Naawan is recognized nationally as one of the most beautiful towns in the country; and was once declared the cleanest town of the Philippines in 2008.
In 1957, the barrio of Naawan, then part of Initao, was constituted into the town of Naawan.
Naawan is politically subdivided into 10 barangays.
Don Pedro
Linangkayan
Lubilan
Mapulog
Maputi
Mat-i
Patag
Poblacion
Tagbalogo
Tuboran