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Davao Region

geography Maturity 11-13 Next article →

The Davao Region is a special place in the Philippines.

Ph davao region
Ph davao region

It sits in the southeastern part of the island of Mindanao. The region wraps around a large body of water called the Davao Gulf. To the east, you will find the Pacific Ocean. To the south, the region meets the Celebes Sea. It shares a sea border with Indonesia. The map shows exactly where these lands and waters meet.

Ph davao region
Ph davao region

Five different provinces make up this whole area. These are Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental. Davao City is the main center for the region. It is a very large and busy place.

Davao Skyline
Davao Skyline

In 2015, Davao City had over 1.6 million people. It is the largest city in Mindanao. It is also one of the largest cities in the entire world. The region has over five million people in total.

Davao Skyline
Davao Skyline

The name Davao comes from the Bagobo people. They are indigenous people who lived there long ago. They had different names for the Davao River. One group called it Davah. Another group called it Dawaw. A third group called it Dabo. To the Obos, the name meant a place beyond the high grounds. This described the river mouth near the rolling hills.

Davao de Oro Official Seal
Davao de Oro Official Seal

Many different people have visited or lived in Davao. The Spanish arrived in the area in 1847. A man named Don Jose Oyanguren tried to take control of the land. He faced a leader named Datu Bago in Davao City. Later, Americans came and built better roads and paths. Japanese people also moved there to start large farms. During World War II, the Japanese occupied the region. The Battle of Davao was a long fight that happened in 1945.

Official Seal of Davao Oriental
Official Seal of Davao Oriental

Today, the region is a busy place for farming and business. The weather stays wet with rain throughout the year. This helps many tasty foods grow very well. Farmers grow bananas, pineapples, and mangoes to send to other countries. They also grow papayas, flowers, and asparagus. People also catch fish from the sea to sell. Most people in the region speak Cebuano. You can also hear many other languages in the schools and shops.

Davao Skyline
Davao Skyline
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🖼️ Images & Media (10)
Pinanggang Yuta, Regional Anthem of Davao.ogg
File:Ph davao region.png
Ph davao region.png
File:Davao de Oro Official Seal.png
Davao de Oro Official Seal.png
File:Raul Mabanglo COC 2025.jpg
Raul Mabanglo COC 2025.jpg
File:Gov Edwin.png
Gov Edwin.png
File:Gov Cagas.png
Gov Cagas.png
File:Governor Franklin Bautista Official Portrait 2025 (cropped).jpg
Governor Franklin Bautista Official...
File:Official Seal of Davao Oriental.svg
Official Seal of Davao Oriental.svg
File:Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang (19th Congress).jpg
Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang (19th Congress).jpg
File:Davao Skyline.jpg
Davao Skyline.jpg
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