Physical Environment: North Torbia

We welcome your constructive feedback:(Right-click, "Open in new tab") Africa • Caucasus • Europe • Pacific • WEG • Force Structures

Using the DATE • TC 7-101 Exercise Design • Download

DATE Pacific > North Torbia > Physical Environment: North Torbia ←You are here

North Torbia is a small country located in an archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean. It borders its primary regional opponent, South Torbia, which is the only country with land access to the nation. The country’s terrain consists primary of heavily forested mountains interspersed with low valleys. The valleys are typically fertile and comprise most of North Torbia’s arable land. Both vegetation and climate are tropical in nature. Multiple natural hazards exist, resulting from the country’s geology, weather, native wildlife, and human activity.

North Torbia’s terrain varies from high, rugged mountains to flat lowland plains. Terrain, including mountains and rivers, creates obstacles for regional communication and makes transport difficult. Natural disasters such as typhoons and landslides will complicate missions. Troops and equipment will be affected by extreme temperatures and humidity throughout the lowlands, and high altitudes in the mountains. Frequent rains will hamper operations and maneuverability, as will seasonal cloud cover.

Physical Map of North Torbia

Table of Physical Environment Data

Measure	Data	Remarks
Land Area (sq km)	55,729	Includes inland water
Land Border (km)	180	Shared with South Torbia
Coastline (km)	1,920
Highest Elevation (m)	2,903	Mount Pulag
Lowest Elevation (m)	0	Sea Level
Arable (cultivated) Land (%)	26	Primarily Cagayan Valley
Permanent Crops (%)	4
Permanent Pasture (%)	<1	6% grasslands that could be used for pastoral purposes
Irrigated Land (%)	<1
Forested Land (%)	52	Conifers (7), rainforest (16), scrub (29)
Urban Areas (%)	2

Terrain

North Torbian territory encompasses the northern half of Luzon Island, six additional islands, and several islets. The country is part of a larger archipelago bounded by the Philippine Sea to the east, the South China Sea to the west, and the Celebes Sea to the south. The country shares its only land boundary with South Torbia, and maritime borders with the same.

The islands are mountainous in nature, with interspersed valleys on the main island. The part of Luzon Island inhabited by North Torbia consists primarily of rugged volcanic mountains. The large, flat Cagayan Valley occupies much of the eastern half of the island. Running north to south, it is surrounded by mountain ranges on three sides—the Sierra Madre to the east, the Cordillera Central to the west, and the Caraballo to the south. A few other small valleys lie scattered on the main island. The small islands and associated islets are all located north of Luzon Island. One island lies just off the northeastern tip of the main island, while the other five—known as the Babuyan Islands—form a ring in the South China Sea. Surface and subsurface caves are common in the archipelago.

Bodies of Water

North Torbia is surrounded by bodies of water on all but one side. The South China Sea lies to its north and west, and the Philippine Sea to its east. The Balintang Channel separates North Torbia from its northern neighbor, and the country shares Lingayen Gulf with South Torbia. North Torbia features many rivers, which typically flow from the mountains to the coast—either directly or via Cagayan Valley. The most important of these is the Cagayan River, which flows from the Caraballo Mountains in the south to the northern coast. Other important rivers include the Magat and Chico Rivers—both tributaries of the Cagayan—along with the Abra and Agno. Due to the mountainous terrain, most rivers are navigable only by shallow-draft vessels, and then, only at lower altitudes. The country boasts a few small bays, but has no natural lakes. The few lakes that exist were formed by damming rivers for hydroelectric power generation.

Mobility Classification

Movement in North Torbia is difficult due to the mountainous island nature of the country. Water or air transport methods are required to access the island. Once on land, mountain ranges and river gorges naturally canalize movement. Heavy rains, flooding, and mud/landslides can seriously hamper troop movement during the rainy seasons. The presence of forests at higher elevations limits mobility and provides cover for enemy forces and smugglers, while multiple rivers and streams challenge mechanized and motorized movement in the valleys. Air operation impediments include mountain ranges, forests, steep valleys and gorges, clouds/fog/haze, aircraft icing at high altitudes, and cyclonic storms.

Natural Hazards

North Torbia is subject to many types of natural disasters, including droughts, earthquakes, flash floods, land and mudslides, tropical cyclones, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. Mountainous areas and those cleared of vegetation are most prone to land and mudslides, while the coastal areas are more likely to be affected by cyclones and tsunamis. The country has dormant volcanoes in western and far northeast Luzon and active volcanoes in/around the Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Claro, Camiguin de Babuyanes, and Didicas). Several active faults are located in the mountains and run north-south; their seismic activity triggers landslides, as well as causing direct damage to North Torbia’s infrastructure. A major earthquake centered near the North Torbia-South Torbia border in 1990 killed over 1,500 people in the two countries. Occasional droughts hit the country, including one in 1990 that limited the country’s capacity to produce hydroelectric power. Cyclonic storms hit regularly, with an average of nearly four typhoon-category storms a year making landfall. One of these, Super Typhoon Haima, featured 140 mph winds and caused considerable damage in October 2016. Dangerous animals include poisonous centipedes, crocodiles, jellyfish, scorpions, sharks, snakes, spiders, and disease-carrying insects.

Subterranean Environment

The islands are full of caves, both above and below sea level. In addition to the multitude of naturally occurring caves, mining operations produced networks of artificial tunnels. Many of these were abandoned as the metals were exhausted, and are now used occasionally by smugglers for storing illegal contraband. The North Torbian military also creates and uses tunnels for its own purposes, though it publicly proclaims that these are “mines.” Higher-level tunnels and caves are frequently used as emergency shelters by local residents during and after larger cyclonic storms; impoverished citizens occasionally take up permanent residence in caves.

Vegetation

Around 52% of North Torbia is forested, primarily consisting of rain forest in the upper elevations of the mountains. Common trees include coniferous pines at the very highest elevations, while broadleaf trees such as balau, meranti, and narra are found at the remaining elevations. Other plant species found in montane forests include bamboo, ferns, orchids, and climbing palms (rattan). Deforestation by both the government and the population is a continuing problem. Due to the country’s climate, trees keep their leaves year round. Lowland areas not devoted to agriculture are covered by tropical savannahs, mixed grasslands, scrub trees, and forests. Small mangrove swamps can be found on the coastline.

Agriculture

Most agriculture is concentrated in lowland valleys, with most of this land dedicated to annual crops. Permanent crops include abaca, banana, cashew, citrus fruit, coconut, coffee, lemon, maguey, mango, oil palm, pineapple, papaya, other fruits, and rubber, while annual crops are cabbage, cassava, corn, cotton, eggplant, garlic, onion, peanut, sweet potato, rice, sugarcane, tobacco, and vegetables. The country’s main crops are rice, corn, pineapple, other fruits, and sugarcane. Agricultural exports are non-existent. Food production is generally inadequate to meet the needs of the population; the country imports flour, grains, soybeans, and other foodstuffs to try to meet this demand.

Rice is primarily grown on the slopes of the Cordillera Central Mountains, which have been terraced over the centuries to accommodate this practice. Some areas are irrigated in order to ensure good harvests—especially for rice—and to counteract the occasional droughts experienced in the country. Slash-and-burn agriculture is widely used, at the expense of North Torbia’s remaining forestland. In the few cases where this method was replaced with using commercial seeds, improper application of chemical fertilizers and insecticides contaminated both soil and water.

Livestock & Wildlife

North Torbians have some livestock, especially in regions where crop cultivation is more difficult. Common domesticated animals include goats, pigs, and poultry. Cattle and water buffalo are also present, but are not as prevalent. The country also possesses multiple types of wildlife, including badger, bat, civet cat, crocodile, deer, lemur, leopard, manatee, mongoose, monkey, porcupine, scaly anteater, squirrel, tree shrew, and wild boar. Poaching for food is a continuing problem in North Torbia and, while a handful of national parks exist, they are not sufficient to protect the country’s wildlife populations from decimation and potential extinction.

Climate and Weather

DATE-Pacific Subregional Climate Types

North Torbia experiences three different climate types that can be broken into two categories: a tropical wet climate, where rain falls year-round, and a tropical wet and dry climate—also called a monsoonal climate—with distinct wet and dry seasons. The first climate type, also called Type I, describes the climate of the western coast to the backbone of the Cordillera Central Mountains. A wet and dry climate, it has a dry season that runs from October–April and a rainy season from May–September.

A second climate type, Type II, is found on the Babuyan Islands, the eastern coast of North Torbian Luzon to the backbone of the Sierra Madre Mountains, and the very northern tip of Luzon that lies just east of the Cordillera Central Mountains. A wet climate, it has no true dry season, with the least wet months being from February–April.

The third climate type, called Type III, describes the climate of the central part of North Torbian Luzon, to include the eastern slopes of the Cordillera Central Mountains, the Cagayan Valley, the Caraballo Mountains, and the western slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountains. Also a wet and dry climate, it has a short dry season from February–April and rainfall during the rest of the year, which is somewhat heavier during July–September.

Winds follow a distinctive northeast, east, southwest cycle (NE monsoon, easterlies, SW monsoon) that corresponds to—and causes—the country’s seasons. The coolest part of the year falls during the northeast monsoon, while the warmest temperatures occur during the easterlies. Relative humidity is high year-round, though relatively lower inland, at higher elevations, and during the evenings.

Seasons

Month	Type I	Type II	Type III	Temperature	Wind
January	dry	rain	lighter rain	coolest	NE monsoon
February	dry	light rain	dry	cool	NE monsoon
March	dry	light rain	dry	hot	easterlies
April	dry	light rain	dry	hottest	easterlies
May	rain	rain	lighter rain	hot	easterlies
June	rain	rain	lighter rain	hot	easterlies
July	heavy rain	rain	heavier rain	warm	SW monsoon
August	heavy rain	rain	heavier rain	warm	SW monsoon
September	rain	rain	heavier rain	warm	SW monsoon
October	dry	rain	lighter rain	warm	SW monsoon
November	dry	rain	lighter rain	cooler	NE monsoon
December	dry	rain	lighter rain	cool	NE monsoon

Precipitation

Precipitation in North Torbia comes in the form of rain, with an annual average of 50–160 inches, depending on location. This usually takes the form of afternoon or evening showers, which are light and infrequent during the dry season while nearly daily and often heavy during the rainy season. Daily amounts vary, with maximums ranging from a low of 8 inches in part of the Cagayan Valley, to over 20 inches on the highest peaks of the Cordillera Central Mountains. During the dry season, monthly rainfall can drop to less than one inch in some areas, while as much as 40 inches can fall during the height of the rainy season. Dry and rainy seasons vary by local climate type (I, II, or III).

Temperature—Heat Index

North Torbia lies in a tropical zone, and the country’s temperatures reflect this. The average temperature difference between night and day is usually greater than the seasonal variation of either highs or lows for any specific location. The hottest month of the year is April, while the coolest is January. Altitude has the greatest effect on temperatures, with inland valleys being warmest and high mountains being coolest. Average monthly highs range from the low 70s to the mid-90s degrees Fahrenheit. Monthly lows are not much cooler, usually dropping less than 20 degrees. Record highs usually fall in the 90s, but have been known to exceed 100. When combined with North Torbia’s high relative humidity, the heat index can easily reach levels that affect military operations.

Temperature—Wind Chill Index

Temperatures very rarely drop below 65 degrees at night, even in the coolest part of the year. The only exception is in the mountains, where the weather can be cool enough to necessitate a light jacket at night. The highest mountain peaks can get cold at night; record lows in the Cordillera Central Mountains have reached the freezing mark.

Relative Humidity

Relative humidity is high throughout the year in North Torbia. Ranging from the low 70s to the mid-90s with an average of 77%, humidity is higher in the coastal and low-lying areas than inland or at higher elevations. Relative humidity is typically higher in the mornings and drops several percentage points by evening. When combined with the country’s high temperatures, it produces the type of hot, humid conditions typically associated with tropical jungles.

Wind

North Torbia's annual wind cycle drives the country’s seasons. Trade winds from the northeast begin blowing in November. These winds, known as the amihan or the northeast monsoon, blow through February and bring cool air to the country. They recede and are replaced with the silanganin, or “easterlies,” from March–June, which bring heat and increasing rainfall. The habagat, or southwest monsoon, begins in July and runs through October. This wind brings cooler temperatures and higher humidity. Precipitation in the country peaks and then recedes during this time.

Winds during the NE monsoon are usually light and variable, with the eastern coast experiencing stronger winds than the rest of the country. The SW monsoon pattern is similar, except the western coast receives stronger winds. Winds during the easterlies period are slightly less than during the two monsoons, and periods of calm are more frequent.

Tropical cyclones, which are rated from tropical depression (mildest; winds under 32 knots) to super typhoon (most severe; winds over 118 knots), occur from June to December. North Torbia is especially susceptible to these storms, experiencing nearly four typhoon-level storms per year, on average.

Visibility

North Torbia experiences an average of 5–9 hours of sun daily, with more sunshine and correspondingly fewer clouds during the easterlies and the transition period from southwest to northeast monsoon. April is the least cloudy month. Haze, fog, and low ceilings are common, with the latter two occurring most often during December and August. Cloud cover is lightest on the leeward coast and the leeward sides of mountain ranges, and fog is usually restricted to the mountains and inland valleys. Blowing dust may occur on the leeward coastline. While clouds rarely exceed 2,500 m during the northeast monsoon, they reach higher than that during the southwest monsoon. Sunshine is more common during the morning periods, while clouds are more frequently seen in the afternoon.