Central Visayas (Region VII)
 | |
| Type | region |
|---|---|
| Island group | Visayas |
| Provinces (2021) | 4 |
| Cities (2021) | 16 |
| Municipalities (2021) | 116 |
| Barangays (2021) | 3,003 |
| Coastal/Landlocked | coastal |
| Marine waterbodies | Camotes Sea, Bohol Sea, Visayan Sea, Cebu Strait, Tañon Strait, Canigao Channel |
| Area (2013) | 158.73 km2 (6128.44 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | 8,081,988 |
| Density (2020) | 509 / km2 (1,319 / sq mi) |
Central Visayas, officially designated as Region VII, is an administrative region in the Philippines occupying the central section of the Visayas. It covers 2 provinces, namely, Bohol and Cebu, as well as 3 highly urbanized cities. Negros Oriental and Siquijor were under the region's jurisdiction until June 11, 2024. The regional center is the City of Cebu.
Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 8,081,988. This represented 39.26% of the overall population of the Visayas island group, or 7.41% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 509 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,319 inhabitants per square mile.
Map
Central Visayas is bordered, clockwise from the North, by the Visayan Sea, Camotes Sea, Canigao Channel, Bohol Sea, Dipolog Strait, Sulu Sea, Western Visayas, and the Tañon Strait.
details
Local government units
Before Negros Oriental's and Siquijor's transfer to Negros Island Region in June 11, 2024, Central Visayas had 4 provinces, 116 municipalities, and 16 cities (3 of which are highly urbanized cities administered independently from any province). The total number of barangays in the region was 3,003.
details
| Name | Type | Population (2020) | Population (2015) | Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020) | Area (2013), in km2 | Density (2020), per km2 | City count | Mun count | Brgy count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohol | province | 1,394,329 | 1,313,560 | 1.26% | 4,772.52 | 292 | 1 | 47 | 1,109 |
| Cebu | province | 3,325,385 | 2,938,982 | 2.63% | 4,943.72 | 673 | 6 | 44 | 1,066 |
| Cebu City | city (HUC), capital, regional center | 964,169 | 922,611 | 0.93% | 315.00 | 3,061 | – | – | 80 |
| Lapu-Lapu | city (HUC) | 497,604 | 408,112 | 4.26% | 58.10 | 8,565 | – | – | 30 |
| Mandaue | city (HUC) | 364,116 | 362,654 | 0.08% | 25.18 | 14,461 | – | – | 27 |
| Negros Oriental | province; now under NIR | 1,432,990 | 1,354,995 | 1.19% | 5,420.57 | 264 | 6 | 19 | 557 |
| Siquijor | province; now under NIR | 103,395 | 95,984 | 1.58% | 337.49 | 306 | 0 | 6 | 134 |
| Central Visayas Total (2021) | 8,081,988 | 7,396,898 | 1.88% | 15,872.58 | 509 | 16 | 116 | 3,003 | |
Demographics
Population by age group
According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in Central Visayas is 5 to 9, with 805,114 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 69,764 individuals.
Age distribution
| Age group | Population (2015) | Age group percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 162,763 | 2.20% |
| 1 to 4 | 650,717 | 8.80% |
| 5 to 9 | 805,114 | 10.88% |
| 10 to 14 | 771,030 | 10.42% |
| 15 to 19 | 728,697 | 9.85% |
| 20 to 24 | 688,915 | 9.31% |
| 25 to 29 | 601,759 | 8.14% |
| 30 to 34 | 521,584 | 7.05% |
| 35 to 39 | 467,901 | 6.33% |
| 40 to 44 | 413,989 | 5.60% |
| 45 to 49 | 372,302 | 5.03% |
| 50 to 54 | 324,721 | 4.39% |
| 55 to 59 | 268,442 | 3.63% |
| 60 to 64 | 216,145 | 2.92% |
| 65 to 69 | 151,067 | 2.04% |
| 70 to 74 | 106,498 | 1.44% |
| 75 to 79 | 75,490 | 1.02% |
| 80 and over | 69,764 | 0.94% |
| Total | 7,396,898 | 100.00% |
| ||
Historical population
The population of Central Visayas grew from 1,124,444 in 1903 to 8,081,988 in 2020, an increase of 6,957,544 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 1.88%, or an increase of 685,090 people, from the previous population of 7,396,898 in 2015.
Trends in population growth
| Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1,124,444 | – | |
| 1,485,976 | 1.78% | |
| 1,954,366 | 1.38% | |
| 2,119,975 | 0.84% | |
| 2,522,802 | 1.54% | |
| 3,032,719 | 1.82% | |
| 3,387,274 | 2.24% | |
| 3,787,374 | 2.26% | |
| 4,594,124 | 1.95% | |
| 5,014,588 | 1.65% | |
| 5,706,953 | 2.81% | |
| 6,400,698 | 1.59% | |
| 6,800,180 | 2.23% | |
| 7,396,898 | 1.61% | |
| 8,081,988 | 1.88% |
The total number of registered voters or electorate in Central Visayas for the year 2019 was 4,946,354.
Notes
- Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
- Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
- Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.