Masbate is a province in the Philippines situated in the Bicol Region occupying the southeastern peninsula of Luzon and the outlying island provinces of Masbate and Catanduanes. Its capital is the City of Masbate.
The province has a land area of 4,138.56 square kilometers or 1,597.91 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 908,920. This represented 14.94% of the total population of the Bicol Region, 1.46% of the overall population of the Luzon island group, or 0.83% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 220 inhabitants per square kilometer or 569 inhabitants per square mile.
Masbate is bordered, clockwise from the North, by the Burias Pass, Ticao Pass, Samar Sea, Asid Gulf, Sibuyan Sea, and Ragay Gulf.
Masbate has 20 municipalities and 1 city. The total number of barangays in the province is 550.
Name | Type | Population (2020) | Population (2015) | Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020) | Area (2013), in km2 | Density (2020), per km2 | Brgy count |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aroroy | municipality | 88,351 | 86,168 | 0.53% | 440.30 | 201 | 41 |
Baleno | municipality | 28,855 | 26,096 | 2.14% | 204.38 | 141 | 24 |
Balud | municipality | 40,155 | 38,124 | 1.10% | 231.00 | 174 | 32 |
Batuan | municipality | 14,610 | 15,086 | -0.67% | 56.28 | 260 | 14 |
Cataingan | municipality | 50,623 | 50,327 | 0.12% | 191.64 | 264 | 36 |
Cawayan | municipality | 69,265 | 67,033 | 0.69% | 260.19 | 266 | 37 |
Claveria | municipality | 42,142 | 43,693 | -0.76% | 182.98 | 230 | 22 |
Dimasalang | municipality | 24,909 | 26,192 | -1.05% | 148.07 | 168 | 20 |
Esperanza | municipality | 17,534 | 18,568 | -1.20% | 67.49 | 260 | 20 |
Mandaon | municipality | 44,122 | 41,262 | 1.42% | 319.15 | 138 | 26 |
Masbate City | city (CC), capital | 104,522 | 95,389 | 1.94% | 188.00 | 556 | 30 |
Milagros | municipality | 57,538 | 57,473 | 0.02% | 565.30 | 102 | 27 |
Mobo | municipality | 40,823 | 38,813 | 1.07% | 143.47 | 285 | 29 |
Monreal | municipality | 25,164 | 26,614 | -1.17% | 128.67 | 196 | 11 |
Palanas | municipality | 27,322 | 26,222 | 0.87% | 119.53 | 229 | 24 |
Pio V. Corpuz | municipality | 23,744 | 23,236 | 0.46% | 89.33 | 266 | 18 |
Placer | municipality | 56,340 | 55,826 | 0.19% | 193.03 | 292 | 35 |
San Fernando | municipality | 21,600 | 23,057 | -1.36% | 77.50 | 279 | 26 |
San Jacinto | municipality | 29,686 | 30,372 | -0.48% | 122.40 | 243 | 21 |
San Pascual | municipality | 44,449 | 46,674 | -1.02% | 246.65 | 180 | 22 |
Uson | municipality | 57,166 | 56,168 | 0.37% | 163.20 | 350 | 35 |
Masbate Total | 908,920 | 892,393 | 0.39% | 4,138.56 | 220 | 550 |
The annual regular revenue of Masbate for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱1,283,771,368.40.
Fiscal Year | Annual Regular Income | Change |
---|---|---|
2009 | 722,301,210.00 | – |
2010 | 774,777,695.02 | 7.27% |
2011 | 851,429,005.20 | 9.89% |
2012 | 821,145,304.73 | -3.56% |
2013 | 909,142,044.68 | 10.72% |
2014 | 1,028,252,346.97 | 13.10% |
2015 | 1,150,695,772.65 | 11.91% |
2016 | 1,283,771,368.40 | 11.56% |
End notes:
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According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Masbate is 5 to 9, with 122,270 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 6,775 individuals.
Age group | Population (2015) | Age group percentage |
---|---|---|
Under 1 | 22,166 | 2.48% |
1 to 4 | 97,912 | 10.97% |
5 to 9 | 122,270 | 13.70% |
10 to 14 | 119,272 | 13.37% |
15 to 19 | 95,312 | 10.68% |
20 to 24 | 69,431 | 7.78% |
25 to 29 | 56,456 | 6.33% |
30 to 34 | 49,726 | 5.57% |
35 to 39 | 47,373 | 5.31% |
40 to 44 | 43,457 | 4.87% |
45 to 49 | 40,424 | 4.53% |
50 to 54 | 34,187 | 3.83% |
55 to 59 | 29,289 | 3.28% |
60 to 64 | 21,995 | 2.46% |
65 to 69 | 15,969 | 1.79% |
70 to 74 | 12,065 | 1.35% |
75 to 79 | 8,314 | 0.93% |
80 and over | 6,775 | 0.76% |
Total | 892,393 | 100.00% |
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The population of Masbate grew from 43,675 in 1903 to 908,920 in 2020, an increase of 865,245 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 0.39%, or an increase of 16,527 people, from the previous population of 892,393 in 2015.
Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
---|---|---|
43,675 | – | |
67,513 | 2.79% | |
182,483 | 5.10% | |
211,113 | 1.51% | |
335,971 | 4.17% | |
492,908 | 3.82% | |
533,387 | 1.60% | |
584,520 | 1.85% | |
599,355 | 0.25% | |
653,852 | 1.64% | |
707,668 | 1.71% | |
768,939 | 1.15% | |
834,650 | 3.03% | |
892,393 | 1.28% | |
908,920 | 0.39% |
The total number of registered voters or electorate in Masbate for the year 2019 was 566,578.
As of December 2016, the National Roads in Masbate are: