Editing Samar (section)

{{short description|Third-largest island in the Philippines}}
{{for-multi|the province|Samar (province)|and|Samar (historical province)|other uses|Samar (disambiguation)}}
{{more citations needed|date=December 2014}}
{{Infobox islands
| name                            = Samar
| image_name                      =
| image_caption                   =
| image_size                      =
| map                             = 
| map_alt                         = 
| map_width                       = 
| image_map                       = Samar Island Location Map Red.png
| map_caption                     = Location within the Philippines
| map_relief                      = 
| label                           = 
| label_position                  = 
| coordinates                     = {{coord|12|00|N|125|00|E|type:isle_region:PH|display=inline,title}}
| archipelago                     = [[Visayas]]
| waterbody                       = {{unbulleted list | [[Leyte Gulf]] | [[Philippine Sea]] | [[Samar Sea]] | [[San Bernardino Strait]] | [[San Juanico Strait]] }}
| location                        = 
| area_km2                        = 13,428.8
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name = yearbook>{{cite journal |url = https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/2010%20PIF.pdf |title = 2010 Philippine Yearbook |journal = Philippine Yearbook |publisher = National Statistics Office |issn = 0116-1520 |edition = 23rd |location = Manila, Philippines |access-date = 2015-12-14}}</ref>
| rank                            = 63rd
| coastline_km                    = 800.6
| coastline_footnotes             = <ref name = unep>{{cite web |title = Islands of Philippines |url = http://islands.unep.ch/IHE.htm#895 |work = Island Directory |publisher = United Nations Environment Programme |access-date = 18 September 2015 |archive-date = 28 April 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190428003606/http://islands.unep.ch/IHE.htm#895 |url-status = dead }}</ref> 
| highest_mount = [[Mount Huraw]]
| elevation_m    = 890
| Country_heading                 = 
| country                         = [[Philippines]]
| country_admin_divisions_title   = Region
| country_admin_divisions         = [[Eastern Visayas]]
| country_admin_divisions_title_1 = Provinces
| country_admin_divisions_1       = {{unbulleted list | [[Eastern Samar]] | [[Northern Samar]] | [[Samar (province)|(Western) Samar]] }}
| country_largest_city            = [[Calbayog]]
| country_largest_city_population = 186,960
| population                      = 1,909,537 <!-- sum of Samar, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar provinces -->
| population_as_of                = 2020
| population_footnotes            = {{PH census|2015}}
| density_km2                     = {{#expr: 1880020 / 13428.8 round 1}}
| ethnic_groups                   = [[Visayans]] (<!--[[Waray]] is the 
official ethnic group, it's just a REGIONAL DEMONYM-->[[Waray-Waray people|Waray-Waray]])
}}

'''Samar''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ɑː|m|ɑr}} {{respell|SAH|mar}}) is the third-largest and seventh-most populous island in the [[Philippines]], with a total population of 1,909,537 as of the 2020 census. It is located in the eastern [[Visayas]], which are in the central [[Philippines]]. The island is divided into three [[Provinces of the Philippines|provinces]]: [[Samar (province)|Samar]] (formerly  Western Samar), [[Northern Samar]], and [[Eastern Samar]]. These three provinces, along with the provinces on the nearby islands of [[Leyte]] and [[Biliran]], are part of the [[Eastern Visayas]] region.

About a third of the island of Samar is protected as a natural park, known as the [[Samar Island Natural Park]].

Many names, such as ''Samal'', ''Ibabao'', and ''Tandaya'', were given to the island prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1596. During the early days of [[History of the Philippines (1521–1898)|Spanish occupation]], Samar was under the jurisdiction of [[Cebu]]. It later became part of [[Leyte (province)|Leyte]] in 1735 until its separation to become a distinct province named [[Samar (historical province)|Samar]] in 1768. On June 19, 1965, through Republic Act No. 4221, Samar was divided into three provinces: [[Northern Samar]], [[Samar province|(Western) Samar]] and [[Eastern Samar]]. The capitals of these provinces are, respectively, [[Catarman, Northern Samar|Catarman]], [[Catbalogan]], and [[Borongan]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chanrobles.com/republicacts/republicactno4221.html#.WUcsVdkayc0|title=PHILIPPINE LAWS, STATUTES AND CODES - CHAN ROBLES VIRTUAL LAW LIBRARY|website=Ronald Echalas Diaz, Chan Robles & Associates Law Firm}}</ref> In commemoration of the establishment of these provinces, June 19 is celebrated as an annual holiday and many have the day off from work.