Samar

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting Samar
Typeprovince
Island groupVisayas
RegionEastern Visayas (Region VIII)
Cities2
Municipalities24
Barangays951
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesPhilippine Sea, Samar Sea
Area (2013)6,048.03 km2 (2,335.16 sq mi)
Population (2020)793,183
Density (2020)131 / km2 (340 / sq mi)

Samar is a province in the Philippines situated in the Eastern Visayas region occupying the eastern section of the Visayas. Its capital is the City of Catbalogan.

The province has a land area of 6,048.03 square kilometers or 2,335.16 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 793,183. This represented 17.44% of the total population of the Eastern Visayas region, 3.85% of the overall population of the Visayas island group, or 0.73% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 131 inhabitants per square kilometer or 340 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

Samar is bordered, clockwise from the North, by Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte Gulf, San Juanico Strait, and the Samar Sea.

details
Map of the Philippines with Samar highlighted in redMap of Samar showing its component cities and municipalitiesAlmagroBaseyCalbayogCalbigaCatbaloganDaramGandaraHinabanganJiabongMarabutMatuguinaoMotiongPagsanghanParanasPinabacdaoSan JorgeSan Jose de BuanSan SebastianSanta MargaritaSanta RitaSanto NiñoTagapul-anTalaloraTarangnanVillarealZumarraga

Local government units

Samar has 24 municipalities and 2 cities. The total number of barangays in the province is 951.

details
Local government units of Samar
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2Brgy count
Almagromunicipality9,2738,9420.77%51.3618123
Baseymunicipality56,68555,4800.45%513.0111051
Calbayogcity (CC)186,960183,8510.35%880.74212157
Calbigamunicipality23,31022,9820.30%283.708241
Catbalogancity (CC), capital106,440103,8790.51%274.2238857
Darammunicipality41,60842,879-0.63%140.2629758
Gandaramunicipality35,24234,4340.49%573.496169
Hinabanganmunicipality13,69313,6730.03%460.083021
Jiabongmunicipality19,20518,3420.97%67.7028434
Marabutmunicipality17,84216,9621.07%143.5512424
Matuguinaomunicipality7,3647,2880.22%172.514320
Motiongmunicipality15,27615,1560.17%174.408830
Pagsanghanmunicipality7,9597,9450.04%30.0026513
Paranasmunicipality32,37430,5571.22%556.125844
Pinabacdaomunicipality18,13618,252-0.13%183.069924
San Jorgemunicipality17,57917,1840.48%241.207341
San Jose de Buanmunicipality7,7677,769-0.01%366.902114
San Sebastianmunicipality8,7048,0571.64%39.0722314
Santa Margaritamunicipality26,81626,3480.37%129.1220836
Santa Ritamunicipality42,38441,5910.40%411.7710338
Santo Niñomunicipality12,51912,863-0.57%29.5342413
Tagapul-anmunicipality8,8058,4730.81%28.7030714
Talaloramunicipality7,8568,057-0.53%27.9628111
Tarangnanmunicipality25,71324,9920.60%132.4919441
Villarealmunicipality27,39428,230-0.63%98.5427838
Zumarragamunicipality16,27916,295-0.02%38.5542225
Samar Total793,183780,4810.34%6,048.03131951

Economy

The annual regular revenue of Samar for the fiscal year of 2016 was ₱1,293,561,381.71.

Historical annual regular income data

Annual regular income of Samar (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
2009758,453,326.97–
2010808,652,543.726.62%
2011871,231,899.467.74%
2012831,487,497.78-4.56%
2013922,294,199.3710.92%
20141,036,418,575.5412.37%
20151,181,203,656.3513.97%
20161,293,561,381.719.51%

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 Samar is 10 to 14, with 96,908 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 6,843 individuals.

Age distribution

Population of Samar by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 117,2702.21%
1 to 473,3199.39%
5 to 991,90411.78%
10 to 1496,90812.42%
15 to 1990,85511.64%
20 to 2469,3218.88%
25 to 2952,0166.66%
30 to 3445,3095.81%
35 to 3943,6445.59%
40 to 4442,0765.39%
45 to 4938,1584.89%
50 to 5431,5334.04%
55 to 5926,1243.35%
60 to 6420,0492.57%
65 to 6915,5551.99%
70 to 7411,7731.51%
75 to 797,8241.00%
80 and over6,8430.88%
Total780,481100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 60.86
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 9.15
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 70.01
  • Median Age: 21.44

Historical population

The population of Samar grew from 118,912 in 1903 to 793,183 in 2020, an increase of 674,271 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 0.34%, or an increase of 12,702 people, from the previous population of 780,481 in 2015.

Trends in population growth

Population of Samar (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationAnnualized Growth Rate
118,912–
168,6682.23%
236,9091.71%
331,5213.51%
368,8230.94%
442,2441.79%
478,3781.59%
501,4390.95%
533,7330.63%
589,3731.88%
641,1241.82%
695,1491.12%
733,3771.97%
780,4811.19%
793,1830.34%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in Samar for the year 2019 was 563,133.

National roads

As of December 2016, the National Roads in Samar are:

Primary Roads

  • Daang Maharlika (LT)

Secondary Roads

  • Abuyog-Silago Road
  • Bato-Bontoc Road
  • Boundary Southern Leyte-Maasin-Macrohon-Sogod-Junction Daang Maharlika
  • Junction Himay-angan-Silago-Abuyog Boundary Road
  • Junction Panaw-awan Airport Road
  • Liloan-S. Ricardo Road
  • Tomas Oppus Street

Tertiary Roads

  • Daang Maharlika (Old Route)
  • San Ricardo-Bilatan Road

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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