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Region

Northern Mindanao

Northern Mindanao is a region of the Philippines in Mindanao. Its population was 5,178,326 in the 2024 census, and it has 5 provinces, 9 cities and 84 municipalities.

  • Population: 2024 Census
  • Places: PSGC 2Q 2026
  • Checked by Scene: October 8, 2026
  • Page updated: October 2, 2026
A tall twin waterfall pouring down a dark cliff between forested slopes, above a rushing white river.
Maria Cristina Falls, on the Agus River in Iligan.Photo: “Maria Cristina Falls” by Lawrence Ruiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; resized by Scene. Scene's copy is shared under the same licence.

  • PeopleSources

    5,178,326

    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 20.5% from 2010 to 2024

  • Rank by peopleSources

    8th

    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 5 of every 100 people in the Philippines lived in Northern Mindanao in 2024 (4.59%)

  • Inside itSources

    5

    provinces

    93 cities and municipalities, 2,022 barangays

  • LandSources

    18,622.74 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: Northern Mindanao's land would fill a square about 136.5 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: 278 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 3 people 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

    1,337,636

    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

    3.9 people in each, on average, in 2024

  • Town or countrySources

    51.2%

    About 51 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
1000000000[5]Formerly 100000000

People

Northern Mindanao had 5,178,326 people in the 2024 census, up 20.5% 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.

Northern Mindanao had the 8th most people of the 18 regions of the Philippines in 2024[1]
  1. 5Bicol Region6,064,426
  2. 6Davao Region5,389,422
  3. 7Ilocos Region5,342,453
  4. 8Northern Mindanao5,178,326
  5. 9Zamboanga Peninsula5,089,934
  6. 10Negros Island Region4,904,944
  7. 11Western Visayas4,861,911
Of every 100 people in Northern Mindanao 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 65 of every 100 are of working age, 15 to 64 (64.5%)
  • About 6 of every 100 are 65 or older (6%)
MenWomen

The figures by age

People by age group, men and women
AgePeopleMenWomen
Under 5451,767232,050219,717
5 - 9519,987269,036250,951
10 - 14550,096283,249266,847
15 - 19515,533263,782251,751
20 - 24467,601236,442231,159
25 - 29420,092214,550205,542
30 - 34404,011208,514195,497
35 - 39345,344180,283165,061
40 - 44298,641155,994142,647
45 - 49265,927137,116128,811
50 - 54236,731120,395116,336
55 - 59202,689100,659102,030
60 - 64176,46386,33490,129
65 - 69131,34362,14469,199
70 - 7488,53340,21448,319
75 - 7947,45719,62827,829
80 - 8426,5579,71516,842
85 and over17,7715,50612,265

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
5,178,326[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
1,337,636[1, 2]
People in each household, 2024
3.9 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
4.59%[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
51.2% (2,653,159 people)[7]
Men and women, 2024
2,625,611 men, 2,540,932 women[6]People living in households
Population at each census, with its source
CensusPopulationGrowth since the census beforeHouseholdsPeople per household
2024as of July 1, 20245,178,326[1, 2]0.73% a year1,337,6363.9
2020as of May 1, 20205,022,768[1]1.46% a year——
2015as of August 1, 20154,689,302[1]1.68% a year——
2010as of May 1, 20104,297,323[1]———
2007as of August 1, 2007; as it was then3,952,437[21]1.67% a year——
2000as of May 1, 2000; on today’s borders3,505,708[21, 22]1.99% a year——
1995as of September 1, 1995; as it was then3,197,059[21]2.43% a year——
1990as of May 1, 1990; as it was then2,811,646[21]2.36% a year——
1980as of May 1, 1980; as it was then2,226,169[21]3.40% a year——
1975as of May 1, 1975; as it was then1,883,408[21]3.18% a year——
1970as of May 6, 1970; as it was then1,611,228[21]3.78% a year——
1960as of February 15, 1960; as it was then1,101,957[21]———

Provinces and cities

Northern Mindanao is made up of 5 provinces and 2 cities that govern themselves, Cagayan De Oro City and Iligan City, with 2,022 barangays in all.
Colour byColours the map of Northern Mindanao by the figure chosen; the key beside it says what each colour means.
Bangsamoro (BARMM)CaragaDavao RegionSOCCSKSARGENZamboanga PeninsulaBukidnon: 1,601,902 people, 171 per km², 0.93% a yearCamiguin: 94,892 people, 437 per km², 0.53% a yearLanao del Norte: 761,725 people, 306 per km², 1.26% a yearMisamis Occidental: 621,993 people, 308 per km², 0.18% a yearMisamis Oriental: 988,065 people, 296 per km², 0.77% a yearCagayan De Oro City: 741,617 people, 1,294 per km², 0.43% a yearIligan City: 368,132 people, 592 per km², 0.33% 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 Northern Mindanao. Each column heading sorts the table.
Kind[1, 8]Share (2024)
BukidnonProvince1,601,90230.93%0.93% a year9,360.57 km²
CamiguinProvince94,8921.83%0.53% a year217.23 km²
Lanao del NorteProvince761,72514.71%1.26% a year2,492.03 km²
Misamis OccidentalProvince621,99312.01%0.18% a year2,021.01 km²
Misamis OrientalProvince988,06519.08%0.77% a year3,336.91 km²
Cagayan De Oro CityHighly urbanized city741,61714.32%0.43% a year573.29 km²
Iligan CityHighly urbanized city368,1327.11%0.33% a year621.70 km²

Land & Environment

Northern Mindanao covers 18,622.74 km² of land, 278 people for every km² in 2024. Its land rises to 2,923 m above the sea and it has 747.2 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
18,622.74 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
278 people per km²[8]
Coordinates
8.09724° N, 124.96691° E[3]The point inside its border farthest from every edge, so it always falls within the place.
Height above the sea[17]
Lowest
Sea level
Average
610 m
Highest
2,923 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

747.2 km of coastline[18]

Rivers[18]

  1. Pulangi River210.7 of 298.6 km
  2. Tagoloan River111.2 of 112.0 km
  3. Muleta River97.4 of 120.7 km
  4. Iponan River84.9 of 85.0 km
  5. Sawaga River71.2 km
  6. Cagayan de Oro River65.0 of 65.7 km
  7. Maradugao River62.2 of 150.6 km
  8. Agusan River57.7 km

The longest inside it: 248 in all.

Lakes[18]

  1. Pulangi Lakereservoir7.9 km²
  2. Lake Gadungan1.6 km²
  3. Lake Napalit0.33 km²
  4. Lake Pinamaloy0.33 km²
  5. Taguines Lagoonlagoon0.19 km²
  6. Lake Apo0.17 km²

The largest: 12 in all.

Peaks[18]

  1. Mount Dulang-Dulang2,938 m
  2. Mount Kitangladvolcano2,899 m
  3. Mount Kalatunganvolcano2,860 m
  4. Mount Wiji2,819 m
  5. Mount Maagnaw2,742 m
  6. Mount Alanib2,690 m

The highest: 175 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 III[19]

No clear rainiest time of year, and a short dry season of one to three months, in December to February or in March to May.

Covers about 53 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 Malaybalay, the nearest PAGASA station, 19 km away[20]Averages for 1991 to 2020: 2,642 mm of rain on 189 days a year; 24.2 °C on average

Rain each month Average temperature

The figures by month

Climate at Malaybalay, 1991 to 2020, by month
MonthRainRainy daysAverageHighLow
January175 mm1423.5 °C29.1 °C17.9 °C
February113 mm1023.6 °C29.7 °C17.6 °C
March104 mm1024.2 °C30.7 °C17.7 °C
April118 mm1025.0 °C31.6 °C18.3 °C
May240 mm1725.2 °C31.1 °C19.2 °C
June320 mm2024.6 °C29.9 °C19.2 °C
July350 mm2124.0 °C29.1 °C19.0 °C
August301 mm1924.0 °C29.2 °C18.9 °C
September291 mm2024.1 °C29.5 °C18.8 °C
October292 mm1924.3 °C29.8 °C18.8 °C
November178 mm1524.3 °C30.1 °C18.5 °C
December161 mm1424.0 °C29.8 °C18.3 °C
The year2,642 mm18924.2 °C30.0 °C18.5 °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 690 m above the sea.

Life & Economy

Northern Mindanao's economy made ₱1.34 trillion of goods and services in 2025, ₱255,321 for each person. About 25 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
₱1.34 trillion[13]Its gross domestic product at current prices; ₱1.10 trillion at 2018 prices.
Growth, 2024–2025
4.9%[14]How much more it made than the year before, at 2018 prices.
For each person, 2025
₱255,321[15]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
25.3% of people[16]Below the poverty line, by the PSA's survey.
About 25 of every 100 people in Northern Mindanao lived below the poverty line in 2023 (25.3%)[16]

The PSA's survey puts it between 23.4% and 27.1%, with 95% confidence. The poverty line was ₱33,513 a person for the year.

History & Identity

Official name
Region X (Northern Mindanao)[5]
Created
Presidential Decree No. 742 of 7 July 1975 set out Region X as one of the regional groupings first established under Presidential Decree No. 1, which the decree amended, naming its provinces and cities with Cagayan de Oro as regional center.[9]

How it got its name

Executive Order No. 429 of 12 October 1990 gave Region X the name Northern Mindanao.[10]

Its story

Presidential Decree No. 742 of 1975 defined Region X as eight provinces from Agusan del Norte to Zamboanga del Norte, with Cagayan de Oro as regional center.[9]

Executive Order No. 429 of 1990 named it Northern Mindanao and kept Cagayan de Oro as regional center.[10]

That order moved Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte out of Region X to Region IX.[10]

In 1995 the Agusan and Surigao provinces were constituted into the new Caraga Region.[11]

Executive Order No. 36 of 19 September 2001 reorganized Region X, Northern Mindanao, again.[12]

Timeline

  1. 7 July 1975

    Presidential Decree No. 742 defined Region X with Cagayan de Oro as regional center.[9]

  2. 12 October 1990

    Executive Order No. 429 named the region Northern Mindanao and moved Misamis Occidental and Lanao del Norte to Region IX.[10]

  3. 23 February 1995

    Republic Act No. 7901 formed the Caraga Region from the Agusan and Surigao provinces.[11]

  4. 19 September 2001

    Executive Order No. 36 reorganized Region X as Northern Mindanao.[12]

Nearby

Northern Mindanao shares a border with 5 places.

How it compares

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

Northern Mindanao beside Mindanao
FigureNorthern MindanaoMindanaoRank 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 glossary5,178,326[1, 2, 23]27,531,1402nd 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 glossary0.73% a year[1, 2, 23]slower1.15% a year3rd 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 glossary278[1, 8, 23]more crowded2393rd 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 glossary18,622.74 km²[8]115,208.21 km²4th 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 glossary3.9[1, 2, 23]lower4.0not 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 glossary51.2%[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 X (Northern Mindanao) (OpenSTAT table 0101A6DTPH9). Published August 5, 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.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
  10. 10.Office of the President (LawPhil). Executive Order No. 429, Providing for the Reorganization of the Administrative Regions in Mindanao. Published October 12, 1990. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  11. 11.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
  12. 12.Office of the President (LawPhil). Executive Order No. 36, Providing for the Reorganization of the Administrative Regions in Mindanao. Published September 19, 2001. Read by Scene October 3, 2026. Philippine government work, no copyright (Republic Act No. 8293, Section 176.1). Open the source
  13. 13.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
  14. 14.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
  15. 15.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
  16. 16.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
  17. 17.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
  18. 18.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
  19. 19.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
  20. 20.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
  21. 21.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
  22. 22.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
  23. 23.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. “Northern Mindanao.” Scene Atlas. Updated October 2, 2026. https://scene.ph/atlas/northern-mindanao