Davao Oriental (; ), officially the Province of Davao Oriental (; ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Mati which is the most populous, and it borders the province of Davao de Oro to the west, and Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north. The province is the traditional homeland of the Mandaya and Kalagan/Kaagan.
Davao Oriental is the easternmost province in the country with Pusan Point in the municipality of Caraga as the easternmost location. The Philippine Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean, faces Davao Oriental to the east. Part of the province lies on an unnamed peninsula that encloses Davao Gulf to the west.
The province is the top producer of coconut and copra in the country, earning the province the title Coconut Capital of the Philippines.
American colonial era
thumb|upright=0.65|left|[[Davao (province)|Davao province in 1918 encompassing the current provinces of Davao Region]]
In 1903, the colonial American government created the Moro Province comprising several districts, one of which was Davao. The Moro province was converted in 1914 into the Department of Mindanao and Sulu, and its component districts were made into independent provinces.
Contemporary
The capital town of Mati became a component city by virtue of Republic Act No. 9408 which sought to convert the municipality into a city. The law was ratified on June 16, 2007. However, the cityhood status was lost twice in the years 2008 and 2010 after the LCP questioned the validity of the cityhood law. The cityhood status was reaffirmed after the court finalized its ruling on February 15, 2011 which declared the cityhood law constitutional.
Geography
thumb|right|Eastern coast showing [[Pujada Bay]]
Davao Oriental covers a total area of occupying the eastern tip of the Davao Region in Mindanao. The province is bordered by Davao de Oro to the west, Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north, Davao Gulf to the southwest, and the Philippine Sea to the east and southeast.
The Eastern Pacific Cordillera mountain range encompasses the province. To the east of the range lie narrow strips of coastal areas, which feature several inlets and bays. The province encloses Davao Gulf to the southwest.
Climate
Davao Oriental has a pronounced rainy season and a short dry season, with maximum rainfall occurring from November to January especially at coastal areas.
Administrative divisions
Davao Oriental comprises 10 municipalities and 1 city, all organized into 2 legislative districts. There are 183 barangays in the province.
thumb|upright=1|
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto;table-layout:fixed;text-align:right;background-color:#FDFDFD;font-size:90%;border-collapse:collapse;"
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" colspan=2 | City municipality
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" | District
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" colspan=3 | Population
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" |
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" colspan=2 | Area
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" colspan=2 | Density
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" |
! scope="col" style="border-bottom:none;" class="unsortable" | Coordinates
|-
! scope="col" style="border-top:none;" colspan=2 |
! scope="col" style="border-top:none;" |
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden hidden solid solid;" colspan=2 |
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden solid solid hidden;" |
! scope="col" style="border-top:none;" |
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden hidden solid solid;" | km<sup>2</sup>
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden solid solid hidden;" class="unsortable" |
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden hidden solid solid;" | /km<sup>2</sup>
! scope="col" style="border-style:hidden solid solid hidden;" class="unsortable" |
! scope="col" style="border-top:none;" |
! scope="col" style="border-top:none;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Baganga
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 56,241
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 18
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Banaybanay
| style="text-align:center;" | 2nd
|
| 41,117
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 14
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Boston
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 13,535
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 8
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Caraga
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 40,379
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 17
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Cateel
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 40,704
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 16
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Governor Generoso
| style="text-align:center;" | 2nd
|
| 55,109
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 20
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Lupon
| style="text-align:center;" | 2nd
|
| 65,785
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 21
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Manay
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 42,690
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 17
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-style="background-color:#CCFFCC;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:#CCFFCC;border-right:0;" | Mati
| style="text-align:right;border-left:0;" | †
| style="text-align:center;" | 2nd
|
| 141,141
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 26
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | San Isidro
| style="text-align:center;" | 2nd
|
| 36,032
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 16
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:left;background-color:initial;" colspan=2 | Tarragona
| style="text-align:center;" | 1st
|
| 26,225
|
|
|
| style="text-align:center;" | 10
| style="text-align:center;" |
|-class="sortbottom"
! scope="row" colspan=4 style="text-align:left;" | Total
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" | 576,343
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" | 558,958
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" |
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" | 5,679.64
! scope="col" |
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" |
! scope="col" style="text-align:right;" |
! scope="col" | 183
! scope="col" style="font-style:italic;" |
|-class="sortbottom" style="background-color:#F2F2F2;border-top:double grey;line-height:1.3em;"
| colspan="13" |
|}
Demographics
The population of Davao Oriental in the 2024 census was 590,042 people, with a density of .
The province is mostly inhabited by Cebuanos, who settled the province in the early 20th century from Visayas. Other ethnic groups include Bicolanos, Hiligaynons, Ilocanos, Tagalogs and Warays, as well as the indigenous Mandayas, Mansakas, Manobos and the Kalagan, who are all natives in Davao Oriental. It also is a major producer of abacá, and exports crude oil and copra pellets.
On March 20, 2018, Davao Oriental signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pionaire Finance Limited, a Hong Kong-based foreign firm for a $27-billion industrial park.
References
External links
- Davao Oriental wants Hamiguitan declared as world heritage site
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- News from Davao Oriental
- Davao Oriental Eco Industrial Park