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Region

Caraga

Caraga is a region of the Philippines in Mindanao. Its population was 2,865,196 in the 2024 census, and it has 5 provinces, 6 cities and 67 municipalities.

  • Population: 2024 Census
  • Places: PSGC 2Q 2026
  • Checked by Scene: October 8, 2026
  • Page updated: October 2, 2026
A clear river pool glowing deep blue and turquoise over pale rock, under overhanging green vines and leaves.
The Enchanted River, in Hinatuan.Photo: “Enchanted River, Hinatuan” by Colneri001, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; resized by Scene. Scene's copy is shared under the same licence.

  • PeopleSources

    2,865,196

    people counted in the 2024 censusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary

    Up 17.9% from 2010 to 2024

  • Rank by peopleSources

    17th

    of the 18 regions of the Philippines by population, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary

    About 3 of every 100 people in the Philippines lived in Caraga in 2024 (2.54%)

  • Inside itSources

    5

    provinces

    73 cities and municipalities, 1,312 barangays

  • LandSources

    21,820.20 km²

    of land, 2019 masterlistLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.Explained by Scene: Caraga's land would fill a square about 147.7 km on each side. That is only a way to picture its size: its real shape is on the map.More in the glossary

    Average density, 2024: 131 people per km²Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.Explained by Scene: About 1 person per hectare if everyone were spread evenly across the land. In fact people live closer together in towns and farther apart in the countryside.More in the glossary

  • HomesSources

    706,133

    households in 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary

    4.0 people in each, on average, in 2024

  • Town or countrySources

    38.9%

    About 39 of every 100 people lived in urban barangays in 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary

PSGC codePSGC codeThe code the Philippine Statistics Authority gives every place, so each one is known exactly, even when two share a name.More in the glossary
1600000000[5]Formerly 160000000

People

Caraga had 2,865,196 people in the 2024 census, up 17.9% from 2010.
People at each census since 1960

Counts from 2000 on are on today’s borders; earlier counts are as the place was then, so the line may step where a border moved.

Caraga had the 17th most people of the 18 regions of the Philippines in 2024[1]
  1. 12Eastern Visayas4,625,929
  2. 13Bangsamoro (BARMM)4,545,486
  3. 14SOCCSKSARGEN4,462,776
  4. 15Cagayan Valley3,777,608
  5. 16MIMAROPA3,245,446
  6. 17Caraga2,865,196
  7. 18Cordillera Administrative Region1,808,985
Of every 100 people in Caraga in 2024[1]
Age structure · 2024 Census[6]People living in households, by age and sex
  • About 30 of every 100 are children under 15 (29.5%)
  • About 64 of every 100 are of working age, 15 to 64 (64%)
  • About 7 of every 100 are 65 or older (6.6%)
MenWomen

The figures by age

People by age group, men and women
AgePeopleMenWomen
Under 5236,297122,702113,595
5 - 9286,483148,627137,856
10 - 14318,696165,183153,513
15 - 19294,166152,294141,872
20 - 24254,852131,037123,815
25 - 29217,887112,303105,584
30 - 34212,258110,062102,196
35 - 39188,36999,56688,803
40 - 44162,57686,32976,247
45 - 49143,46274,64368,819
50 - 54134,08468,48765,597
55 - 59116,75558,37258,383
60 - 64102,11950,39351,726
65 - 6976,26636,34739,919
70 - 7451,73823,43728,301
75 - 7929,84012,25517,585
80 - 8417,9606,56511,395
85 and over11,6933,7957,898

Every figure, census by census

People, 2024 CensusCensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary
2,865,196[1, 2]
Households, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary
706,133[1, 2]
People in each household, 2024
4.0 on average[1, 2]
Share of the Philippines, 2024Rank and shareWorked out by Scene from the PSA's counts: where a place stands among the places listed with it, and how many of every 100 of its parent's people live in it.More in the glossary
2.54%[1]
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary
38.9% (1,113,616 people)[7]
Men and women, 2024
1,462,397 men, 1,393,104 women[6]People living in households
Population at each census, with its source
CensusPopulationGrowth since the census beforeHouseholdsPeople per household
2024as of July 1, 20242,865,196[1, 2]0.51% a year706,1334.0
2020as of May 1, 20202,804,788[1]1.63% a year——
2015as of August 1, 20152,596,709[1]1.28% a year——
2010as of May 1, 20102,429,224[1]———
2007as of August 1, 2007; as it was then2,293,346[19]1.25% a year——
2000as of May 1, 2000; on today’s borders2,095,367[19, 20]1.63% a year——
1995as of September 1, 1995; as it was then1,942,687[19]1.82% a year——
1990as of May 1, 1990; as it was then1,764,297[19]2.55% a year——
1980as of May 1, 1980; as it was then1,371,512[19]4.24% a year——
1975as of May 1, 1975; as it was then1,114,336[19]3.25% a year——
1970as of May 6, 1970; as it was then950,129[19]4.08% a year——
1960as of February 15, 1960; as it was then631,007[19]———

Provinces and cities

Caraga is made up of 5 provinces and 1 city that governs itself, Butuan City, with 1,312 barangays in all.
Colour byColours the map of Caraga by the figure chosen; the key beside it says what each colour means.
Davao RegionNorthern MindanaoAgusan del Norte: 404,100 people, 151 per km², 1.01% a yearAgusan del Sur: 740,531 people, 75 per km², 0.04% a yearDinagat Islands: 120,533 people, 146 per km², −1.45% a yearSurigao del Norte: 565,644 people, 275 per km², 1.36% a yearSurigao del Sur: 648,858 people, 114 per km², 0.25% a yearButuan City: 385,530 people, 557 per km², 0.80% a year

People · 2024 Census

  • Under 300,000
  • 300,000 to 640,000
  • 640,000 to 890,000
  • 890,000 to 1.6 million
  • 1.6 million and over

The same steps colour every map of provinces in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Density · people per km², 2024

  • Under 140
  • 140 to 220
  • 220 to 310
  • 310 to 440
  • 440 and over

The same steps colour every map of provinces in the Atlas, so a colour means the same range everywhere.

Growth a year · 2020–2024

  • Fell by more than 1% a year
  • Fell, by up to 1% a year
  • Grew, by under 1% a year
  • Grew by 1 to 2% a year
  • Grew by 2% a year or more

Each place's yearly change between the 2020 and 2024 censuses, on the same steps as every map in the Atlas.

Borders from UN OCHA (PSA and NAMRIA), a guide and not the legal boundary[3, 4]Open in OpenStreetMap
Provinces and cities of Caraga. Each column heading sorts the table.
Kind[1, 8]Share (2024)
Agusan del NorteProvince404,10014.1%1.01% a year2,678.59 km²
Agusan del SurProvince740,53125.85%0.04% a year9,876.82 km²
Dinagat IslandsProvince120,5334.21%−1.45% a year826.48 km²
Surigao del NorteProvince565,64419.74%1.36% a year2,053.75 km²
Surigao del SurProvince648,85822.65%0.25% a year5,692.86 km²
Butuan CityHighly urbanized city385,53013.46%0.80% a year691.70 km²

Land & Environment

Caraga covers 21,820.20 km² of land, 131 people for every km² in 2024. Its land rises to 1,915 m above the sea and it has 2,883.7 km of coast.
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary
21,820.20 km²[8]As listed in the 2019 Masterlist of Land Areas (LMB, DENR)
Average density, 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary
131 people per km²[8]
Coordinates
8.56685° N, 125.67299° E[3]The point inside its border farthest from every edge, so it always falls within the place.
Height above the sea[15]
Lowest
Sea level
Average
237 m
Highest
1,915 m

Heights from the Copernicus DEM, a 30 m model of the surface: it reads the tops of trees and roofs, not the bare ground, over the land inside the border, the sea left out. Produced using Copernicus WorldDEM-30 © DLR e.V. 2010-2014 and © Airbus Defence and Space GmbH 2014-2018 provided under COPERNICUS by the European Union and ESA; all rights reserved.

Water, coast and peaks

2,883.7 km of coastline[16]

Rivers[16]

  1. Agusan River230.4 of 295.1 km
  2. Adgawan River175.7 km
  3. Tagacupan River125.3 km
  4. Gibong River118.7 km
  5. Ojot River100.0 of 112.1 km
  6. Maasam River98.0 km
  7. Tago River87.4 of 88.3 km
  8. Libang River83.7 km

The longest inside it: 87 in all.

Lakes[16]

  1. Lake Mainit143.4 km²
  2. Talacogon Lake3.6 km²
  3. Lake Kayawanon3.3 km²
  4. Lake Mambagongon2.8 km²
  5. Lake Kilobedan1.8 km²
  6. Lake Kanimbailan1.6 km²

The largest: 31 in all.

Peaks[16]

  1. Mount Hilong-Hilong1,920 m
  2. Mount Mabaho1,860 m
  3. Mount Datu Masuyapa1,620 m
  4. Mount Baliagan1,440 m
  5. Mount Kinabalian1,332 m
  6. Mount Salibugnug1,316 m

The highest: 52 in all.

Named rivers, lakes and peaks as OpenStreetMap mapped them on 30 September 2026, and the coast within 150 m of the border. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, under the Open Database License.

Climate

Climate typeClimate typePAGASA sorts the country's climate into four types by when the rain falls. Type I has a dry season from November to April and a wet one for the rest of the year; Type II has no dry season, with the most rain from December to February; Type III has a short dry season; Type IV has rain spread through the year.More in the glossary

Type II[17]

No dry season. The rain is heaviest from December to February, and no month is truly dry.

Covers about 54 of every 100 parts of its land. Read by Scene off PAGASA's climate map, so approximate: the type that covers most of the place's land.

At Butuan City, the nearest PAGASA station, 47 km away[18]Averages for 1991 to 2020: 2,126 mm of rain on 157 days a year; 28.1 °C on average

Rain each month Average temperature

The figures by month

Climate at Butuan City, 1991 to 2020, by month
MonthRainRainy daysAverageHighLow
January326 mm1826.6 °C30.2 °C23.0 °C
February235 mm1326.9 °C30.8 °C22.9 °C
March149 mm1327.6 °C31.8 °C23.3 °C
April117 mm1028.5 °C33.0 °C24.0 °C
May111 mm1129.2 °C33.7 °C24.7 °C
June174 mm1428.9 °C33.2 °C24.5 °C
July152 mm1328.5 °C32.7 °C24.3 °C
August114 mm1028.6 °C32.9 °C24.4 °C
September127 mm1028.6 °C32.9 °C24.2 °C
October170 mm1328.4 °C32.6 °C24.2 °C
November198 mm1527.8 °C31.7 °C23.8 °C
December252 mm1727.4 °C31.1 °C23.6 °C
The year2,126 mm15728.1 °C32.2 °C23.9 °C

A station's figures describe the place around it only roughly: inland and in the hills it may be cooler and wetter. The station stands 18 m above the sea.

Life & Economy

Caraga's economy made ₱477.7 billion of goods and services in 2025, ₱161,758 for each person. About 21 of every 100 people lived below the poverty line in 2023.
Economy, 2025Gross domestic productThe value of all the goods and services made in a place in a year: the size of its economy. The PSA measures it for every region, province and highly urbanized city. Counted at 2018 prices, it leaves out the rise in prices, so one year can be set beside another.More in the glossary
₱477.7 billion[11]Its gross domestic product at current prices; ₱383.7 billion at 2018 prices.
Growth, 2024–2025
5.7%[12]How much more it made than the year before, at 2018 prices.
For each person, 2025
₱161,758[13]Its economy divided by its projected population, at current prices, as the PSA works it out.
Poverty, 2023Poverty incidenceHow many of every 100 people live in families whose income is below the poverty line: what a person needs in a year for food and other basic needs, as the PSA sets it for each province. It is an estimate, from a survey or, for a town, a statistical model, so the PSA gives a range it is likely to fall in.More in the glossary
20.8% of people[14]Below the poverty line, by the PSA's survey.
About 21 of every 100 people in Caraga lived below the poverty line in 2023 (20.8%)[14]

The PSA's survey puts it between 18.9% and 22.6%, with 95% confidence. The poverty line was ₱29,565 a person for the year.

History & Identity

Official name
Region XIII (Caraga)[5]
Created
Republic Act No. 7901, approved 23 February 1995, constituted the Agusan and Surigao provinces into Region XIII, to be known as the Caraga Region.[9]

Its story

Republic Act No. 7901 formed Region XIII from Surigao City and the provinces of Surigao del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.[9]

It set the regional center in Butuan City.[9]

In 1975 Presidential Decree No. 742 had placed Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Norte in Region X and Surigao del Sur in Region XI.[10]

The Act moved Surigao del Sur out of Region XI to Region XIII.[9]

Timeline

  1. 23 February 1995

    Republic Act No. 7901 created Region XIII, the Caraga Region, with its center at Butuan City.[9]

Nearby

Caraga shares a border with Davao Region and Northern Mindanao.

How it compares

Caraga beside Mindanao, and where it stands among the regions of the Philippines.

Caraga beside Mindanao
FigureCaragaMindanaoRank among the regions of the Philippines
People, 2024CensusA count of every person in the country, all on one day. The 2024 census counted people as they were on 1 July 2024.More in the glossary2,865,196[1, 2, 21]27,531,1406th of 6
Growth a year, 2020–2024Growth a yearHow fast the number of people changed each year between two censuses. 1% a year means about 1 more person for every 100 people, each year.More in the glossary0.51% a year[1, 2, 21]slower1.15% a year6th of 6
People per km², 2024Population densityHow crowded a place is on average: its people divided by its land area. 1,000 people per square kilometre is 10 people per hectare, a square of 100 by 100 metres.More in the glossary131[1, 8, 21]less crowded2396th of 6
Land areaLand areaThe land inside the place's official boundary. A square kilometre is a square 1 km on each side, about the size of 140 football fields.More in the glossary21,820.20 km²[8]115,208.21 km²1st of 6
People in each household, 2024HouseholdA person living alone, or people who sleep in the same home and share their meals. A family may be one household or several.More in the glossary4.0[1, 2, 21]about the same4.0not ranked
In urban barangays, 2024Urban barangayThe PSA counts a barangay as urban when it has 5,000 people or more, or a big employer, or several businesses and public services close by. Every barangay in Metro Manila is urban.More in the glossary38.9%[7]not publishednot ranked

Sources

Page updated October 2, 2026. Sources checked by Scene October 8, 2026.
  1. 1.Philippine Statistics Authority. Population and Annual Population Growth Rate of the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities Based on the 2010, 2015, 2020 and 2024 Population Census (OpenSTAT table 0211A6DAPG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  2. 2.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population, Household Population, and Number of Households by Province, City, Municipality, and Barangay as of 01 July 2024 : Region XIII (Caraga) (OpenSTAT table 0131A6DTHP2). Published August 3, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  3. 3.UN OCHA, from the PSA and NAMRIA. Philippines: Subnational Administrative Boundaries (COD-AB), barangay layer. Published February 13, 2025. Read by Scene September 25, 2026. CC BY-IGO 3.0. Open the source
  4. 4.OpenStreetMap contributors. Barangay boundaries from OpenStreetMap, where UN OCHA's layer has none. Published September 25, 2026. Read by Scene September 25, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  5. 5.Philippine Statistics Authority. Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC), 2nd Quarter 2026: Publication Datafile. Published June 30, 2026. Read by Scene September 24, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  6. 6.Philippine Statistics Authority. Household Population by Age-Group Region, Province, and Highly Urbanized City: Philippines, 2024 Census of Population (OpenSTAT table 0201A6DPAG0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  7. 7.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population and Urban Population by Urban Classification and Region, Province, Highly Urbanized City, City/Municipality and Barangay: Philippines, 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0231A6DPUP0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  8. 8.Philippine Statistics Authority, from the Land Management Bureau (DENR). Population, Land Area, Population Density, and Percent Change in Population Density by Region, Province/Highly Urbanized City, and City/Municipality: 2015, 2020, and 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0221A6DLPD0). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  9. 9.Congress of the Philippines (LawPhil). Republic Act No. 7901, An Act Creating Region XIII to be known as the Caraga Administrative Region. Published February 23, 1995. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  10. 10.Office of the President (LawPhil). Presidential Decree No. 742, Restructuring the Regional Organization of Mindanao, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. Published July 7, 1975. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  11. 11.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region (OpenSTAT table 0012B5BPGD1). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  12. 12.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region, Growth Rates (OpenSTAT table 0022B5BPGD2). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  13. 13.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Per Capita Gross Regional Domestic Product, by Region (OpenSTAT table 0772B5BPCP1). Published April 23, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  14. 14.Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Table 2a. Annual Per Capita Poverty Threshold and Poverty Incidence Among Population with Measures of Precision, by Region, Province and Highly Urbanized Cities: 2018, 2021, and 2023 (OpenSTAT table 0041F3DF02A). Published August 15, 2024. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  15. 15.European Union and the European Space Agency (Copernicus), from DLR and Airbus Defence and Space (WorldDEM). Copernicus DEM GLO-30: global digital surface model at 30 m, one-degree tiles (2021 release). Published 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. Copernicus DEM GLO-30 licence: free, any use including commercial, with the Copernicus notice. Open the source
  16. 16.OpenStreetMap contributors, extract by Geofabrik. Named rivers, lakes, reservoirs, peaks and the coastline of the Philippines in OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik extract, cut by osmium). Published September 30, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. ODbL 1.0. Open the source
  17. 17.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climate Map of the Philippines (1951-2010), Modified Coronas Climate Classification. Published August 2014. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  18. 18.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Climatology and Agrometeorology Division. Climatological Normals, 1991-2020, by synoptic station (one PDF each). Published January 2022. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. A work of the Government of the Philippines: no copyright (RA 8293 s.176.1); PAGASA's approval is needed to use it for profit. Open the source
  19. 19.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2015 Census of Population, Statistical Tables, Table 1: Population Enumerated in Various Censuses by City/Municipality, 1960-2015 (one workbook for each province, highly urbanized city and region). Published 2017. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  20. 20.Philippine Statistics Authority. 2020 Census of Population and Housing: Table A (Population and Annual Growth Rate for the Philippines and its Regions, Provinces and Highly Urbanized Cities) and Table B (Population and Annual Growth Rates by Province, City and Municipality, by Region). Published July 2021. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source
  21. 21.Philippine Statistics Authority. Total Population, Household Population, Number of Households and Average Household Size by Region, Province, and Highly Urbanized City: Philippines, 2024 (OpenSTAT table 0191A6DTHP8). Published August 7, 2026. Read by Scene October 2, 2026. CC BY (PSA Terms of Use). Open the source

Scene adds what the sources do not print themselves: growth rates, shares, barangay areas and densities, coordinates, neighbours and distances, each computed from the figures and borders above. How each is made.

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Cite this page

Scene.ph. “Caraga.” Scene Atlas. Updated October 2, 2026. https://scene.ph/atlas/caraga