Bicol Region
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
|
| Regional center | Legazpi City, Albay |
|---|---|
| Population | 4,674,855 |
| – Density | 265.1 per km² |
| Area | 17,632.5 km² |
| Divisions | |
| – Provinces | 6 |
| – Cities | 7 |
| – Municipalities | 107 |
| – Barangays | 3,471 |
| – Cong. districts | 14 |
| Languages | Bikol, Masbatenyo, Sorsoganon, Tagalog |
Bicol Region or Bicolandia is one of the 16 regions of the Philippines occupying the Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern end of Luzon island and some other islands.
It consists of six provinces, namely, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon. It has one independent chartered city, Naga City, and six component cities, Iriga City, Legazpi City, Ligao City, Masbate City, Sorsogon City, and Tabaco City. The inhabitants speak one of the Bikol languages, Masbatenyo, or a Warayan language, and the commercial/financial centers and transportation hubs are Legazpi City, the Regional Center and the Gateway City to Bicolandia, and Naga City, The Heart of Bicol and The Home of Our Lady of Peñafrancia.
The Bicol region is often seen as the epicenter of the counterculture and liberal politics in the Philippines. As many of its inhabitants seem to oppose many right-wing governments and ideology in which they blame for corruption. The region has a political reputation of being the most liberal region in the highly conservative Archipelago. It is also a stronghold for the National Democratic Front.
[edit] Political Divisions
Bicol is composed of six provinces and 7 cities.
| Province | Capital | Population (2000) |
Area (km²) |
Pop. density (per km²) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Albay | Legazpi City | 1,090,907 | 2,552.6 | 427.4 |
 |
Camarines Norte | Daet | 458,840 | 2,112.5 | 217.2 |
 |
Camarines Sur | Pili | 1,551,549 | 5,266.8 | 294.6 |
 |
Catanduanes | Virac | 215,356 | 1,511.5 | 142.5 |
 |
Masbate | Masbate City | 707,668 | 4,047.7 | 174.8 |
 |
Sorsogon | Sorsogon City | 650,535 | 2,141.4 | 303.8 |
[edit] Component Cities
- Legazpi City, Albay
- Ligao City, Albay
- Tabaco City, Albay
- Iriga City, Camarines Sur
- Naga City¹, Camarines Sur
- Masbate City, Masbate
- Sorsogon City, Sorsogon
[edit] Languages
The Bikol languages are the dominant languages of the region. Tagalog is also spoken in most of Camarines Norte as well as in the municipality of Del Gallego, Camarines Sur. Two Visayan languages, Sorsoganon and Masbatenyo, are spoken in Masbate and Sorsogon; they are collectively referred to as Bisakol.
¹ Naga City is an independent component city.
