POPULATION SIZE

The population of the province in 2000 was 594,206 persons registering an increase of 48,821 persons over the 1995 population of 545,385. This figure accounted for 14.14 percent of the region’s total population. Among the four provinces in the region, Ilocos Sur has the second lowest population, next to Ilocos Norte.

Among the municipalities and component cities of the province, Candon City is the most thickly populated with 50,487 persons. This accounts for 8.51 percent of the total provincial population. On the other hand, Sigay has the least number of persons with 2,275 or 0.40 percent of the provincial population. Sugpon follows with 3,507 persons

POPULATION GROWTH

The average annual population growth rate of the province during the intercensal period 1995 to 2000 is 1.85 percent. This is more than double the average annual growth rate of 0.90 percent during the period 1990-1995.

Among the municipalities, Alilem was the fastest growing area in terms of population with an average annual growth rate of 3.0 percent from 1995-2000. This was followed by Sta. Cruz, Nagbukel and Tagudin. Over the same period, Candon City registered a growth rate of 2.47 percent, a figure higher than the provincial growth rate, while Vigan City posted an average growth rate of 1.81 percent. On the other hand, Quirino is the only municipality that registered a negative growth rate (0.49 percent).

While the average annual population growth rate at the provincial level (1.85%) was lower than the regional growth rate of 2.15 percent, 14 municipalities registered higher growth rates than the province.

POPULATION DENSITY

Population density in the province in 2000 was 230 persons per square kilometer, 97 persons lower than the region’s population density (327 persons/square kilometer) for the same year and 19 persons higher than the province’s population density level of 211 in 1995.  Of the municipalities and component cities, Vigan City registered the highest population density with 1,535 persons per square kilometer while Sugpon had the lowest population density with only 18 persons per square kilometer.

SEX AND AGE STRUCTURE 

In 1995, females outnumbered the males by 401 only with 272,893 females as compared to 272,492 males.  The potential labor force aged 15-64 which is 309,948 or 56.83 percent.  The dependent age group 0-14 years totaled 188,388 or 34.53 percent and the aged (65 years old and over) numbered 37,099 or 6.90 percent of the total population.  Consequently, for every 100 potential earners in the provincial economy, there were about 73 dependents of which 61 were children while the remaining 12 were considered as old age dependents.

LABOR FORCE

As of January 2000, the population 15 years old and over was estimated at 386,000 of which 62.7 percent were in the labor force.  Employment rate is 91.2 percent while the remaining 8.8 percent are unemployed.

Out of the 236,000 active labor force, 77.5 percent are in the rural area and the remaining 22.5 percent are in the urban area.  About 58 percent were engaged in agricultural activities, 34 percent are in the service sector and the remaining 7 percent are in the industry sector.