In the 2020 Philippine census, Batanes was the least populous province, with 18,831 residents.
Batanes is the Philippines’ northernmost province, an archipelago in the Bashi Channel between Luzon and Taiwan. Its small population reflects its remote location, rugged terrain, limited flat land, and island geography. Basco, on Batan Island, is the provincial capital.
The census was the Philippines’ fifteenth national census and was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cavite was the most populous province, with about 4.34 million people, making the contrast with Batanes especially striking. A common mix-up is confusing the least populous province with the least populous region or municipality; this question asks specifically about provinces.