Masbate

Masbate (mäsbä'tā) [key], island, 1,262 sq mi (3,269 sq km), the Philippines, one of the Visayan Islands, S of SE Luzon. Gold, which has been mined there for centuries, is still produced in quantity; copper is also mined. The densely populated coastal plains are intensively cultivated. The town of Masbate is the island's trading center.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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