Visayas
 | |
| Total local government units | |
|---|---|
| Regions | 3 (until June 11, 2024; now 4) |
| Provinces | 16 |
| Cities | 39 |
| Municipalities | 369 |
| Barangays | 11,444 |
| 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 four (4) regions, namely, Region VI (Western Visayas), Region VII (Central Visayas), Region VIII (Eastern Visayas), and Negros Island Region (NIR).
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
| Region | Population (2020) | Regional center | Provinces (2021) | Total cities (2021; HUC) | Total cities (2021; ICC) | Total cities (2021; CC) | Total mun (2021) | Total brgy (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Visayas (Region VI) | 7,954,723 | Iloilo City | 0 | 14 | 117 | 4,051 | ||
| Central Visayas (Region VII) | 8,081,988 | Cebu City | 0 | 13 | 116 | 3,003 | ||
| Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) | 4,547,150 | Tacloban | 1 | 5 | 136 | 4,390 | ||
| Visayas Total | 20,583,861 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 32 | 369 | 11,444 |
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 annualized growth rate of 1.28%, or an increase of 1,210,430 people, from the previous population of 19,373,431 in 2015.
Trends in population growth
| Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2,863,077 | – | |
| 3,810,750 | 1.82% | |
| 5,590,104 | 1.93% | |
| 6,414,595 | 1.42% | |
| 7,642,073 | 1.55% | |
| 9,032,454 | 1.65% | |
| 10,133,392 | 2.33% | |
| 11,112,523 | 1.86% | |
| 13,041,947 | 1.61% | |
| 14,158,443 | 1.55% | |
| 15,528,346 | 2.00% | |
| 17,159,481 | 1.39% | |
| 18,003,940 | 1.76% | |
| 19,373,431 | 1.41% | |
| 20,583,861 | 1.28% |
Sources
- 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.
- Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.