Most Populated Islands
As of 2000, around 56 percent of Filipinos were living in Luzon, while only 23.7 percent were living in Mindanao and 20.3 percent in the Visayas.
Most Populated Region
Southern Tagalog or Region 4 had the most number of inhabitants at 11.8 million as of 2000, higher than 9.9 million in Metro Manila and 8 million in Central Luzon. The combined population of these three regions made up for around 39 percent of the country's total population.
Most Densely Populated Region
Metro Manila or the National Capital region is the most densely populated region in the Philippines. As of 2000, there were 15,617 persons occupying each square kilometer of land in the metropolis, or nearly 61 times the population density of 255 persons per square kilometer in the whole country.
Region with Most Cities
As of 2002, Western Visayas or Region 6 had a total of 16 cities beating Metro Manila as the region with the most number of cities. Metro Manila had only 13 cities, 4 municipalities and 1,694 barangays.
Palawan is considered as the largest province in the country. It has a total land area of 14,896 square kilometers distributed in 1,769 islands and is composed of one city, 23 municipalities and 431 barangays. The next largest provinces in the country are Isabela, with a land area of 10,664 square kilometers; and Cagayan, 9,002 square kilometers.
Most Populated Province
Cebu province, including its 6 cities, had a total population of 3.1 million as of 2000, the highest among the country's 79 provinces. Other highly populated provinces were Pangasinan, with 2.434 million inhabitants; Bulacan, 2.23 million; Negros Occidental, 2.14 million; and Cavite, 2.06 million.
Most Densely Populated Province
As of 2000, Cavite province in Southern Tagalog was the most densely populated among provinces with 1,602 inhabitants per square kilometer while Apayao province in Cagayan Valley was the most sparsely populated with only 24 persons per square kilometer.
In its 2000 survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) identified the ten provinces with the lowest poverty incidence levels. Each of the four districts in Metro Manila, composed of several cities and/or municipalities, was treated as a province in the survey.
The 2nd district of Metro Manila (Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and San Juan) topped the list, with a poverty incidence of only 4.1 percent while the 4th district (Las Pinas, Makati, Muntinlupa, Paranaque, Pasay, Pateros and Taguig) came in second with 4.9 percent.
Others in the list are Bulacan, with a poverty incidence of 5.4 percent; 1st district of Metro Manila (Manila), 5.8 percent; Batanes, 7.5 percent; Rizal, 8 percent; Laguna, 8.6 percent; 3rd district of Metro Manila (Caloocan, Valenzuela, Malabon and Navotas), 9 percent; Bataan, 9.9 percent; and Cavite, 10.2 percent.
In its 2000 survey, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) identified Sulu province (ARMM) as the poorest province in the Philippines, with a poverty incidence level of 63.2 percent. Masbate (Bicol) registered a poverty incidence level of 62.8 percent while Tawi-Tawi had 56.5 percent. Other provinces in the list of the 10 poorest are Ifugao, which had a poverty incidence of 55.6 percent; Romblon, 55.2 percent; Maguindanao; 55.1 percent; Lanao del Sur, 55 percent; Sultan Kudarat, 54.3 percent; Camiguin, 53.1 percent; and Camarines Norte, 52.7 percent.
Bulacan Had Highest Human Development Index
Provinces near Metro Manila registered the highest human development index (HDI), a gauge of quality living, in the country. Bulacan, a province in Central Luzon and located just north of Metro Manila, topped the list of the 77 provinces, with an HDI of 0.760 in 2000.
Bataan, also in Central Luzon, came in second with an HDI of 0.746. Located south of Metro Manila, Cavite (southern Luzon) was third in the list with an HDI of 0.735 while Rizal, also a province in southern Luzon located just east of Metro Manila, came in fourth with an HDI of 0.733.
Other provinces in the top ten list are Batanes (Cagayan Valley region), with an HDI of 0.717; Laguna (southern Luzon), 0.709; Ilocos Norte (northern Luzon), 0.684; Batangas (southern Luzon), 0.683; Pampanga (central Luzon), 0.665; and Isabela (Cagayan Valley region), 0.649.
Province with Most Number of Cooperatives
Apart from topping the list of provinces in terms of income and literacy, Bulacan also boasts of its high number of cooperatives estimated as 1,120 with total assets of P3.8 billion as of 1998. The province had also registered the lowest poverty incidence of 17 percent.
Sulu Had Lowest Human Development Index
Appearing at the bottom of the HDI ladder in 2000 are Mindanao provinces which have been most devastated by decades of armed conflict. The NSCB identified the ten most lagging provinces in terms of human development as Sulu (western Mindanao), Tawi-Tawi (western Mindanao), Basilan (western Mindanao), Ifugao (Cordillera region), Maguindanao (central Mindanao), Lanao del Sur (central Mindanao), Agusan del Sur (northern Mindanao), Western Samar (eastern Visayas), Lanao del Norte (central Mindanao), and Sarangani (southern Mindanao).
Province with Most Cities
As of 2002, Negros Occidental in Western Visayas had 13 cities, 19 municipalities and 661 barangays.
Province with Most Municipalities
As of 2002, Cebu province in Central Visayas had 6 cities and 47 municipalities. Bohol, on the other hand, had 1 city and 47 municipalities.
Province with Most Barangays
As of 2002, Iloilo province in Western Visayas had 2 cities, 42 municipalities and 1,901 barangays.
Least Populated Province
As of 2000, Batanes province had the lowest population among provinces at 16,467. It was followed by Camiguin, with 74,232 inhabitants; Siquijor, 81,598; and Apayao, 97,129.
Most Populated City
Quezon City in northern Metro Manila is the country's most populated city. With a total population of 2.17 million as of 2000, Quezon City is composed of numerous subdivisions and has the highest concentration of urban poor residents in Metro Manila. Other highly populated cities in the country are Manila, with 1.58 million residents; Caloocan, 1.18 million and Davao, 1.15 million. The least populated city is Tagaytay City in Cavite province, with a population of less than 45,500.
Most Polluted City
People go to Baguio City during summer because of its cool weather and fresh air. Ironically, a World Bank study in 2001 has found Baguio City's air as the most polluted in the country. The city's air reportedly had 75.2 micrograms of particles per cubic meter, compared to Metro Manila's 65.8, Cebu City's 45 and Davao City's 39.8.