Basilan

American  

[buh-see-lahn] / bəˈsi lɑn /

noun

1. an island in the Philippines, southwest of Mindanao. 495 sq. mi. (1,282 sq. km).

2. Formerly Isabela.  a city on this island.

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Basilan British  

/ bæˈsiːlæn, bəˈsiːlɑːn /

noun

1. a group of islands in the Philippines, SW of Mindanao

2. the main island of this group, separated from Mindanao by the Basilan Strait . Area: 1282 sq km (495 sq miles)

3. a city on Basilan Island. Pop: 381 000 (2005 est)

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Example Sentences

"We're near Basilan, but it took them more than three hours to respond to us," he said.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

Rescuers have been overwhelmed by the influx of survivors, Basilan emergency responder Ronalyn Perez told AFP.

From BBC • Jan. 25, 2026

Amid the military campaign, the gunmen fled to a Basilan village called Ulitan, where they were protected by Moro Islamic Liberation Front guerrillas, he said.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 9, 2022

In 2019, on the island of Basilan in the southern Philippines, Catholic teachers terrified by years of deadly insurgent activity joined in a seafood feast with a local Muslim leader.

From New York Times • Jan. 2, 2021

So, between nine and ten o’clock that night, we sailed for Tawi Tawi, passing east of Basilan and Sulu.

From A Woman's Journey through the Philippines On a Cable Ship that Linked Together the Strange Lands Seen En Route by Russel, Florence Kimball