Sulu

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Sulu
Typeprovince
Island groupMindanao
RegionBangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Cities0
Municipalities19
Barangays410
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesSulu Sea, Celebes Sea
Area (2013)4,547.16 km2 (1,755.67 sq mi)
Population (2020)1,000,108
Density (2020)220 / km2 (570 / sq mi)

Sulu is a province in the Philippines situated in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao occupying the Sulu Archipelago and the provinces of Lanao del Sur and Maguindanao in central Mindanao. Its capital is the Municipality of Jolo.

The province has a land area of 4,547.16 square kilometers or 1,755.67 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 1,000,108. This represented 22.71% of the total population of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 3.81% of the overall population of the Mindanao island group, or 0.92% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 220 inhabitants per square kilometer or 570 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

Sulu is bordered, clockwise from the Northeast, by the Sulu Sea, and Celebes Sea.

details
Map of the Philippines with Sulu highlighted in redMap of Sulu showing its component municipalitiesBanguinguiHadji Panglima TahilIndananJoloKalingalan CaluangLugusLuukMaimbungOld PanamaoOmarPandamiPanglima EstinoPangutaranParangPataPatikulSiasiTalipaoTapul

Local government units

Sulu has 19 municipalities. The total number of barangays in the province is 410.

details
Local government units of Sulu
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2Brgy count
Banguinguimunicipality35,61624,1618.51%352.5910114
Hadji Panglima Tahilmunicipality7,9066,3754.64%67.901165
Indananmunicipality93,16880,8833.02%101.9091434
Jolomunicipality, capital137,266125,5641.89%126.401,0868
Kalingalan Caluangmunicipality39,54931,5674.86%216.371839
Lugusmunicipality29,04321,8976.13%133.0421817
Luukmunicipality37,87332,1623.50%313.0412112
Maimbungmunicipality59,59737,9149.99%77.5076927
Old Panamaomunicipality49,84940,9984.20%266.2818731
Omarmunicipality28,07025,1162.37%201.771398
Pandamimunicipality33,17725,8855.36%170.8919416
Panglima Estinomunicipality34,24928,8173.70%125.1027412
Pangutaranmunicipality36,37430,6133.70%611.665916
Parangmunicipality71,49562,1722.99%258.0027740
Patamunicipality24,73622,1632.34%196.4012614
Patikulmunicipality79,56462,2875.29%434.2418330
Siasimunicipality81,68967,7054.03%307.5926650
Talipaomunicipality100,08880,2554.76%497.3220152
Tapulmunicipality20,79918,1972.85%89.1723315
Sulu Total1,000,108824,7314.14%4,547.16220410

Economy

The annual regular revenue of Sulu for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱995,987,356.08.

Historical annual regular income data

Annual regular income of Sulu (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
2009617,566,316.00–
2010663,067,091.007.37%
2011718,414,697.568.35%
2012684,070,615.08-4.78%
2013700,615,255.092.42%
2014775,470,739.0910.68%
2015891,007,652.1114.90%
2016995,987,356.0811.78%

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 Sulu is 5 to 9, with 120,542 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 1,370 individuals.

Age distribution

Population of Sulu by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 115,3701.86%
1 to 499,25612.03%
5 to 9120,54214.62%
10 to 14113,73613.79%
15 to 1994,36311.44%
20 to 2466,7548.09%
25 to 2958,7007.12%
30 to 3453,7486.52%
35 to 3956,6056.86%
40 to 4447,3655.74%
45 to 4937,0804.50%
50 to 5423,8452.89%
55 to 5914,8971.81%
60 to 649,5581.16%
65 to 696,1030.74%
70 to 743,5280.43%
75 to 791,9110.23%
80 and over1,3700.17%
Total824,731100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 75.37
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 2.79
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 78.16
  • Median Age: 18.36

Historical population

The population of Sulu grew from 73,914 in 1903 to 1,000,108 in 2020, an increase of 926,194 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 4.14%, or an increase of 175,377 people, from the previous population of 824,731 in 2015.

Trends in population growth

Population of Sulu (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationAnnualized Growth Rate
73,914–
127,9773.53%
201,3482.29%
182,295-1.01%
248,3042.75%
315,4212.37%
240,001-5.34%
360,5888.48%
469,9712.69%
536,2012.50%
619,6683.15%
849,6704.45%
718,290-5.93%
824,7312.67%
1,000,1084.14%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in Sulu for the year 2019 was 376,235.

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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