Sulu Sea

The Sulu Sea (; Tausug: "Dagat sin Sūg"; Chavacano: "Mar de Sulu"; Cebuano: "Dagat sa Sulu"; Hiligaynon: "Dagat sang Sulu"; Karay-a: "Dagat kang Sulu"; Cuyonon: "Dagat i'ang Sulu"; ) is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.
Sulu Sea contains a number of islands. The Cuyo Islands and the Cagayan Islands are part of the province of Palawan whereas Mapun and the Turtle Islands are part of the province of Tawi-Tawi. Sulu Sea is also where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, one of the World Heritage Sites is located.
The 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 .
The Pacific Ocean flows into Sulu Sea in northern Mindanao and between Sangihe talaud Archipelago, North Sulawesi.
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:
It extends about from north to south and from east to west. Waves can stretch across to . The sea is deep but on its southern end Sulu Archipelago raises the sea floor to .
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".