Visayas

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting the Visayas island group
Total local government units
Regions3
Provinces16
Cities39
Municipalities369
Barangays11,444
Population (2020)20,583,861

The Visayas (also known as the Visayan group of islands) is one of the three island groups making up the Philippine Archipelago. Its largest islands are Samar, Negros, Panay, Leyte, Cebu, and Bohol.

As of 2020, the Visayas had a total population of 20,583,861, representing 18.88% of the entire population of the Philippines.

Location

The island group has three (3) regions, namely, Region VI (Western Visayas), Region VII (Central Visayas), and Region VIII (Eastern Visayas).

The Visayas is bordered, clockwise from the North, by the Tablas Strait, Sibuyan Sea, Jintotolo Channel, Visayan Sea, Samar Sea, Ticao Pass, San Bernardino Strait, Philippine Sea, Leyte Gulf, Surigao Strait, Bohol Sea, Dipolog Strait, and the Sulu Sea.

map of regions

List of regions

The regions of the Visayas encompass a total of sixteen (16) provinces, with an aggregate of thirty-nine (39) cities, and 369 municipalities. The total number of barangays in the island group is 11,444.

details
RegionPopulation (2020)Regional centerProvincesTotal cities (HUC)Total cities (ICC)Total cities (CC)Total munTotal brgy
Western Visayas (Region VI)7,954,723Iloilo City
6
2
0141174,051
Central Visayas (Region VII)8,081,988Cebu City
4
3
0131163,003
Eastern Visayas (Region VIII)4,547,150Tacloban
6
1
151364,390
Visayas Total20,583,86116613236911,444

Historical population

The population of Visayas grew from 2,863,077 in 1903 to 20,583,861 in 2020, an increase of 17,720,784 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive growth rate of 1.28%, or an increase of 1,210,430 people, from the previous population of 19,373,431 in 2015.

details
Population of Visayas (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationGrowth rate
2,863,077
3,810,7501.82%
5,590,1041.93%
6,414,5951.42%
7,642,0731.55%
9,032,4541.65%
10,133,3922.33%
11,112,5231.86%
13,041,9471.61%
14,158,4431.55%
15,528,3462.00%
17,159,4811.39%
18,003,9401.76%
19,373,4311.41%
20,583,8611.28%

Sources

  1. Historical population derived from the sum of populations of regions currently under the island group. These region populations are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
  2. Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.
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