Island groups of the Philippines

The Philippines is divided into three island groups, Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao

The divisions of the Philippines are the three island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao are named after their main islands of the same names, while the Visayas (the Visayan Islands) is an archipelago.

Administrative divisions

Islands are organized into three distinct island groups according to regions: Regions I to V, CAR and NCR are for Luzon, Regions VI to VIII and XVIII are for the Visayas, and Regions IX to XIII and ARMM are for Mindanao. If a province is reassigned into a new region, it can also be reassigned to a new island group, as is the case with Palawan, when it was reassigned to MIMAROPA. The island groups themselves do not have governments of their own, but are instead divided into provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays, which do have their own local governments.

Although the island groups do not have local governments, hence capitals, certain cities have become the political, economic and cultural centers of the island groups. Manila is the national capital and is the de facto capital of Luzon, though Quezon City, a former capital, has more inhabitants than Manila. Cebu, on the province and island of the same name, is the chief city of the Visayas. Mindanao's main city is Davao, towards its southeast.

Group	Main city	Population		±% p.a.	Area		Density
		(2010)[1]	(2007)[2]		km^2	sq mi	/km^2	/sq mi
Luzon	Manila	48,520,774	42,822,878	4.65%	125,863	48,596	390	1,000
Visayas	Cebu	18,003,940	15,528,346	5.53%	71,503	27,607	250	650
Mindanao	Davao	21,968,174	18,133,864	7.23%	104,530	40,360	210	540
Total		88,492,888	76,485,088	5.45%	301,896	116,563	290	760

Islands

Luzon: Luzon Palawan Island Mindoro Masbate Island Catanduanes Marinduque Romblon Island Polillo Islands Burias Island Ticao Island Tablas Island Sibuyan Island Busuanga Island Culion Island Coron Island Balabac Island Babuyan Group of Islands Batanes Calamian Group of Islands Cuyo Islands Lubang Islands Kalayaan Group of Islands

Visayas: Cebu Panay Negros Island Bohol Samar Leyte Guimaras Siquijor Biliran Bantayan Island Camotes Islands Boracay Semirara Group of Islands Islas de Gigantes Panaon Island Limasawa

Mindanao: Mindanao Camiguin Dinagat Island Bucas Grande Samal Sarangani Islands Siargao Sulu Archipelago (including Basilan, Jolo and Tawitawi) Turtle Islands

See also

• Luzviminda

References

1. "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
2. "Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City and Municipality: Central Visayas: 1995, 2000 and 2007" (PDF). National Statistics Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 June 2011.