The province of Leyte occupies the northern and central parts of Leyte Island. The other province in same island is Southern Leyte. Its neighbors are Biliran Island in the north across a narrow strait; Samar island, particularly the province of Western Samar, in the northeast across San Juanico Strait; Cebu and Bohol provinces in the west across Camotes Sea. Terrain consists of a mountain range in the interior part and flat lands in the east and west of the mountain range. Hills are found in the northeast and southwest. The eastern side has no dry season with maximum rainfall in the months of November to January while the western part receives rainfall more or less evenly distributed throughout the year.

Leyte Provincial Capitol

Leyte Province has the largest population in Eastern Visayas Region. Majority of the people are Waray-Waray but a sizable number of its residents are Cebuano-speaking.

1. Imelda Romualdez Marcos - First lady during the Marcos regime
2. Danile Z. Romualdez - Speaker of the House of Representatives (1958 - 1961)
3. Pedro L. Yap - Supreme Court Chief Justice (1988)
4. Kim Chiu - Movie and television actress

Agriculture is the main economic activity in the province

Farm and fishery output in 2007 are as follows (figure in thousand metric tons, rank among 79 provinces)

Animal inventory of Leyte in 2007 are as follows (figure in thousand, rank among 79 provinces)

Other farm products are sugar, abaca, rootcrops, and vegetables. The province is home to an industrial zone in Isabel town, located west of Ormoc City. A big copper processing and a large phosphatic fertilizer plant are located here. Two sugar mills and one coconut oil mill are located in the province. The Leyte Information and Communication Technology Park was established in Palo town, a suburb of Tacloban City. Several technology companies and call centers have started operation in this park. Products exported are copper cathode, fertilizer, sugar, copra, and prawns. As of 2007, there were 75 banks operating in the province with total deposits of 18.9 billion pesos. Poverty incidence is very high at 47.3% in 2006, way above the national average of 32.9%.

Leyte has the potential to be become a manufacturing haven. The towns of Isabel and Palo can be further develop into industrial hubs. There are already some light and heavy industries that can be expanded to include related industries such as packaging materials, engineering and construction equipments, power generation, and research and development. Agro-based industries such as food processing, organic fertilizer, feed milling, organic textile production are highly recommended. A modern cold storage terminal should be put up. The tourism potential of the province can be developed by putting up hotels, golf courses, theme parks, and medical facilities.

1. San Juanico Bridge - built during the Marcos regime, 2 kilometer-long with 43 spans and 41 meters above the sea at its highest point
2. MacArthur Landing Memorial - in Palo town
3. Palo Cathedral
4. Provincial Capitol in Tacloban City
5. Mahagnao Volcano National Park - in Burauen
6. Cuatros Islas - off Inopacan have sandy beaches
7. Tongonan Hot Spring
8. St. Theres Diocesan Shrine in Calubian

Capitol photo credit to pinoyprogress.com

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