islands make up the Philippines
Not 7,107 — that number is outdated. Here's why.
The Philippines has 7,641 islands. If you learned "7,107" in school or read it in an older guidebook, that figure is based on a 1945 U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. In 2016, the Philippine government's NAMRIA (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority) used updated satellite imagery and identified 534 additional islands, officially revising the count upward.
Why the Number Changed
The old 7,107 figure was a mid-20th-century estimate using analog surveying. Satellite and aerial imaging improved dramatically in the decades since, and NAMRIA's 2016-2017 review spotted islands that had been missed, miscounted as part of larger landmasses, or were newly emerged/visible at low tide.
The official 2016 NAMRIA announcement confirmed 7,641 islands. That's the number the Philippine government, Department of Tourism, and updated encyclopedias now use. Expect the number to potentially shift again as mapping technology improves and sea levels change.
How Many Are Inhabited?
Only about 2,000 of the 7,641 islands are inhabited. The remaining ~5,600 are uninhabited for a mix of reasons:
- Too small to support permanent residents (many are under 1 hectare)
- Reefs, rocks, or sandbars that only appear at low tide
- Protected wildlife sanctuaries
- No freshwater source
- Private or military-restricted
Fewer than 500 islands are larger than one square mile, and only 11 islands make up more than 90% of the Philippines' total land area.
The Three Main Island Groups
Administratively and geographically, the 7,641 islands are grouped into three main regions:
| Group | Location | Key Islands |
|---|---|---|
| Luzon group | North | Luzon (largest), Mindoro, Palawan, Masbate, Batanes, Catanduanes |
| Visayas | Central | Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, Negros, Panay |
| Mindanao | South | Mindanao (2nd largest), Basilan, Sulu Archipelago, Tawi-Tawi, Siargao |
Note: Palawan belongs to the Luzon island group (via the MIMAROPA administrative region), even though it sits west of the Visayas geographically. Britannica and standard Philippine atlases place it in the Luzon group.
The 11 Largest Islands
These 11 islands contain the vast majority of the country's population. Area figures below are approximate and rankings can vary slightly by source and measurement method (coastline, low tide vs. high tide, etc.):
- Luzon — 42,458 sq mi. Home to Manila, Baguio, and most of northern Philippines.
- Mindanao — 37,657 sq mi. Second-largest; includes Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga.
- Samar — 5,185 sq mi. Eastern Visayas; rugged, less-developed.
- Negros — 5,139 sq mi. Split between Dumaguete (east) and Bacolod (west).
- Palawan — 4,550 sq mi. Long, narrow island; home to Puerto Princesa, El Nido, and Coron.
- Panay — 4,446 sq mi. Western Visayas; includes Iloilo.
- Mindoro — 3,759 sq mi. South of Luzon; Puerto Galera is the tourist hub.
- Leyte — 2,785 sq mi. Eastern Visayas; site of MacArthur's WWII return.
- Cebu — 1,726 sq mi. Long narrow island; home to Cebu City.
- Bohol — 1,620 sq mi. Famous for the Chocolate Hills and tarsiers. Full Bohol guide.
- Masbate — 1,543 sq mi. Central Philippines; cattle-ranching center.
Fun Island Facts
- Most famous tiny islands: Boracay is only 4 square miles but arguably the most internationally famous Philippine island.
- Newest popular destination: Siargao — a teardrop-shaped island that became the Philippines' surf capital in the 2010s.
- Only landlocked province: Despite being in an island nation, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Benguet, and several other provinces are landlocked on Luzon.
- Southernmost inhabited island: Sitangkai, in Tawi-Tawi — closer to Borneo than to Manila.
- Island with the most shoreline relative to size: Palawan — a 280-mile-long sliver that's mostly coastline.
How the Philippines Compares
- Indonesia: ~17,500 islands (more than double the Philippines)
- Japan: ~14,125 islands
- Philippines: 7,641 islands
- Greece: ~6,000 islands
- Maldives: ~1,190 islands
The Philippines ranks as the fifth-largest archipelago in the world by island count, and second-largest in Southeast Asia (after Indonesia).
Which Islands Should You Visit?
With 7,641 options, most first-time visitors stick to a small set of well-known islands. A popular starter trip includes:
- Palawan — El Nido & Coron for stunning limestone lagoons
- Bohol — Chocolate Hills, tarsiers, Panglao beaches
- Cebu — Urban base, whale sharks in Oslob, waterfalls in Moalboal
- Siargao — World-class surfing and laid-back island life
- Boracay — White Beach and Philippines' most famous resort island
For ideas on how to combine them, see our first-timers itinerary or browse our full itinerary collection.
Quick FAQ Recap
How many islands are in the Philippines? 7,641 (official NAMRIA count as of 2016, updated from the older 7,107 figure).
How many are inhabited? About 2,000.
How many are larger than one square mile? Fewer than 500.
What are the three main island groups? Luzon (north), Visayas (central), Mindanao (south).
Which is the largest island? Luzon, at 42,458 square miles — the 17th-largest island in the world.
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