Located at the southern tip of Luzon Island
and about 550 kms. from Manila. Albay has a land area of
2,552.6 square kilometers, consisting of 3 cities and 14 towns. As of August 1, 2015, the Census of Population shows that Albay had reached 5,796,989 million inhabitants.
The urban population constitutes 19.6% of the entire population, proving that
Albayanos are predominantly living in rural areas. The important products of
the people are hemp, coconut, sugar cane, pineapple, vegetables and rice. At
any given moment, the number of people in the area is increased due to
transients of various origin and purposes from within the country and of
foreigners visiting. Population Statistics
INDUSTRIES
Of the total 6,369 manufacturing establishments
of varied
sizes in the Bicol Region, half is located in Albay.
On large-scale manufacturing industries,
48.6 percent are
operating in Albay. Among them are the export-oriented establishments
like Isarog Pulp & Paper Mills and Albay
Industrial Development Corporation.
Handicraft
is the major source of rural income. It continues to
provide fairly large share in the small scale industries of the province.
On Agriculture, coconut, rice, abaca
and corn are its major
crops. The province also boasts of its coal resources in Batan Island now being
tapped by multi-national private firms.
CLIMATE
Albay has 3 types of climate.
The eastern areas
experiences no dry season with a very pronounced maximum rain period from
December to January, the western areas have more or less heavily distributed
rainfall throughout the year and the central areas have no pronounced maximum
rain period with a short dry season from November to January. The
province has a yearly average of 20 typhoons ranging from 60-180 kph.
Average rainfall is 233 millimeters with a lowest at 130 millimeters in April
and the highest at 389 millimeters during December. Average temperature
is 33.15 Celsius high and 22.60 Celsius low.
POWER
Albay is a major supplier of geothermal
energy to the Luzon
Grid with its Tiwi Geothermal Plant with an energy generating capacity of 330
megawatts and the Bacon-Manito (BacMan) Geothermal
Plant with an energy generating capacity of 210 megawatts.
Local electrification is provided by the
Albay Electric Cooperative
(ALECO). All of
the municipalities and cities of the province are energized for a 100%
electrification coverage.
LANGUAGE/DIALECT
Bicol is
the local dialect. Surprisingly, it constitutes a strange variety in
words and in diction among the 17 municipalities of the province. In some
towns, there are clear distinctions of variable terminologies in their use of
words to convey their messages as compared with the nearest neighboring towns.
What puzzles visitors and tourists are the amazing variations of many words of
the same meaning for one object or concept among the people in every town.
Generally, the Bicol dialect spoken
in Legazpi, Naga and
Albay District is the common tongue used. The big alteration of tone and
of words arises as one travels between Naga City, on the west end and Legaspi
City to the east or away from these city proper.
They also speak Tagalog fluently. English
is not difficult
for them to communicate with liberal stature.
GEOGRAPHY
Located at the southern tip of Luzon
Island and about 550
kms. from Manila, Albay is approximately 13 to 13.5 degrees north
latitude and 123.25 to 124.25 degrees east longtitude. It is bounded by
Lagonoy Gulf and the province of Camarines Sur in the northwest, the Pacific
Ocean in the east, the Province of Sorsogon in the south, and the Burias Pass
in the southeast. It has a total land area of 2,552.6 kms., a total
coastline of 354 kms. Albay is composed of 3 cities and 15 municipalities
grouped into 3 congressional districts.
POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS
Albay has fourteen (14) municipalities
and three cities
(Legazpi, Tabaco, Ligao). Legazpi has been officially designated as the
site of the regional offices.
The municipalities are politically
subdivided into three
districts: namely, first district (Bacacay, Malinao, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo,
Tabaco City and Tiwi), second district (Legazpi City, Camalig, Daraga, Manito
and Rapu-rapu), third district (Guinobatan, Jovellar, Libon, Ligao City, Oas,
Pio Duran, and Polangui).
MOUNTAINS AND TOURISM
The mountains of the province are Mayon, Masaraga and
Malinao in the northeast and Catburaun in the west. Its forests are
sources of timber, rattan, pili nuts and gum elemi. There are also vast
grasslands for pasturing horses, cattle, carabaos, goats and sheep.
Mayon Volcano, the major tourist
attraction of the province,
is known for its symmetrical, almost perfect cone that rises over 7,500 feet
above sea level. It erupted 15 times, with the catastrophe of February 1,
1814 as the most destructive. Its lava buried the town and church of
Cagsawa.
It has a total coastline of 354 kms,
with many beautiful
stretches of sand, escarpment and beaches.