Mindoro

Mindoro is the seventh largest island in the Philippines by land area with a total of 10,571 sq.km ( 4,082 sq.mi ) and with a total population of 1,331,473 as of 2015. It is located off the southwestern coast of Luzon and northeast of Palawan. Mindoro is divided into two provinces Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro. San Jose is the largest settlement on the island with a total population of 143,430 inhabitants as of 2015. The southern coast of Mindoro forms the northeastern extremum of the Sulu Sea. Mount Halcon is the highest point on the island, standing at 8484ft above sea level located in Oriental Mindoro. Mount Baco is the island's second highest mountain with an elevation of 8163ft, located in the province of Occidental Mindoro.HistoryIn past times, it has been called Ma-i or Mait by Han Chinese traders and by Spaniards, as Mina de Oro (meaning "gold mine") from where the island got its current name. According to the late historian William Henry Scott, an entry in the official history of the Sung Dynasty for the year 972 mentions Ma-i as a trading partner of China. Other Chinese records referring to Ma-i or Mindoro appear in the years that follow.