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Number: 2002-19
Date Released: March 1, 2002
ILOCOS NORTE: LEAST POPULATED PROVINCE IN ILOCOS REGION
(Results from the 2000 Census of Population and Housing, NSO)

Population growth rate increased to 1.37 percent

The Census 2000 results showed that Ilocos Norte registered a total population of 514,241 persons, higher by 31,590 persons over the 1995 results. This figure recorded a 1.37 percent growth rate, from only 0.84 in 1995. A corresponding increase on the number of households was also recorded at 106,939 households, higher by 7,286 households over the 1995 figure. This resulted to an average household size of 4.8 persons, same as the average household size recorded in 1995 and lower than the national average of five persons.

Batac was next to Laoag City in terms of population

Aside from Laoag City, which had a population of 94,466 or 18.37 percent of the total population of the province, Batac (9.27 percent) had the largest population among the twenty-two municipalities in Ilocos Norte. Dingras (6.48 percent), San Nicolas (6.16 percent), Bacarra (5.77 percent), and Vintar (5.64 percent) followed. Carasi, Adams, and Dumalneg, on the other hand, had the smallest population with less than 0.3 percent each.

Ilocos Norte had the lowest population in Ilocos Region

Ilocos Norte had the lowest population among the four provinces in the Ilocos Region with only 12.24 percent of the 4.2 million persons of the region. It was also the slowest growing province in the region. At the national level, the province contributed 0.67 percent to the total population of 76.5 million.

Half of the population were below 25 years old

Ilocos Norte had a median age of 24 years, slightly higher than the 1995 median age of 23.

Figure 1

Sex ratio almost 1:1

There were 257.6 thousand males and 256.6 thousand females in Ilocos Norte. This gave a sex ratio of 100.40 males for every 100 females. There were more males in the age group 0 to 39 years, while more females were in the 40 years and above age group.

Six dependents for every 10 economically active persons

More than 61 percent of the population of Ilocos Norte belonged to the economically active population aged 15 to 64 years. About 32 percent were young dependents, aged 0 to 14 years, while less than seven percent were old dependents, aged 64 years and over. The overall dependency ratio in 2000 was 62.67, lower than the 1995 ratio of 67.4. This meant that for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years, there were about 63 dependents, i.e., 52 young dependents and 11 old dependents.

More female than male degree holders

More than 40 percent of population five years old and over had attended or completed elementary education. Almost 30 percent had attended or completed high school, while five percent had attended or finished post secondary education. Less than six percent were academic degree holders while 11 percent were college undergraduates. There were more males than females among those who had attended or finished elementary (51.13 percent) and high school (51.65 percent). On the other hand, there were more females who had attended/completed post-secondary courses, college and post baccalaureate courses.

Only three percent were not Ilocanos

Ninety seven percent of the household population classified themselves as Ilocanos. Other ethnic groups included Tagalog (0.57 percent), Kankanai/Kankaney/Kankanaey (0.34 percent), and Apayao (0.32 percent).

Common-Law/Live-in arrangements up by 1.47 percent

Married persons accounted for 45.26 percent of the total persons 10 years old and over, lower than the 1995 figure (46.6 percent) by 1.34 percentage points. Single persons comprised 43.92 percent in 2000 from 44.6 percent in 1995 while the widowed (5.72 percent) had almost the same proportion registered in 1995 (5.8 percent). Those with common-law/live-in arrangements increased from only 2.4 percent in 1995 to 3.87 percent in 2000.

Housing occupancy rate was more than 95 percent

Out of 107,034 housing units in Ilocos Norte, 102,282 units (95.56 percent) were occupied by 106,939 households (513,314 persons). This rate of occupancy was higher than that of 1990 (95.29 percent). It recorded a ratio of 1.05 households for every occupied housing unit or 5.02 persons per occupied housing unit.

Single houses were most preferred

A very large proportion (96.20 percent) of the total occupied housing units in Ilocos Norte in 2000 were single houses. This was lower by 1.72 percentage points from the 1990 figure. More than 70 percent of the occupied housing units did not need any repair or if ever, needed minor repair only, while almost 16 percent needed major repair. Moreover, one out of five occupied housing units was built from 1996 to 2000.

Half of the housing units were made of concrete materials

The proportion of occupied housing units with roofs made of galvanized iron/aluminum rose from 76.31 percent in 1990 to 86.29 percent in 2000. On the other hand, roofs made of cogon/nipa/anahaw declined from 20.58 percent in 1990 to only 10.12 percent in 2000. As to construction material of the outer walls, the use of concrete/brick/stone rose by almost half, from 27.27 percent in 1990 to 52.13 percent in 2000.
(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA
Administrator

ILOCOS NORTE

Ilocos Norte is the northernmost province on the western side of Luzon. The northern part of the Cordillera mountain range separates Ilocos Norte from the provinces of Cagayan, Apayao, and Abra on the east. A narrow coastal plain connects it to the province of Ilocos Sur to the south. It is bounded by the South China Sea on the west and the Babuyan Channel on the north.

Before the coming of the Spaniards in the 16th century, Ilocos was a single province. It was divided into north and south on February 2, 1818 by virtue of a royal decree, thus creating the province of Ilocos Norte.

Table 1. Population Distribution of Top Five Municipalities by Sex: Ilocos Norte, 2000

Municipalities Total Population Percent Male Female
Ilocos Norte 514,241 100.00 257,628 256,613
    Laoag City 94,466 18.37 46,230 48,236
    Batac 47,682 9.27 23,715 23,967
    Dingras 33,310 6.48 16,980 16,330
    San Nicolas 31,688 6.16 15,770 15,918
    Bacarra 29,668 5.77 14,865 14,803
    Vintar 29,031 5.64 14,805 14,226
    Other Municipalities 248,396 48.30 125,263 123,133
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 2. Total Population by Age Group, Sex and Sex Ratio: Ilocos Norte, 2000

Age Group Total Population Male Female Sex Ratio
Ilocos Norte 514,241 257,628 256,613 100.40
    Under 1 11,528 6,016 5,512 109.14
    1 to 4 42,184 21,986 20,198 108.85
    5 to 9 54,464 27,850 26,614 104.64
    10 to 14 54,822 28,099 26,723 105.15
    15 to 19 52,978 27,224 25,754 105.71
    20 to 24 45,955 23,367 22,588 103.45
    25 to 29 40,600 20,454 20,146 101.53
    30 to 34 38,187 19,434 18,753 103.63
    35 to 39 33,824 17,028 16,796 101.38
    40 to 44 28,751 14,296 14,455 98.90
    45 to 49 23,958 11,800 12,158 97.05
    50 to 54 20,177 9,786 10,391 94.18
    55 to 59 16,835 8,177 8,658 94.44
    60 to 64 14,856 7,076 7,780 90.95
    65 to 69 10,353 4,779 5,574 85.74
    70 to 74 8,259 3,605 4,654 77.46
    75 to 79 7,435 3,089 4,346 71.08
    80 & Over 9,075 3,562 5,513 64.61
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 3. Household Population 5 Years Old and Over by Highest Educational Attainment and Sex: Ilocos Norte, 2000

Highest Educational Attainment Household Population

5 Years Old & Over

 Male Female
Ilocos Norte 459,616 229,091 230,525
    No Grade Completed 17,952 8,610 9,342
    Pre-School 11,703 6,008 5,695
    Elementary 185,061 94,631 90,430
    High School 135,062 69,755 65,307
    Post Secondary 21,887 10,509 11,378
    College Undergraduate 50,612 24,120 26,492
    Academic Degree Holder 25,525 10,036 15,489
    Post Baccalaureate 3,504 1,283 2,221
    Not Stated 8,310 4,139 4,171
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 4. Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex: Ilocos Norte, 2000

Ethnicity Both Sexes Male Female
Ilocos Norte 513,314 257,086 256,228
    Ilocano 496,096 248,740 247,356
    Tagalog 2,934 1,405 1,529
    Kankanai/Kankaney/Kankanaey 1,724 842 882
    Apayao/Yapayao 1,655 831 824
    Others 7,970 3,904 4,066
    Not Reported 2,935 1,364 1,571
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 5. Total Population 10 Years Old and Over by Age Group and Marital Status: Ilocos Norte, 2000

Age Group Total Population
10 Yrs Old & Over		 Single Married Widowed Divorced/
Separated		 Others Unknown

Ilocos Norte

 406,065 178,346 183,776 23,216 2,719 15,711 2,297
    Below 20 107,800 103,485 2,066 66 49 1,115 1,019
    20 – 24 45,955 31,942 10,558 72 136 2,896 351
    25 – 29 40,600 16,412 20,348 158 238 3,194 250
    30 – 34 38,187 8,194 26,284 361 337 2,828 183
    35 – 39 33,824 4,854 25,838 613 395 2,023 101
    40 – 44 28,751 2,948 23,032 1,018 425 1,254 74
    45 – 49 23,958 2,225 19,142 1,382 332 825 52
    50 – 54 20,177 1,772 15,695 1,842 290 539 39
    55 – 59 16,835 1,413 12,597 2,220 197 384 24
    60 – 64 14,856 1,302 10,402 2,739 128 243 42
    65 – 69 10,353 960 6,603 2,534 74 142 40
    70 – 74 8,259 851 4,633 2,600 45 101 29
    75 – 79 7,435 854 3,562 2,855 41 86 37
    80 & Over 9,075 1134 3,016 4,756 32 81 56
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

Table 6. Occupied Housing Units by Construction Materials of Outer Walls and Roof: Ilocos Norte, 2000

CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS
OF THE
OUTER WALLS		 Total Occupied
Housing Units		 CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS OF THE ROOF
Galvanized
Iron/
Aluminum		 Tile/
Concrete/
Clay Tile		 Half Galvanized,
Iron and
Half Concrete		 Cogon/
Nipa/
Anahaw		 Wood Makeshift/
Salvaged/
Improvised
Materials		 Asbestos/
Others/
Not Reported

Ilocos Norte

 102,282 88,261 349 2,127 10,349 215 214 767
    Concrete/Brick/Stone 53,322 52,140 263 197 675 12 10 25
    Wood 7,477 5,837 15 85 1,411 109 18 2
    Half Concrete/Brick/Stone and Half Wood 23,422 21,175 53 1,527 634 18 8 7
    Galvanized Iron/Aluminum 375 305 - 31 32 6 1 -
    Bamboo/Sawali/Nipa 15,682 7,977 - 256 7,329 58 39 23
    Others/Not Reported 2,004 827 18 31 268 12 138 710
Source: NSO, 2000 Census of Population and Housing

TECHNICAL NOTES

Average Household Size – average number of people who live in the household

Growth Rate – the rate at which the population is increasing (or decreasing) in a given year due to natural increase and net migration, expressed as a percentage of the base population

Median Age – the age at which exactly half of the population is young and half is old

Sex Ratio – the ratio of males to females in a given population expressed as the number of males per 100 females

Age-Dependency Ratio – the ratio of persons in the "dependent" ages (under 15 years and over 64 years) to those in the "economically productive" ages (15 to 64 years old) in the population

Household – a social unit consisting of a person or a group of persons who sleep in the same housing unit and have common arrangements in the preparation and consumption of food

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The 2000 Census of Population and Housing (Census 2000) was undertaken by the National Statistics Office (NSO) in May 2000, as mandated by Commonwealth Act No.591, Batas Pambansa Blg. 72 and Executive Order No. 121. It was the 11th census of population and 5th census of housing undertaken in this country since the first census in 1903. It was designed to take an inventory of the total population and housing units all over the Philippines and to collect information about their characteristics. Census day for the Census 2000 was May 1, 2000 (12:01 a.m.). Enumeration started on May 1, 2000 and lasted for about 30 days.

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Page last revised: March 1, 2002