PH
For a long time, the official number of islands in the Philippines was said to be 7,107. However, that number isn't quite right. In 1952, Didicas (a submerged volcano in the Luzon Volcanic Chain) erupted. The result? A new island with a lava dome that rose about 228m above sea level, bumping the total island count to 7,108… for a short while, anyway.
As well as this new island, improvements in surveying techniques and technology have also led to an increase in the number of islands believed to be in the archipelago. There are also a few islands whose ownership is up for debate. The Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, for example, are disputed between several nations: Vietnam, Brunei, China, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines. With all these changes, the official number of islands is now officially touted to be 7,641 - an island-hopper's paradise.
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