" (Sampaloc, Quiapo, San Miguel and Santa Cruz),Bagumbuhay means "New Life" (Tondo),Bagong Diwa means "New Order" (Binondo & San Nicholas), the then newly establishedQuezon City was collapsed and divided into two districts, while the municipalities ofCaloocan,Las Piñas,Malabon,Makati,Mandaluyong,Navotas,Parañaque,Pasay, andSan Juan became districts of Manila.
Pasig River is the main river that bisects the city into the north and south. It flows east to west, and it connectsLaguna de Bay toManila Bay.
San Juan River flows through the northeastern most part of the city at the district of Santa Mesa. It serves as the natural boundary between Manila and the cities ofSan Juan andMandaluyong. It is a major tributary of the Pasig River.
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