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), in km2Density (2015), per km2Brgy count
Aborlanmunicipality35,09132,2091.65%807.334319
Agutayamunicipality12,54511,9061.00%37.3133610
Aracelimunicipality14,90914,1131.05%204.307313
Balabacmunicipality40,14235,7582.23%581.606920
Batarazamunicipality75,46863,6443.30%726.2010422
Brooke's Pointmunicipality66,37461,3011.53%1,303.405118
Busuangamunicipality22,04621,3580.61%392.905614
Cagayancillomunicipality6,2857,116-2.34%26.3923812
Coronmunicipality51,80342,9413.64%689.107523
Culionmunicipality20,13919,5430.57%499.594014
Cuyomunicipality22,36021,8470.44%84.9526317
Dumaranmunicipality23,73421,3971.99%435.005516
El Nidomunicipality41,60636,1912.69%923.264518
Kalayaanmunicipality184222-3.51%290.0011
Linapacanmunicipality15,66814,1801.92%195.448010
Magsaysaymunicipality12,19611,9650.36%49.4824611
Narramunicipality73,21265,2642.21%831.738823
Quezonmunicipality60,98055,1421.93%943.196514
Rizalmunicipality50,09642,7593.06%1,256.474011
Roxasmunicipality65,35861,0581.30%1,177.565631
San Vicentemunicipality31,23230,9190.19%1,462.942110
Sofronio Españolamunicipality32,87629,9971.76%473.91699
Taytaymunicipality75,16570,8371.14%1,257.686031
Palawan Total849,469771,6671.85%14,649.7358367

Economy

According to the Bureau of Local Government Finance, the annual regular revenue of Palawan for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱2,188,605,564.66.

details
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.

details
Age groupPopulation (2015)
Under 125,128
1 to 4105,457
5 to 9132,688
10 to 14127,635
15 to 19121,102
20 to 24103,781
25 to 2986,812
30 to 3477,205
35 to 3968,880
40 to 4458,892
45 to 4951,050
50 to 5443,359
55 to 5934,185
60 to 6425,195
65 to 6917,344
70 to 7411,301
75 to 797,810
80 and over6,761
Total1,104,585

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 Brooke's 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 annual regular income is from the Bureau of Local Government Finance, Department of Finance
  4. Data on National Roads is from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
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