A new 13 million hectare area has been declared and approved by the United Nations to be part of the Philippine Territory. Currently, it is an undersea feature with depth of 40-2,000 meters and is rising. Estimated to be an island in a million years. Currently, it is known as a rich source of basalt.
The Benham Rise or more appropriately known as the Benham Plateau is a large undersea landmass, as big as the Philippines' largest island, Luzon. It is seismically active and is rising fast and may become an island in about a million years - a very short time for geological process.
Coordinates: N16.500, E124.750
It was first discovered by a US Admiral Andrew Ellicot Kennedy Benham during the Americal Civil War. However, it was first discovered as a rising landmass during the July 1990 Earthquake in Baguio when the North Luzon landmass was displaced to the west by this undersea plateau.
The nearest feature of this landmass to Luzon is 68.66 kilometers east of Dinapigue, Isabela and with a depth of 5,245 meters below sea level. While its shallowest region at 40 meters below sea is about 272.46 kilometers NSE from Palanan, Isabela at coordinates 16°30′N 124°45′E.
The Benham Rise area claim was submitted to the United Nations by the Philippines last April 2009 and was eventually approved as part of the Philippine territory by April 2012. Therefore increasing Philippines' territory from 30 million to 43 million hectares.
This feature has been mapped by Schadow1 Expeditions using satellite imagery and GNS data; and has been contributed to +OpenStreetMap Philippines for use of Filipinos and other nations.
Map
See on Google Map (link)
Schadow1 Expeditions Contributions (link)
How to use for your Navigation System (link)
Basalt is not a mineral. It is an igneous volcanic rock.
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