Palawan

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Palawan
Typeprovince
Island groupLuzon
RegionMIMAROPA
Highly urbanized cities1
Cities0
Municipalities23
Barangays [note]367
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesSouth China Sea, Sulu Sea, Balabac Strait, Mindoro Strait
Area (2007) [note]14,649.73 km2 (5,656.29 sq mi)
Population (2015) [note]849,469
Density (2015) [note]58 / km2 (150 / 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 2015 Census was 849,469. This represented 28.67% of the total population of the MIMAROPA region, 1.48% of the overall population of the Luzon island group, or 0.84% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 58 inhabitants per square kilometer or 150 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

Palawan is bordered, clockwise from the Northeast, by 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
NameTypePopulation (2015)Population (2010)Annual Population Growth Rate (2010‑2015)Area (2007)Density (2015)Brgy count
Aborlanmunicipality35,09132,2091.65%807.33 km2 (311.71 sq mi)43 / km2 (113 / sq mi)19
Agutayamunicipality12,54511,9061.00%37.31 km2 (14.41 sq mi)336 / km2 (871 / sq mi)10
Aracelimunicipality14,90914,1131.05%204.30 km2 (78.88 sq mi)73 / km2 (189 / sq mi)13
Balabacmunicipality40,14235,7582.23%581.60 km2 (224.56 sq mi)69 / km2 (179 / sq mi)20
Batarazamunicipality75,46863,6443.30%726.20 km2 (280.39 sq mi)104 / km2 (269 / sq mi)22
Brooke's Pointmunicipality66,37461,3011.53%1,303.40 km2 (503.25 sq mi)51 / km2 (132 / sq mi)18
Busuangamunicipality22,04621,3580.61%392.90 km2 (151.70 sq mi)56 / km2 (145 / sq mi)14
Cagayancillomunicipality6,2857,116-2.34%26.39 km2 (10.19 sq mi)238 / km2 (617 / sq mi)12
Coronmunicipality51,80342,9413.64%689.10 km2 (266.06 sq mi)75 / km2 (195 / sq mi)23
Culionmunicipality20,13919,5430.57%499.59 km2 (192.89 sq mi)40 / km2 (104 / sq mi)14
Cuyomunicipality22,36021,8470.44%84.95 km2 (32.80 sq mi)263 / km2 (682 / sq mi)17
Dumaranmunicipality23,73421,3971.99%435.00 km2 (167.95 sq mi)55 / km2 (141 / sq mi)16
El Nidomunicipality41,60636,1912.69%923.26 km2 (356.47 sq mi)45 / km2 (117 / sq mi)18
Kalayaanmunicipality184222-3.51%290.00 km2 (111.97 sq mi)1 / km2 (2 / sq mi)1
Linapacanmunicipality15,66814,1801.92%195.44 km2 (75.46 sq mi)80 / km2 (208 / sq mi)10
Magsaysaymunicipality12,19611,9650.36%49.48 km2 (19.10 sq mi)246 / km2 (639 / sq mi)11
Narramunicipality73,21265,2642.21%831.73 km2 (321.13 sq mi)88 / km2 (228 / sq mi)23
Quezonmunicipality60,98055,1421.93%943.19 km2 (364.17 sq mi)65 / km2 (167 / sq mi)14
Rizalmunicipality50,09642,7593.06%1,256.47 km2 (485.13 sq mi)40 / km2 (103 / sq mi)11
Roxasmunicipality65,35861,0581.30%1,177.56 km2 (454.66 sq mi)56 / km2 (144 / sq mi)31
San Vicentemunicipality31,23230,9190.19%1,462.94 km2 (564.84 sq mi)21 / km2 (55 / sq mi)10
Sofronio Españolamunicipality32,87629,9971.76%473.91 km2 (182.98 sq mi)69 / km2 (180 / sq mi)9
Taytaymunicipality75,16570,8371.14%1,257.68 km2 (485.59 sq mi)60 / km2 (155 / sq mi)31
Palawan Total849,469771,6671.85%14,649.73 km2 (5,656.29 sq mi)58 / km2 (150 / sq mi)367

Historical population

The population of Palawan grew from 139,544 in 1960 to 849,469 in 2015, an increase of 709,925 people. The latest census figures in 2015 denote a positive growth rate of 1.85%, or an increase of 77,802 people, from the previous population of 771,667 in 2010.

details
Census datePopulationGrowth 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%

National roads

As of December 2016, the National Roads in Palawan as classified by the Department of Public Works and Highways 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 Brookes Point Road
  • Puerto Princesa South Diversion Road
  • Puerto Princesa Wharf Road
  • Tapul-Bahile Road

National rankings

  • Population (2015): 849,469, ranked 31 out of 81
  • Land area (2007): 5,656.29 square kilometers, ranked 1 out of 81
  • Population density (2015): 58 inhabitants per square kilometer, ranked 79 out of 81
  • Annual population growth rate (2010 to 2015): 1.85%, ranked 16 out of 81

Notes

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