Legaspi

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Legaspi (ləgă´spē, lāgä´–), city (1990 pop. 121,116), capital of Albay prov., SE Luzon, the Philippines, on Albay Gulf. It is a large seaport and the southern terminus of the Manila railroad. Copra and hemp are shipped. Founded c.1639 as Albay, it was renamed Legaspi in 1925. In World War II it was the scene (Dec. 12, 1941) of a large Japanese landing, part of a pincers movement on Manila. Towering directly behind the city is the spectacular active volcano, Mt. Mayon. Its eruption in 1814 severely damaged the town and killed over 1,000 people.