Davao del Norte

Davao del Norte
Davao
Province

Flag
Seal

Map of the Philippines with Davao del Norte highlighted
Coordinates: 07°21′N 125°42′E / 7.350°N 125.700°ECoordinates: 07°21′N 125°42′E / 7.350°N 125.700°E
Country Philippines
Region Davao (Region XI)
Founded May 8, 1967
Capital Tagum City
Government
 • Type Province of the Philippines
 • Governor Rodolfo Del Rosario (Liberal)
 • Vice Governor Victorio Suaybaguio, Jr. (Liberal)
Area[1]
 • Total 3,426.97 km2 (1,323.16 sq mi)
Area rank 39th out of 81
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 945,764
 • Rank 25th out of 81
 • Density 280/km2 (710/sq mi)
 • Density rank 25th out of 81
Divisions
 • Independent cities 0
 • Component cities 3
 • Municipalities 8
 • Barangays 223
 • Districts 1st and 2nd districts of Davao del Norte
Time zone PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code 8100 to 8120
Dialing code 84
ISO 3166 code PH-DAV
Spoken languages Cebuano language, Tagalog, Mansaka, Chabacano de Davao
Website www.davaodelnorte.gov.ph

Davao del Norte (Tagalog: Hilagang Dabaw), and once known simply as Davao, is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Tagum City. Davao also includes Samal Island to the south in the Davao Gulf. The province of Compostela Valley used to be part of Davao until it was made into an independent province in 1998. Before 1967, the four provinces—Davao, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Compostela Valley—were once a single province named Davao. The Davao Region covers this historic province.

The Province of Davao del Norte is also known as "the banana capital of the Philippines."

History

Davao del Norte and Compostela Valley, together with Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur used to be a whole province simply known as Davao. This original province was split into three: Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, and Davao del Sur when Republic Act No. 4867 (authored by Representative Lorenzo S. Sarmiento, Sr.) was signed into law on May 8, 1967 by President Ferdinand Marcos.[3]

Davao del Norte was originally composed of thirteen municipalities, namely: Asuncion, Babak (now in Samal City), Compostela, Kapalong, Mabini, Mawab, Monkayo, Nabunturan, Panabo, Pantukan, Samal, Santo Tomas and Tagum. On May 6, 1970, six more municipalities were created: Carmen, Kaputian (now in Samal City), Maco, Montevista, New Bataan, and New Corella.

The passage of Republic Act No. 6430 on June 17, 1972 changed the name of the province from Davao del Norte to Davao.[4]

By 1996, Davao has a total of twenty-two municipalities with the creation of San Vicente (now Laak) in 1979, Maragusan in 1988, and Talaingod in 1990.

On January 31, 1998, President Fidel V. Ramos signed Republic Act No. 8470, which split the province into two, creating the province of Compostela Valley.[5] In the meantime, Davao was renamed back to Davao del Norte. Together with the creation of the new province, two cities and one municipality were created: the municipality of Tagum, capital of Davao del Norte, was converted into a city (R.A. 8472); Samal, Babak, and Kaputian were joined into the city of Samal (R.A. 8471); and the municipality of Braulio E. Dujali was created out of several barangays in Panabo and Carmen (R.A. 8473). The province then had 8 municipalities and 2 cities.

Republic Act No. 9015, signed into law on March 5, 2001 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, converted the municipality of Panabo into a city. Republic Act No. 9265, approved on March 15, 2004 created the municipality of San Isidro from Asuncion and Kapalong.

Geography

Physical

It borders the province of Agusan del Sur to the north, Bukidnon to the west, Compostela Valley to the east, and Davao City to the south. The Leonard Kniaseff volcano is located in the province.

Political

Davao del Norte is subdivided into 8 municipalities and 3 cities. Samal City is the only municipality or city of Davao del Norte that is not on Mindanao island. This city covers the whole of Samal Island and Talikud Island in the Davao Gulf.

City/Municipality No. of
Barangays 		Area
(km²)[6] 		Population
(2010)[7] 		Pop. density
(per km²)
Asuncion
20
297.39
55,844
187.8
Braulio E. Dujali
5
91.00
28,339
311.4
Carmen
20
166.00
69,199
416.9
Kapalong
14
830.01
68,261
82.2
New Corella
21
263.12
50,699
192.7
Panabo City
40
251.23
174,364
694
Samal City
46
301.30
95,874
318.2
San Isidro
13
152.49
25,548
167.5
Santo Tomas
19
221.80
109,269
492.6
 Tagum City
23
195.80
242,801
1240
Talaingod
3
656.83
25,566
38.9

Demographics

Population census of Davao del Norte
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 590,015—    
1995 671,333+2.45%
2000 743,811+2.22%
2007 847,440+1.82%
2010 945,764+4.08%
Source: National Statistics Office[2]

Davao del Norte has a population of 910,784 as of 2010 Census. The population density is 248 per km². Main languages spoken are Bisaya and Davaoeño.

Economy

Davao del Norte is a primarily agricultural, but also engages in mining, forestry, and commercial fishing.

The principal crops of the province include rice, maize, banana, coconut, abacá, ramie, coffee, and a variety of fruit and root crops. Davao del Norte is the country's leading producer of bananas, with many plantations run by multinationals Dole and Del Monte, and local producers such as Lapanday, TADECO, and Marsman. Davao del Norte is also one of Mindanao's leading producer of rice.

Davao Gulf, to the south of the province, provides a living for many fishermen. Some of the fish products include brackish water milkfish, tilapia, shrimp, and crab; and freshwater catfish and tilapia.

Davao del Norte is a major producer of gold, and its mining resources include silica, silver, copper and elemental sulfur. Small-scale gold mining activities thrive in several areas. There are also numerous active quarries of commercial quantities of gravel, sand, and pebbles for construction.

Tourism is also a major part of the economy of Davao del Norte. There are a lot of beaches on Samal Island, the most famous of which is Pearl Farm Beach Resort.

Tourist attractions

References

  1. ↑ "List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities" (PDF). 2010 Census and Housing Population. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "Republic Act No. 4867 - An Act Creating the Provinces of Davao Del Norte, Davao Del Sur and Davao Oriental". Republic Acts. Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  4. ↑ "Republic Act No. 6430 - An Act Changing the Name of the Province of Davao Del Norte to Province of Davao". Republic Acts. Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Republic Act No. 8470 - An Act Creating the Province of Compostela Valley from the Province of Davao Del Norte, and for Other Purposes". Republic Acts. Chan Robles Virtual Law Library. Retrieved 25 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Province: Davao del Norte". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Total Population by Province, City, Municipality and Barangay: as of May 1, 2010" (PDF). 2010 Census of Population and Housing. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 24 April 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Davao del Norte.
 Bukidnon Agusan del Sur
Compostela Valley
   Davao del Norte  
Davao del Sur (Davao City) Davao Gulf