Palawan

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Palawan
Typeprovince
Island groupLuzon
RegionMIMAROPA Region
Highly urbanized cities1
Cities0
Municipalities23
Barangays [note]367
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesSouth China Sea, Sulu Sea, Balabac Strait, Mindoro Strait
Area (2013) [note]14,649.73 km2 (5,656.29 sq mi)
Population (2020) [note]939,594
Density (2020) [note]64 / km2 (166 / sq mi)
[note] Figures exclude highly urbanized cities

Palawan is a province in the Philippines situated in the MIMAROPA Region grouped under the Luzon island group.

The province has a land area of 14,649.73 square kilometers or 5,656.29 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 939,594. This represented 29.10% of the total population of the MIMAROPA Region, 1.51% of the overall population of the Luzon island group, or 0.86% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 64 inhabitants per square kilometer or 166 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

Palawan is bordered, clockwise from the Northeast, by the Mindoro Strait, Sulu Sea, Balabac Strait, and South China Sea.

details
Map of the Philippines with Palawan highlighted in redMap of Palawan showing its component cities and municipalitiesAborlanAgutayaAraceliBalabacBatarazaBrooke's PointBusuangaCagayancilloCoronCulionCuyoDumaranEl NidoKalayaanLinapacanMagsaysayNarraPuerto PrincesaQuezonRizalRoxasSan VicenteSofronio EspañolaTaytay

Local government units

Palawan has 23 municipalities. The total number of barangays in the province is 367. The City of Puerto Princesa serves as the provincial capital, although it is administratively independent due to its distinction as a highly urbanized city.

details
Local government units of Palawan
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2Brgy count
Aborlanmunicipality38,73635,0912.10%807.334819
Agutayamunicipality12,86712,5450.54%37.3134510
Aracelimunicipality14,43414,909-0.68%204.307113
Balabacmunicipality42,52740,1421.22%581.607320
Batarazamunicipality85,43975,4682.65%726.2011822
Brooke's Pointmunicipality73,99466,3742.31%1,303.405718
Busuangamunicipality25,61722,0463.21%392.906514
Cagayancillomunicipality6,8846,2851.94%26.3926112
Coronmunicipality65,85551,8035.18%689.109623
Culionmunicipality23,21320,1393.04%499.594614
Cuyomunicipality23,48922,3601.04%84.9527717
Dumaranmunicipality23,52823,734-0.18%435.005416
El Nidomunicipality50,49441,6064.16%923.265518
Kalayaanmunicipality1931841.01%290.0011
Linapacanmunicipality16,42415,6681.00%195.448410
Magsaysaymunicipality12,60312,1960.69%49.4825511
Narramunicipality77,94873,2121.33%831.739423
Quezonmunicipality65,28360,9801.45%943.196914
Rizalmunicipality56,16250,0962.44%1,256.474511
Roxasmunicipality69,62465,3581.34%1,177.565931
San Vicentemunicipality33,50731,2321.49%1,462.942310
Sofronio Españolamunicipality37,41632,8762.76%473.91799
Taytaymunicipality83,35775,1652.20%1,257.686631
Palawan Total939,594849,4692.15%14,649.7364367

Economy

The annual regular revenue of Palawan for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱2,188,605,564.66.

Historical annual regular income data

Annual regular income of Palawan (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
20091,212,979,137.00–
20101,254,552,418.003.43%
20111,408,396,602.7312.26%
20121,372,308,793.17-2.56%
20131,518,840,746.6010.68%
20141,658,881,478.719.22%
20152,022,251,580.1321.90%
20162,188,605,564.668.23%

End notes:

  • Annual Regular Income = Locally Sourced Revenue + Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Current Year + Other Shares from National Tax Collection
  • Locally Sourced Revenue = Real Property Tax (General Fund) + Tax on Business + Other Taxes + Regulatory Fees + Service/User Charges + Receipts from Economic Enterprises

Demographics

Population by age group

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Palawan is 5 to 9, with 132,688 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 6,761 individuals.

Age distribution

Population of Palawan by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 125,1282.27%
1 to 4105,4579.55%
5 to 9132,68812.01%
10 to 14127,63511.56%
15 to 19121,10210.96%
20 to 24103,7819.40%
25 to 2986,8127.86%
30 to 3477,2056.99%
35 to 3968,8806.24%
40 to 4458,8925.33%
45 to 4951,0504.62%
50 to 5443,3593.93%
55 to 5934,1853.09%
60 to 6425,1952.28%
65 to 6917,3441.57%
70 to 7411,3011.02%
75 to 797,8100.71%
80 and over6,7610.61%
Total1,104,585100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 58.3
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 6.45
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 64.75
  • Median Age: 21.94

Historical population

The population of Palawan grew from 35,696 in 1903 to 939,594 in 2020, an increase of 903,898 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 2.15%, or an increase of 90,125 people, from the previous population of 849,469 in 2015.

Trends in population growth

Population of Palawan (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationAnnualized Growth Rate
35,696–
69,0534.25%
93,6731.54%
106,2691.30%
139,5442.42%
198,8613.53%
254,3565.06%
311,5484.14%
436,1403.42%
510,9093.01%
593,5003.27%
682,1521.94%
771,6674.59%
849,4691.85%
939,5942.15%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in Palawan for the year 2019 was 677,185.

National roads

As of December 2016, the National Roads in Palawan are:

Secondary Roads

  • Aramaywan-Berong-Puerto Princesa Road
  • Capitol-Canigaran Road
  • Culandanum-Panalingaan Cross Country Road
  • El Nido-Junction New Ibahay Road
  • Irawan-Tagburos Road
  • Palawan Circumferential Road (Panalingaan-Tagbita-Latud)
  • Palawan Circumferential Road
  • PPSR Junction (Abo-abo)-Quezon Road
  • PPSR Junction-Napsan-Apurawan Road
  • Puerto Princesa North Road
  • Puerto Princesa South Road
  • Quezon-Aramaywan Road
  • Quezon-Punta Baja Road
  • Roxas Diversion Road

Tertiary Roads

  • Coron-Busuanga Road
  • F.B. Reyes (Busuanga-Coron) Road
  • Junction Paglaum-Bato Road
  • Malvar Road
  • PPNR Junction-Taytay Poblacion Road
  • PPSR Junction-Poblacion Brooke's Point Road
  • Puerto Princesa South Diversion Road
  • Puerto Princesa Wharf Road
  • Tapul-Bahile Road

Notes

  1. Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
  2. Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
  3. Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.
  4. Data on National Roads is from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
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