Masbate
Masbate | |
|---|---|
(from top: left to right) Masbate Capitol Building, Port of Masbate, Balangingi Island in Pio V. Corpus, Bituon Beach in Mobo, and Gawas Beach in Esperanza | |
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Flag Seal | |
Location within the Philippines | |
Interactive map of Masbate | |
| Coordinates: 12°16′N 123°35′E / 12.27°N 123.58°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Region | Bicol Region |
| Founded | March 18, 1901 |
| Capital and largest city | Masbate City |
| Government | |
| • Governor | Richard T. Kho (Lakas-CMD) |
| • Vice Governor | Fernando P. Talisic (Lakas-CMD) |
| Area | |
• Total | 4,151.78 km2 (1,603.01 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 30th out of 82 |
| Highest elevation (Conical Peak) | 699 m (2,293 ft) |
| Population (2024) | |
• Total | 910,813 |
| • Rank | 31st out of 82 |
| • Density | 219.379/km2 (568.189/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 43rd out of 82 |
| Demonym | Masbateño |
| Divisions | |
| • Independent cities | 0 |
| • Component cities | |
| • Municipalities | |
| • Barangays | 550 |
| • Districts | Legislative districts of Masbate |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)56 |
| ISO 3166 code | PH-MAS |
| Spoken languages | |
| Website | masbate |
Masbate, officially the Province of Masbate (Masbateño: Probinsya san Masbate; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Masbate), is an island province in the Philippines located near the midsection of the nation's archipelago. Its provincial capital is Masbate City, the most populous in the province. The province consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.
Masbate is at the crossroads of two island groups: Visayas and Luzon. It is politically part of Bicol Region in the latter. However, from a bio-geographic and socio-ethno-linguistic perspective, Masbate is grouped in the former.