Carmen is an interior town located near the center of the island. Its former name was Imbaya after a local brook. When it was separated from Bilar as an independent municipality, it was renamed to Carmen supposedly in honor of a woman who was said to be a popular figure in the community.
Carmen is most well known as the location of the Chocolate Hills. The Chocolate Hills' complex, where the government runs a hotel, and you can climb on of the hills for a magnificient view is a few kilometers to the South of the town. You can have the bus drop you off at road leading to the complex, or ask a motor driver to bring you there.
| Carmen at a glance | |
| Population: | 40713 |
| Number of households: | 7379 |
| Land area: | 24804 ha |
| Number of barangays: | 29 |
| Distance from Tagbilaran: | 59 km |
| Barangay | Population | Households |
| Alegria | 1158 | 215 |
| Bicao | 2240 | 300 |
| Buenavista | 2208 | 398 |
| Buenos Aires | 1174 | 235 |
| Calatrava | 2103 | 378 |
| El Progreso | 810 | 142 |
| El Salvador | 580 | 100 |
| Guadalupe | 1687 | 323 |
| Katipunan | 2350 | 412 |
| La Libertad | 688 | 141 |
| La Paz | 1309 | 245 |
| La Salvacion | 1036 | 201 |
| La Victoria | 814 | 178 |
| Matin-ao | 664 | 129 |
| Montehermoso | 946 | 166 |
| Montesuerte | 2649 | 477 |
| Montesunting | 851 | 141 |
| Montevideo | 1261 | 225 |
| Nueva Fuerza | 1971 | 379 |
| Nueva Vida Este | 821 | 168 |
| Nueva Vida Norte | 1015 | 173 |
| Nueva Vida Sur | 915 | 159 |
| Poblacion Norte | 2238 | 421 |
| Poblacion Sur | 2912 | 514 |
| Tambo-an | 959 | 172 |
| Vallehermoso | 1904 | 348 |
| Villaflor | 852 | 148 |
| Villafuerte | 881 | 164 |
| Villarcayo | 1717 | 327 |
(Based on figures from the census of 2000)