Palawan
Provincial Statistics

Palawan is one of the largest provinces in the Philippines, which lies on the southwest part of the country.  South of the province is the island of Borneo, on the west is the China Sea and on the east is the Sulu Sea.  It has a total land area of 14,896.3 sq. km., which consists of 23 municipalities, 1 city and 431 barangays.  The provincial capital is Puerto Princesa, the only city in the island.

During the Spanish regime, the islands were named “Paragua”, with Cuyo Island as the seat of the administration.  The Americans renamed the islands, Palawan.    In 1917, it formally became a province.

Aside from being considered the country’s “last frontier”, the island of Palawan is also known as the “black gold country”.  With reason, for it is in pristine waters off the island that major Philippine oil strikes have been made over the last two decades.  It is the site of the country’s first oil field, Nido Oil Field, discovered in Northwest Palawan in 1973.  The province is also the site of St. Paul underground river system, a popular spot for tourism.

The province of Palawan is known for its vast natural resources consisting of virgin forests, mineral deposits, extensive fishing grounds and world-class scenic spots.  It is also rich in mangroves used for the manufacturing of synthetic fibers for textiles.  Palawan’s industries include fishing, forest products and mining.

View the Special edition PALAWAN Factsheet