Zamboanga City

Zamboanga City
City of Zamboanga
Nickname(s): 
City of Flowers
Asia's Latin City
Sardines Capital of The Philippines
Motto: 
Build Back Better Zamboanga
Anthem: Zamboanga Hermosa (Beautiful Zamboanga)
Map of Zamboanga Peninsula with Zamboanga City highlighted
OpenStreetMap
Zamboanga City
Location within the Philippines
Coordinates: 6°54′15″N 122°04′34″E / 6.9042°N 122.0761°E / 6.9042; 122.0761
CountryPhilippines
RegionZamboanga Peninsula
ProvinceZamboanga del Sur (statistically only)
District1st (West Coast) and 2nd (East Coast) districts of Zamboanga City
FoundedJune 23, 1635
CharteredOctober 12, 1936
CityhoodFebruary 26, 1937
Highly urbanized cityNovember 22, 1983
Barangays98 (see Barangays)
Government
  TypeSangguniang Panlungsod
  MayorJohn M. Dalipe (PRP)
  Vice MayorJosephine E. Pareja (Lakas)
  Representatives
  City Council
Members
  Electorate483,058 voters (2025)
Area
1,453.27 km2 (561.11 sq mi)
  Rank3rd (city)
Elevation
96 m (315 ft)
Highest elevation
1,358 m (4,455 ft)
Lowest elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
977,234
  Rank5th
  Density670/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
  Urban
2,100,000
  Metro
4,710,000 (Regional)
  Households
227,352
DemonymZamboangueño (Major Ethnicity)
Economy
  Gross domestic product (GDP)₱139.47 billion (2022)
$2.463 billion (2022)
  Income class1st city income class
  Poverty incidence
3.30
% (2021)
  Revenue5,720 million (2022)
  Assets23,408 million (2022)
  Expenditure3,142 million (2022)
  Liabilities1,941 million (2022)
Service provider
  ElectricityZamboanga City Electric Cooperative (ZAMCELCO)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
ZIP code
7000
PSGC
IDD:area code+63(0)62
Native languages
WebsiteOfficial website

Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano: Ciudad de Zamboanga; Spanish: Ciudad de Zamboanga; Subanen: Bagbenwa Sembwangan; Sama: Lungsud Samboangan; Tausug: Daira sin Sambuwangan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Zamboanga; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Zamboanga) is a highly urbanized city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 977,234 people. It is third-largest city by land area in the Philippines, and is also the sixth-most populous city in the archipelago; additionally, it is the second most populous in Mindanao after Davao City. It is the commercial and industrial center of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

On October 12, 1936, Zamboanga became a chartered city under Commonwealth Act No. 39. It was inaugurated on February 26, 1937.

Zamboanga City is an independent, chartered city and was designated highly urbanized on November 22, 1983.

Although geographically separated, and an independent and chartered city, Zamboanga City is grouped with the province of Zamboanga del Sur by the Philippine Statistics Authority for statistical purposes, yet governed independently from it. And also, it is the largest city of that province and in the entire Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

In 2028, the city's population is projected to hit the 1,200,000 population mark, which will make the city fall under the NEDA's classification of a Metropolitan City.