Great Bakkungaan Island
| Great Bakkungaan Island | |
|---|---|
| Island | |
.svg)
 Great Bakkungaan Island
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| Coordinates: 06°05′N 118°19′E / 6.083°N 118.317°ECoordinates: 06°05′N 118°19′E / 6.083°N 118.317°E | |
| Area | |
| • Total | 0.5 km2 (0.2 sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
Great Bakkungaan Island (also called Bakungan Island) is a small tropical island surrounded by the Sulu Sea in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. The island is the one of the seven Philippine Turtle Islands.
The island is at the very edge of the international treaty limits separating the Philippines from Malaysia. Indeed, the island itself is referred to in the international border treaty concluded in 1930 between the United States (in respect of its then overseas territory, the Philippine Archipelago) and the United Kingdom (in respect of its then protectorate, the State of North Borneo). That treaty sets the international frontier as running in a straight line between Little Bakkungaan Island and Great Bakkungaan Island. Little Bakkungaan Island is one of the three Malaysian Turtle Islands and less than 2km of water separate the two islands. This makes Great Bakkungaan Island the internationally recognized Philippine territory that is closest to Malaysian territory.
Great Bakkungaan is the third largest of the Philippine Turtle Islands at 51 hectares (130 acres) with the highest elevation at 58 metres (190 ft).
As one of the Philippine Turtle Islands the island enjoys the historical distinction of being territory that was not under Philippine administration at the time of independence in 1946. The State of North Borneo, a United Kingdom protectorate, administered the Philippine island. The Republic of the Philippines took over the administration of the island from the United Kingdom on 16 October 1947.
The island is part of the barangay of Taganak Poblacion which had a population of 2,430 at the time of the 2010 census. It is in the municipality of the Turtle Islands. There is an elementary school on the island which had 266 students in the 2013/2014 academic year.
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