The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07.
Masbate
(mäsbä´t) (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 islands trading center.