Corregidor

Corregidor, rocky island, northern Philippines, in Cavite Province, at the entrance to Manila Bay. Corregidor divides the bay into two channels, the Boca Chica, 5 km (3 mi) wide, and the Boca Grande, 10.5 km (6.5 mi) wide. Corregidor has a maximum length from east to west of 6 km (4 mi), an average width of 1.6 km (1 mi), and a total area of 5 sq km (2 sq mi).

A Spanish stronghold, Corregidor was acquired by the United States after the Spanish-American War in 1898 and was further fortified. During World War II the island was the scene of the last organized resistance by American and Philippine troops against the Japanese invaders in 1942. United States forces recaptured it in March 1945, and in 1947 the island became a part of the Republic of the Philippines. It is now a national shrine.