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Mindanao is the second largest island in the Philippines and one of the three island groups in the country, with Luzon and Visayas being the other two. It is home and
the historic stronghold to almost all of the country's Muslim or Moro population, comprising many ethnic groups such as the Maranaos and the Tausugs. A bitter independence struggle has been waged by various Muslim factions for five centuries against
successive occupiers. Spanish, American, Japanese and Filipino government forces failed to quell their desire to separate from
the largely Christian nation. Due to decades-long land-grab schemes and the subsequent influx of emigrants to the region, the
majority of Mindanao's population is now predominantly Christian, a
regional issue that fuels the anger of poor and displaced Mindanaoan Muslims and the separatist movements that had been fighting
for hundreds of years.
In recent years, the area has come under scrutiny with the rise of Islamic terrorist organizations tied to the Middle East
conflict. Mindanao is a staging ground for such terrorist groups as Abu Sayaf and
Jemaah Islamiyah that undermine the more moderate and nationalistic
aspirations of independence seekers like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).
As an island in the southern part of the country, Mindanao is the second largest at
94,630 square kilometers, only about 10,000 kmē smaller than Luzon. The island is
mountainous, and is home to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country. To
the west of Mindanao island is the Sulu Sea, to the east is the Philippine Sea, and to the south is the Celebes Sea.
The island group of Mindanao encompasses Mindanao island itself, plus the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest. The island group is divided into six regions, which are further subdivided into 25 provinces.
Mindanao Island
See also Geography of the
Philippines.
Island Group of Mindanao
The island group of Mindanao is an arbitrary grouping of islands in the southern Philippines which encompasses six administrative regions. These regions are further
subdivided into 25 provinces, of which only
four are not on Mindanao island itself. The island group includes the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest, which consists of the major islands of Basilan, Jolo, and
Tawi-Tawi, plus outlying islands in other areas such as Camiguin, Dinagat, Siargao, Samal, and the Sarangani Islands.
The six regions are listed below and each is individually discussed in the succeeding paragraphs.
Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX), formerly
Western Mindanao, is located in the landform of the same name. It consists of the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, and
two cities—Zamboanga City and Isabela City—which are independent of any province. Isabela City is the only territory not on Mindanao
island itself and is located on Basilan. The region's administrative capital is
Zamboanga City and the whole region used to be a single province named Zamboanga.
Northern Mindanao (Region X) consists of the
provinces of Bukidnon, Camiguin,
Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental.
The province of Camiguin is also an island just of the northern coast. The administrative center of the region is Cagayan de Oro City.
Davao Region (Region IX), formerly Southern
Mindanao, is located in the southeastern portion of Mindanao. The region is divided into the provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao, Davao del Sur, and Compostela Valley; plus Davao City. The region encloses the Davao Gulf to the south
and includes the island of Samal in the gulf, and the Sarangani Islands further to the south. Davao City is the region's administrative
center.
SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII), formerly Central
Mindanao, is located in the south-central portion of the island. It consists of the provinces of Cotabato, Sarangani,
South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, plus Cotabato City. The names of the
provinces together with General Santos City spell the name of
the region which is an acronym. Cotabato City, geographically located in, but not
part of Maguindanao province, is the region's administrative center.
Caraga (Region XII) is located in the northwestern part of Mindano.
Its provinces are Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and
Surigao del Sur. The administrative center is Butuan City in Agusan del Norte. The region
also covers the outlying islands of Surigao del Norte such as Dinagat Island, Siargao Island, and Bucas Grande Island.
The Autonomous
Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) is a special region which covers the territories predominantly populated by
Muslims. ARMM has its own government unlike almost all the other regions in the
country. It consists of almost the whole of the Sulu Archipelago
(Isabela City of Basilan is
part of the Zamboanga Peninsula region) and two provinces in the mainland. The provinces located in the Sulu Archipelago are
Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi. Basilan and Tawi-Tawi are themselves the main islands of their respective provinces, while the
main island of Sulu is Jolo Island. The mainland provinces are Lanao
del Sur and Maguindanao. Cotabato City, which isn't part of the ARMM, is the region's administrative center.
See also Regions of the Philippines,
Provinces of the Philippines, Luzon, and Visayas.
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