Besao, Province of Mountain Province
| Type | municipality |
|---|---|
| Island group | Luzon |
| Region | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) |
| Province | Mountain Province |
| Barangay count | 14 |
| Postal code | 2618 |
| Coastal/Landlocked | landlocked |
| Marine waterbodies | none (landlocked) |
| Philippine major island(s) | Luzon |
| Area (2013) | 173.62 km2 (67.04 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | 6,873 |
| Density (2020) | 40 / km2 (103 / sq mi) |
| Coordinates | 17° 6' North, 120° 51' East (17.0952, 120.8560) |
| Estimated elevation above sea level | 1,393.8 meters (4,571.6 feet) |
Besao is a municipality in the landlocked province of Mountain Province.
The municipality has a land area of 173.62 square kilometers or 67.04 square miles which constitutes 7.27% of Mountain Province's total area. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 6,873. This represented 4.34% of the total population of Mountain Province, or 0.38% of the overall population of the Cordillera Administrative Region. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 40 inhabitants per square kilometer or 103 inhabitants per square mile.
Barangays
Besao has 14 barangays as shown in the following table.
Demographic profile of barangays
| Barangay | Population percentage (2020) | Population (2020) | Population (2015) | Change (2015‑2020) | Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agawa | 5.18% | 356 | 400 | -11.00% | -2.42% |
| Ambaguio | 2.75% | 189 | 256 | -26.17% | -6.19% |
| Banguitan | 9.18% | 631 | 669 | -5.68% | -1.22% |
| Besao East | 4.20% | 289 | 319 | -9.40% | -2.06% |
| Besao West | 5.47% | 376 | 387 | -2.84% | -0.61% |
| Catengan | 8.44% | 580 | 566 | 2.47% | 0.52% |
| Gueday | 9.05% | 622 | 683 | -8.93% | -1.95% |
| Kin-iway | 12.38% | 851 | 790 | 7.72% | 1.58% |
| Lacmaan | 2.68% | 184 | 211 | -12.80% | -2.84% |
| Laylaya | 12.70% | 873 | 801 | 8.99% | 1.83% |
| Padangan | 6.17% | 424 | 465 | -8.82% | -1.92% |
| Payeo | 5.94% | 408 | 417 | -2.16% | -0.46% |
| Suquib | 4.26% | 293 | 314 | -6.69% | -1.45% |
| Tamboan | 11.60% | 797 | 762 | 4.59% | 0.95% |
| Besao Total | 6,873 | 7,040 | -2.37% | -0.50% | |
Economy
The annual regular revenue of Besao for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱58,849,629.20.
Historical annual regular income data
| Fiscal Year | Annual Regular Income | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 34,087,683.11 | – |
| 2010 | 35,879,931.27 | 5.26% |
| 2011 | 38,779,231.97 | 8.08% |
| 2012 | 37,618,203.51 | -2.99% |
| 2013 | 41,787,224.08 | 11.08% |
| 2014 | 47,146,478.64 | 12.83% |
| 2015 | 53,521,147.68 | 13.52% |
| 2016 | 58,849,629.20 | 9.96% |
End notes:
| ||
Demographics
Households
The household population of Besao in the 2015 Census was 7,035 broken down into 1,712 households or an average of 4.11 members per household.
Trends in household population and size
| Census date | Household population | Number of households | Average household size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8,412 | 1,721 | 4.89 | |
| 9,054 | 1,760 | 5.14 | |
| 10,055 | 1,770 | 5.68 | |
| 7,295 | 1,641 | 4.45 | |
| 7,818 | 1,830 | 4.27 | |
| 7,035 | 1,712 | 4.11 |
Population by age group
According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Besao is 10 to 14, with 826 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is Under 1, with 104 individuals.
Age distribution
| Age group | Population (2015) | Age group percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 104 | 1.48% |
| 1 to 4 | 560 | 7.95% |
| 5 to 9 | 751 | 10.67% |
| 10 to 14 | 826 | 11.73% |
| 15 to 19 | 701 | 9.96% |
| 20 to 24 | 553 | 7.86% |
| 25 to 29 | 527 | 7.49% |
| 30 to 34 | 490 | 6.96% |
| 35 to 39 | 394 | 5.60% |
| 40 to 44 | 364 | 5.17% |
| 45 to 49 | 348 | 4.94% |
| 50 to 54 | 319 | 4.53% |
| 55 to 59 | 302 | 4.29% |
| 60 to 64 | 218 | 3.10% |
| 65 to 69 | 179 | 2.54% |
| 70 to 74 | 140 | 1.99% |
| 75 to 79 | 125 | 1.78% |
| 80 and over | 139 | 1.97% |
| Total | 7,040 | 100.00% |
| ||
Historical population
The population of Besao grew from 4,642 in 1918 to 6,873 in 2020, an increase of 2,231 people over the course of 102 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a negative annualized growth rate of 0.50%, or a decrease of 167 people, from the previous population of 7,040 in 2015.
Trends in population growth
| Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| – | – | |
| 4,642 | – | |
| 5,144 | 0.51% | |
| 5,799 | 1.24% | |
| 8,174 | 3.06% | |
| 9,286 | 1.26% | |
| 7,051 | -5.38% | |
| 9,093 | 5.22% | |
| 8,473 | -0.70% | |
| 9,147 | 1.44% | |
| 9,875 | 1.66% | |
| 7,295 | -4.09% | |
| 7,818 | 2.55% | |
| 7,040 | -1.98% | |
| 6,873 | -0.50% |
The total number of registered voters or electorate in Besao for the year 2019 was 5,118, broken down into 2,707 males and 2,411 females.
Location
The municipal center of Besao is situated at approximately 17° 6' North, 120° 51' East, in the island of Luzon. Elevation at these coordinates is estimated at 1,393.8 meters or 4,571.6 feet above mean sea level.
Distances
Based on the great-circle distance (the shortest distance between two points over the surface of the Earth), the cities closest to Besao are Candon, Ilocos Sur, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Tabuk, Kalinga, San Fernando, La Union, Baguio, and Santiago, Isabela. The nearest municipalities are Sagada, Mountain Province, Tadian, Mountain Province, Sabangan, Mountain Province, Bauko, Mountain Province, Bontoc, Mountain Province, and Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. Its distance from the national capital is 277.47 kilometers (172.41 miles). The following list delineates such distance measurements.
great-circle distance
Nearest towns
- Sagada, Mountain Province, 4.90 kilometers (3.04 miles) to the East‑Southeast (S76°E)
- Tadian, Mountain Province, 11.60 kilometers (7.21 miles) to the South‑Southwest (S18°W)
- Sabangan, Mountain Province, 12.24 kilometers (7.60 miles) to the Southeast (S35°E)
- Bauko, Mountain Province, 12.59 kilometers (7.82 miles) to the South (S1°E)
- Bontoc, Mountain Province, 12.93 kilometers (8.03 miles) to the East (S87°E)
- Cervantes, Ilocos Sur, 17.34 kilometers (10.77 miles) to the Southwest (S48°W)
Nearest cities
- Candon, Ilocos Sur, 44.71 kilometers (27.78 miles) to the West‑Northwest (N76°W)
- Vigan, Ilocos Sur, 72.69 kilometers (45.17 miles) to the Northwest (N43°W)
- Tabuk, Kalinga, 77.21 kilometers (47.97 miles) to the East‑Northeast (N57°E)
- San Fernando, La Union, 78.14 kilometers (48.55 miles) to the Southwest (S47°W)
- Baguio, 80.63 kilometers (50.10 miles) to the South‑Southwest (S20°W)
- Santiago, Isabela, 86.22 kilometers (53.58 miles) to the East‑Southeast (S58°E)
Distance from Manila: 277.47 kilometers (172.41 miles) to the South (S3°E)
Notes
- Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages), household data, and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
- Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
- Data on annual regular income is from the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Department of Finance
- Postal code information is from the Philippine Postal Corporation.