Luzon / Manila

Luzon is the largest island of the Philippines and the sixteenth-largest island in the world. The island of Luzon has approximately 64.3 million inhabitants (as of 2024), making it the most populous island in the Philippines as well as the fourth-most populous island in the world. The capital region, Metro Manila, is located on Luzon and contributes significantly to its high population figure; the metropolitan area alone has over 15 million inhabitants.

Source Pic: Maximilian Dörrbecker (Chumwa) -own work, using this map by NordNordWest, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29441637

Manila, the capital of the Philippines, is a densely populated city. It is situated on a bay on the island of Luzon. Manila itself is just one city within the Manila metropolitan area, yet it lends its name to this entire urban agglomeration.

The Manila Metropolitan Area—officially known as the National Capital Region (NCR)—serves as the capital region of the Philippines. It encompasses the City of Manila, along with 15 other cities and the municipality of Pateros. The city is surrounded by the various cities and municipalities of the Metro Manila region: Navotas, Caloocan, Malabon, and Valenzuela to the north; Quezon and Marikina to the northeast; San Juan, Pasig, and Mandaluyong to the east; Makati and Pateros to the southeast; and Pasay, Taguig, and Parañaque to the south. Quezon is the largest, most populous (with approximately 3 million inhabitants), and wealthiest city within the greater Metro Manila area. The Manila metropolitan area constitutes the political, economic, and cultural hub of the Philippines. In everyday parlance, the term "Metro Manila" is frequently used, as it is the designation recognized internationally.

Source Pic: By Philtro - Map, colors and stroke widths derived from File: Metro manila map (1).png, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92411674

Pictures from Ermita with Manila Bay (Part of Manila) and the City of Makati

Source Pics: own works, H. Rufer