Samar Leyte

Samar (/ˈsɑːmɑr/ sah-mar) is an islandin the Visayas, within central Philippinesand considered the third largest island in the country. The island is divided into three provinces: Samar province (the Mainland of Samar), Northern Samar province, and Eastern Samar province. These three provinces, along with the provinces on the nearby islands ofLeyte and Biliran are part of the Eastern Visayas region.

Samar is the easternmost island in the Visayas. The island is separated from Leyte by the San Juanico Strait, which at its narrowest point is only about two kilometers across. This strait is crossed by the San Juanico Bridge. Samar lies southeast of the Bicol Peninsula on Luzon, the country's largest island; theSan Bernardino Strait separates the two. To the south of Samar is the Leyte Gulf, the site of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, one of the most decisive naval battles during the Second World War. The gulf opens out into the Philippine Sea, found to the east of Samar and is part of thePacific Ocean.