Samar Island
Sign in to saveSamar ( ) is the third largest island in the Philippines. It has a population of 1,924,651 as of the 2024 census. It is located in the Eastern Visayas region of the Visayas islands. Since 1965, the island is divided into three provinces: Western Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar. The capitals of these provinces are, respectively, Catarman, Catbalogan, and Borongan. In commemoration of the establishment of these provinces, June 19 is celebrated as an annual holiday. Its main language and ethnicity is Waray and its main religion is Roman Catholic.
AI overview
Samar is the third largest island in the Philippines, located in the Eastern Visayas region with a population of nearly 1.9 million people. The island has been administratively divided into three provinces since 1965—Western Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar—and is primarily inhabited by Waray-speaking Roman Catholics.
AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.
Key facts
- Islands.name
- Samar
- Islands.image_map
- Samar Island Location Map Red.png
- Islands.map_caption
- Location within the Philippines
- Islands.archipelago
- Visayas
- Islands.area_km2
- 13,428.8
- Islands.rank
- 63rd
- Islands.coastline_km
- 800.6
- Islands.highest_mount
- Mount Huraw
- Islands.elevation_m
- 890
- Islands.country
- Philippines
- Islands.country_admin_divisions_title
- Region
- Islands.country_admin_divisions
- Eastern Visayas
Article
24 sectionsContents
- History
- Spanish colonialism (1521–1898)
- Philippine–American War (1898–1902)
- American and Japanese colonization; World War II (1902–1946)
- Marcos's dictatorship era (1965-1986)
- Deforestation during Martial Law and the Sag-od Massacre
- Construction of the San Juanico Bridge
- The New People's Army conflict
- Contemporary history (1986–present)
- Geography
- Flora and fauna
- Demographics
- Administrative divisions and politics
- Economy
- Tourism
- Infrastructure
- Transportation
- Power and telecommunication
- Education
- Healthcare
- See also
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Samar ( ) is the third largest island in the Philippines. It has a population of 1,924,651 as of the 2024 census. It is located in the Eastern Visayas region of the Visayas islands. Since 1965, the island is divided into three provinces: Western Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar. The capitals of these provinces are, respectively, Catarman, Catbalogan, and Borongan. In commemoration of the establishment of these provinces, June 19 is celebrated as an annual holiday. Its main language and ethnicity is Waray and its main religion is Roman Catholic.
The first European sighting of the island was by Ferdinand Magellan on March 16, 1521. Although he did not land, other expeditions were made. Many names, such as Samal, Ibabao, and Tandaya, were given to the island prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1596. During the early days of Spanish occupation, Samar was under the jurisdiction of Cebu. In the Philippine–American War, Eugenio Daza led a successful attack against the United States Army, later called the Balangiga massacre. This attack led to the Pacification of Samar and deaths of 2,000 people. During the American colonization of the Philippines, two uprisings occurred, including the Pulajan movement which caused massacres in the country. The Battle off Samar was held off the island during World War II. During martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, the Sag-od massacre happened in 1981. The New People's Army rebellion is ongoing.