Davao

Davao, chartered city in the southern Philippines, in Davao del Sur Province, on the southeastern coast of Mindanao Island. The seaport city stands at the outlet of its namesake river and beneath Mount Apo, which at 2,954 m (9,692 ft) is the loftiest peak in the Philippines. Davao has a tropical climate, but it is shielded from Pacific Ocean typhoons by its location in the Gulf of Davao and the proximity of the small offshore island of Samal.

Davao is the most populous and economically important city of Mindanao and the commercial center of the province. Its bustling port facilities handle both national and overseas shipping, exporting local products such as abaca (Manila hemp), coconuts, fruit, pearls, rice, and spices. Although the region’s large stands of prime forest have been heavily logged, a timber and wood products industry still exists in Davao. The region also supports a flourishing livestock industry.

The architecture of Davao is a striking mixture of Spanish, American, and Islamic styles, reflecting the history of the region. The city’s diverse population includes Moro, Bisayan (Visayan), Bagobo, Bicolano, Ilocano, Tagalog, Chinese, Japanese, and other groups. Local points of interest include the Aguinaldo Pearl Farm, Dabaw Museum, and the Puentespina Orchid Garden. Other nearby attractions include Mount Apo National Park, home to the endangered Philippine eagle, a bird that is also featured at the Davao Eagle Conservation Center. The city is the seat of the University of Mindanao (1946).

Early inhabitants of the area included the Bagobo, B’laan, Mandaya, Manobo, Mansaka, and Tiboli, who lived in scattered communities along the Davao River Valley. In 1849 Spanish conquistadors overthrew local Muslims and established a post on the site of present-day Davao, paving the way for Christian settlers. Ninety years later, Davao was incorporated as a city by the Philippine government, and its population soon swelled with an influx of Filipino homesteaders and Japanese migrant laborers.

The city was almost entirely destroyed by Allied bombing raids during World War II (1939-1945), when it was the headquarters of the Japanese regional army, and had to be rebuilt after the war. During the 1980s Davao was used as a rebel base by two different guerrilla groups, the Communist New People’s Army and the Moro National Liberation Front, a Muslim separatist movement. Government forces eventually drove the insurgents from the city. Population 1,400,000 (2007 estimate).