Central Visayas (Region VII)

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Central Visayas
Typeregion
Island groupVisayas
Provinces4
Cities16
Municipalities116
Barangays3,003
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesCamotes 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 4 provinces, namely, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, as well as 3 highly urbanized cities. 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
Map of Central VisayasMap of Central Visayas highlighting its regional center, component provinces and their capitals, and nearby major citiesBoholCebuNegros OrientalSiquijorCebu City, a highly urbanized city and the regional centerLapu-Lapu, a highly urbanized cityMandaue, a highly urbanized city

Local government units

Central Visayas has 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 is 3,003.

details
Local government units of Central Visayas
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2City countMun countBrgy count
Boholprovince1,394,3291,313,5601.26%4,772.522921471,109
Cebuprovince3,325,3852,938,9822.63%4,943.726736441,066
Cebu Citycity (HUC), capital, regional center964,169922,6110.93%315.003,06180
Lapu-Lapucity (HUC)497,604408,1124.26%58.108,56530
Mandauecity (HUC)364,116362,6540.08%25.1814,46127
Negros Orientalprovince1,432,9901,354,9951.19%5,420.57264619557
Siquijorprovince103,39595,9841.58%337.4930606134
Central Visayas Total8,081,9887,396,8981.88%15,872.58509161163,003

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.

details
Population of Central Visayas by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 1162,7632.20%
1 to 4650,7178.80%
5 to 9805,11410.88%
10 to 14771,03010.42%
15 to 19728,6979.85%
20 to 24688,9159.31%
25 to 29601,7598.14%
30 to 34521,5847.05%
35 to 39467,9016.33%
40 to 44413,9895.60%
45 to 49372,3025.03%
50 to 54324,7214.39%
55 to 59268,4423.63%
60 to 64216,1452.92%
65 to 69151,0672.04%
70 to 74106,4981.44%
75 to 7975,4901.02%
80 and over69,7640.94%
Total7,396,898100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 51.9
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 8.75
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 60.65
  • Median Age: 24.21

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 growth rate of 1.88%, or an increase of 685,090 people, from the previous population of 7,396,898 in 2015.

details
Population of Central Visayas (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationGrowth rate
1,124,444
1,485,9761.78%
1,954,3661.38%
2,119,9750.84%
2,522,8021.54%
3,032,7191.82%
3,387,2742.24%
3,787,3742.26%
4,594,1241.95%
5,014,5881.65%
5,706,9532.81%
6,400,6981.59%
6,800,1802.23%
7,396,8981.61%
8,081,9881.88%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in Central Visayas for the year 2019 was 4,946,354.

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.
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