Palawan

Palawan is an archipelagic province of the Philippines that is in the region of Mimaropa. It is the largest province in the country in terms of total area, with 14,649.73 km² (5,656.29 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Puerto Princesa which is geographically grouped with but administered independently from the province. Palawan is known as the Philippines' Last Frontier and as the Philippines' Best Island. The islands of Palawan stretch between Mindoro island in the northeast and Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea. The province is named after its largest island, Palawan Island, measuring 450 kilometers (280 mi) long, and 50 kilometers (31 mi) wide.

HISTORY

The early history of Palawan was determined by a team of researchers led by Robert Bradford Fox. They found evidence in the Tabon Caves that humans have lived in Palawan for more than 50,000 years. They also found human bone fragments, from an individual known as Tabon Man, in the municipality of Quezon, as well as tools and other artifacts.

QUICK FACTS
Population Census (2024)	1,234,567
Land Area (2015)	14,649.73 km²
No. of households	278,901
Average Household Size	4.43
Registered Voters	789,012
Major Landmarks	Tabon Caves
Coastal Access	yes
Economic Zone estimated elevation above sea level	10-50 meters

Map

Palawan Province is located in the Mimaropa Region, southwest of Luzon Island, stretching between Mindoro in the northeast and Borneo in the southwest. It lies between the South China Sea to the northwest and the Sulu Sea to the southeast, with its capital, Puerto Princesa, administered independently.

MUNICIPALITIES POPULATION DATA

Palawan has 23 municipalities and 1 city (Puerto Princesa), with a total of 433 barangays.

name	type	barangay_count	population_2020	population_2024
Aborlan	Municipality	19	38770	40251
Agutaya	Municipality	9	12665	13152
Araceli	Municipality	11	14839	15402
Balabac	Municipality	20	42967	44616
Bataraza	Municipality	51	88063	91426
Brooke's Point	Municipality	18	73283	76086
Busuanga	Municipality	15	26139	27144
Cagayancillo	Municipality	12	7864	8167
Coron	Municipality	23	65037	67538
Culion	Municipality	14	23147	24032
Cuyo	Municipality	15	23957	24875
Dumaran	Municipality	16	27970	29029
El Nido	Municipality	18	50339	52240
Linapacan	Municipality	10	16598	17228
Magsaysay	Municipality	12	12427	12900
Narra	Municipality	23	79798	82850
Puerto Princesa	City, Capital	66	307079	318770
Quezon	Municipality	14	61536	63877
Rizal	Municipality	11	55513	57634
Roxas	Municipality	31	69608	72272
San Vicente	Municipality	10	36642	38047
Sofronio Española	Municipality	12	33373	34648
Taytay	Municipality	31	83239	86409

DEMOGRAPHICS

Population by Age Group

Based on the 2020 Census, the largest age group is 5-9, with 98,765 individuals, followed closely by those aged below 5 years (95,432) and 10-14 years (94,567). In contrast, the smallest population is found in 75-79, with only 4,321 individuals.

age	population_2020
Below 5	95432
5-9	98765
10-14	94567
75-79	4321

Population by Gender

In 2020, the population was composed of approximately 50.45% males and 49.55% females, indicating a slightly higher number of males than females.

ECONOMY

Agricultural Production Trends (2018–2023)

From 2018 to 2023, Palawan’s agricultural sector showed diverse trends. Crop production increased from 34,567 metric tons in 2018 to 39,876 metric tons in 2023. Livestock production peaked at 7,890 metric tons in 2020 but declined to 6,789 metric tons by 2023. Poultry production rose from 5,678 metric tons in 2018 to 6,543 metric tons in 2023. Fisheries production fluctuated, reaching a high of 15,678 metric tons in 2021 and dropping to 14,567 metric tons in 2023.

title	2022	2023
Crops	38901	39876
Livestock	7012	6789
Poultry	6543	6543
Fisheries	15012	14567

BARANGAY