Leyte (province)

Leyte
Province
Province of Leyte
(from top: left to right) Tacloban Bay, Leyte Provincial Capitol, Lake Danao San Juanico Bridge, Kalanggaman Island and Calubian.
Flag Seal
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 11°00′N 124°51′E / 11°N 124.85°E / 11; 124.85
Country	Philippines
Region	Eastern Visayas
Founded	1735[1]
Capital and largest city	Tacloban
Government
• Governor	Carlos Jericho L. Petilla (PDP–Laban)
• Vice Governor	Leonardo M. Javier Jr. (PDP–Laban)
• Legislature	Leyte Provincial Board
Area [2]
• Total	6,313.33 km2 (2,437.59 sq mi)
• Rank	13th out of 81
	(excludes Tacloban City)
Highest elevation (Alto Peak)	1,332 m (4,370 ft)
Population  (2020 census)[3]
• Total	1,776,847
• Rank	14th out of 81
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
• Rank	34th out of 81
	(excludes Tacloban City)
Demonym(s)	Leytehanon Leyteño (Spanish)
Divisions
• Independent cities	2 Ormoc Tacloban
• Component cities	1 Baybay
• Municipalities	40 Abuyog Alangalang Albuera Babatngon Barugo Bato Burauen Calubian Capoocan Carigara Dagami Dulag Hilongos Hindang Inopacan Isabel Jaro Javier Julita Kananga La Paz Leyte MacArthur Mahaplag Matag-ob Matalom Mayorga Merida Palo Palompon Pastrana San Isidro San Miguel Santa Fe Tabango Tabontabon Tanauan Tolosa Tunga Villaba
• Barangays	1,393 including independent cities: 1,641
• Districts	Legislative districts of Leyte (shared with Ormoc and Tacloban cities)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ZIP Code	6500–6542
IDD : area code	+63 (0)53
ISO 3166 code	PH-LEY
Spoken languages	Waray-Waray Cebuano Baybayanon English Tagalog
Website	http://leyteprovince.gov.ph/

Leyte (also Northern Leyte; Waray: Norte san/Amihanan nga Leyte; Cebuano: Amihanang Leyte; Tagalog: Hilagang Leyte), officially the Province of Leyte, is a province in the Philippines located in the Eastern Visayas region occupying the northern three-quarters of Leyte Island (with the remaining portion being the province of Southern Leyte). Its capital is the city of Tacloban, administered independently from the province. Leyte is thus north of Southern Leyte, south of Biliran, and west of Samar Island. To the west across the Camotes Sea is the province of Cebu.

The historical name of the Philippines, "Las Islas Felipenas", named by Spanish explorer Ruy López de Villalobos in honor of Prince Philip of Spain, used to refer to the islands of Leyte and Samar only, until it was adopted to refer to the entire archipelago.^[4]

The island of Leyte is known as Tandaya during the 16th century.^[5]

Leyte is also known as the site of the largest naval battle in modern history, the Battle of Leyte Gulf, which took place during the Second World War.

Leyte is especially prone to typhoons because it geographically faces toward the Pacific Ocean. On 8 November 2013, the province was severely affected by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan). The typhoon, known internationally as Haiyan, and domestically referred to as Yolanda, killed thousands of people and garnered significant international media attention. Leyte suffered similar destruction and loss of life in 1991 from Tropical Storm Thelma.