Sulu Sea
Template:Short description Template:Use Philippine English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox body of water
The Sulu Sea (Template:Langx; Tausug: Dagat sin Sūg; Template:Langx; Template:Langx) is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.
The Sulu Sea contains a number of islands. The Cuyo Islands<ref>Traveler's Companion Philippines 1998 p.214 Kirsten Ellis, Globe Pequot Press Globe Pequot, 1998</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and the Cagayan Islands are part of the province of Palawan whereas Mapun<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and the Turtle Islands are part of the province of Tawi-Tawi.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica: Tawi-Tawi">Template:Cite web</ref> Sulu Sea is also where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, one of the World Heritage Sites is located.<ref>C.Michael Hogan. 2011. Sulu Sea. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Washington DC</ref>
Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea. Straits out of the Sulu Sea include the Iloilo Strait, the Guimaras Strait, and the Basilan Strait.
Geography
The sea's surface area is Template:Convert.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica: Sulu Sea">Template:Cite web</ref> The Pacific Ocean flows into Sulu Sea in northern Mindanao and between Sangihe talaud Archipelago, North Sulawesi.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Extent
The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) defines the Sulu Sea as being one of the waters of the East Indian Archipelago. The IHO defines its limits as follows:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
It extends about Template:Convert from north to south and Template:Convert from east to west. Waves can stretch across Template:Convert to Template:Convert.<ref name="INTERNAL WAVES IN THE SULU SEA">Template:Cite web</ref> The sea is Template:Convert deep but on its southern end Sulu Archipelago raises the sea floor to Template:Convert.<ref name="Encyclopedia Britannica: Sulu Sea"/> Template:Blockquote
In popular culture
The Star Trek character Hikaru Sulu is named after the Sulu Sea. According to Sulu actor George Takei, "[Gene] Roddenberry's vision for Sulu was to represent all of Asia, being named for the Sulu Sea instead of using a country-specific name".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>