Mountain Province, nestled at the heart of Cordillera Range, registered a total population of 140,439 persons in the 2000 Census of Population and Housing. It registered an annual growth rate of 1.88 percent from 1990 to 2000 and 1.54 percent from 1995 to 2000. The number of households registered at 27,721, an increase of 3,975 over the 1990 figure. This gave an average household size of 5.1 persons from 4.9 persons in 1990, same size as that in 1995, and higher than the national average of five persons.

Among the ten municipalities in Mountain Province, Bauko, which comprised 20 percent of total provincial population, ranked first in terms of population size. Next were Bontoc, Paracelis, and Tadian which comprised 16, 14, and 13 percent, respectively, of the total population. The other six municipalities had less than 10 percent share each (Sagada, 8 percent; Besao, 7 percent; Natonin, 7 percent; Sabangan, 6 percent; Sadanga, 6 percent; and Barlig, 5 percent).

Among the six provinces (Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province) and one highly urbanized city (Baguio City) in CAR, Mountain Province ranked sixth in terms of population size contributing 10.3 percent to the 1.4 million persons in the region. It was larger in terms of population than Apayao. Mountain Province likewise, shared 0.18 percent to the Philippine population of 76.5 million as recorded in the Census 2000. It was as big as the province of Biliran in terms of population size.

Mountain Province had a median age of 20 years. Male population outnumbered their female counterparts with a sex ratio of 106 males for every 100 females. There were more males than females in the age bracket 0 to 49. On the contrary, there were more females than males among the population 50 years old and over.

In 2000, the 0 to 14 age group made up about 39 percent of the total population while population aged 65 years and above comprised 5.5 percent. The economically active population aged 15 to 64, thus, made up 56 percent of the total population in Mountain Province.

The overall dependency ratio in 2000 was 78.7. This meant that for every 100 persons aged 15 to 64 years, there were about 79 dependents (69 persons aged 0 to 14 years - young dependents; and ten persons aged 65 years and over - old dependents). The 2000 ratio was lower than the 81.7 ratio reported in 1995.

Of the total household population five years old and over, two out of five (42 percent) had attended or completed elementary education. Twenty four percent had either attended or finished high school while 11 percent had attended college. Only 4.6 percent were academic degree holders. There were more males who finished elementary education (56.3 percent) and high school (54.8 percent) compared to females with 43.6 percent and 45.2 percent, respectively. On the other hand, those who had attended or finished post secondary, college and post baccalaureate were predominantly females.

More than half (52 percent) of the household population in Mountain Province classified themselves as Kankanai/Kankaney/Kankanaey. About 13.6 percent considered themselves as Balangao/Baliwon, and 12 percent as Ibontoc. The remaining 21.6 percent were either Ikalahay, Applai, Kalinga, or belonged to other ethnic groups.

There was a higher percentage of single persons than married persons in Mountain Province (49 percent for single versus 43 percent for married). Those who were either widowed, divorced/separated, common-law/live-in or with unknown marital status comprised 8 percent of the total population 10 years old and over.

There were 31,716 housing units in Mountain Province, of which 27,625 were occupied, or an increase of 17.1 percentage points from 1990. This registered a ratio of one household per occupied housing unit and 5.08 persons per occupied housing unit. Majority of occupied housing units were single houses (91.4 percent). Duplex and multi-unit residential houses accounted for only 1.4 percent and 0.59 percent, respectively.

Table 1. Total Population by Municipality and Sex: Mountain Province, 2000

Table 2. Total Population by Age Group, Sex and Sex Ratio: Mountain Province, 2000

Table 3. Household Population 5 Years Old and Over by Highest Educational Attainment
and Sex: Mountain Province, 2000

Table 4. Household Population by Ethnicity and Sex: Mountain Province, 2000

Table 5. Total Population 10 Years Old and Over by Age Group and Marital Status:
Mountain Province, 2000

Table 6. Total Occupied Housing Units, Households, Household Population and Ratio of Households and Household Population to Occupied Housing Unit by Type of Building: Mountain Province, 2002