Cheryl Zimmer, age 13, of Galveston, Texas, for her question:

WHERE IS THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO?

The Malay Archipelago is the largest system of island groups in the world. It is situated southeast of Asia and northwest of Australia, between the Indian and Pacific oceans.

The archipelago extends from about 20 degrees north of the equator to about 20 degrees south of the equator. It comprises New Guinea, the second largest island in the world; Celebes (Sulawesi); Borneo; the Philippine Islands; the Sunda Islands, which include Sumatra, Java, Bali, and Timor; the Moluccas; and numerous lesser islands.

The area of the archipelago is about 1.1 million square miles.

Ail of the islands of the archipelago are mountainous. The highest summit is Puncak Yaya (16,503 feet) on the island of New Guinea. Numerous active and extinct volcanoes are scattered throughout the group.

With few exceptions, the islands are extremely fertile, wail watered and covered by luxuriant tropical vegetation. Agriculture is the principal industry.

Besides the Republic of the Philippines, the system encompasses the Republic of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Brunei and the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah.