Total Population Of Abra Grew By 1.35 Percent Annually (Results from the 2007 Census Of Population)

Reference Number:

2009-77

Release Date:

Monday, August 24, 2009

Population increased to 230,953

The population of Abra was 230,953 persons as of August 1, 2007, based on the 2007 Census of Population (POPCEN 2007). This figure was higher by 21,462 persons over the population count of 209,491 persons in 2000. The recent population count for the province translated to an annual growth rate of 1.35 percent for the period 2000 to 2007, lower than the 1.44 percent annual growth rate registered for the period 1995 to 2000.

The number of households reached 46,546, which was 5,837 households more than the 2000 figure. The average household size in 2007 was 5.0 persons, which was slightly lower than the average household size of 5.1 persons in 2000.

Bangued remained to be the most populated municipality

Among the 27 municipalities in Abra, Bangued, the provincial capital, was the most populous with a population of 46,179 persons or 20 percent of the provincial total population. This municipality was followed by Bucay (7 percent), La Paz (6.3 percent), Lagangilang (5.8 percent), and Tayum (5.8 percent). The rest of the municipalities had a share of less than 5 percent each, with the municipality of Daguioman (0.8 percent) having the least share.

Males dominated the household population

Of the 230,294 household population of Abra, 51.1 percent were males and 48.9 percent were females or a sex ratio of 105 males for every 100 females. This was slightly higher than the sex ratio of 104 in 2000.

Half of the population of Abra were below 23 years old

The household population of Abra had a median age of 23 years, which means that half of the household population were below 23 years old. The median age for the province in 2007 was one year higher than the median age of 22 years recorded in 2000.

Majority of the voting population were males

Almost 60 percent of the household population of Abra were in the voting age group (18 years old and over). The distribution of voting-age population by sex was almost even, with males sharing 50.7 percent and females, 49.3 percent.

Overall dependency ratio was unchanged

The proportion of household population in the working age group (15-64 years) was 59.1 percent, young dependents (0-14 years), 34.2 percent and old dependents (65 years and over), 6.7 percent.

The overall dependency ratios in 2007 and 2000 were the same at 69.2, which implies that for every 100 persons in the working age group, there were 69 dependents (58 young dependents and 11 old dependents).

Single persons comprised more of males than females

Almost half (47.4 percent) of the household population 10 years old and over in 2007 were married while 43.3 percent were single. The marital status of the rest of the population was either widowed, divorced/separated, common law/live-in, or unknown. Among single persons, males, which accounted for 56.1 percent of the total single persons, outnumbered the females. Females outshone the males in the rest of the categories for marital status.

In 2000, the proportion of single persons (45.6 percent) was almost equal to the proportion of married persons (45.1 percent).

More females pursued higher levels of education

Of the household population 5 years old and over, 35.4 percent had attended or finished elementary education, 33.7 percent reached high school, and 17.4 percent attended or finished college education. The proportion of academic degree holders increased from 4.9 percent in 2000 to 9.3 percent in 2007.

More females pursued higher levels of education than males. Majority of those with academic degree (59.4 percent) and post baccalaureate degree (54.2 percent) were females.

For the household population 5 to 24 years old, about two out of three (66.3 percent) attended school at anytime during the School Year 2007 to 2008. Of the total females aged 5 to 24 years, 68.2 percent attended school at anytime during the School Year 2007 to 2008, while attendance for males was 64.5 percent of the total males aged 5 to 24 years old.

Number of occupied housing units increased in the latest census

From a total of 39,200 occupied housing units in 2000, the number of occupied housing units reached 45,497 in 2007, showing an increase of 16.1 percent. The average number of occupants for every 100 occupied housing units was 102 households or 5.1 persons per occupied housing unit. This was lower than the ratio of 104 households for every 100 occupied housing units or 5.3 persons per occupied housing unit in 2000.

Most occupied housing units were made of strong materials

An improvement in the materials used for the outer walls was observed in 2007. The proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of concrete/brick/stone increased from 34.4 percent in 2000 to 41.8 percent in 2007. On the other hand, the proportion of occupied housing units with outer walls made of bamboo/sawali/cogon/nipa dropped from 32.9 percent in 2000 to 24.5 percent in 2007 or a percentage difference of 8.4.

About 9 in every 10 (92.3 percent) occupied housing units in 2007 had roof made of galvanized iron/aluminum. Use of cogon/nipa/anahaw for the roof decreased from 8.0 percent in 2000 to 3.2 percent in 2007.