CARAGA REGION BRIEF PROFILE

The history of Caraga can be traced back to the 15 th century when the explorers discovered the existence of “Kalagans”, believed to be of Visayan Origin in one of the three districts of Mindanao.

Caraga Administrative Region was created under R.A. 7901 comprising the five provinces of Agusan del Norte (ADN), Agusan del Sur (ADS), Surigao del Norte (SDN), Dinagat, and Surigao del Sur (SDS) and six cities of Butuan,Cabadbaran,Bayugan, Surigao, Tandag and Bislig. It has 67 municipalities, 1,346 barangays and has a population of about 2,095,367 as of 2000. These four provinces were constituted to form Region XIII known as the CARAGA REGION.

The provinces are classified from 1st to 3 rd class. Among the provinces, only Agusan del Sur was classified as first class in terms of its average annual income.

Caraga Region is located in the Northeastern part of Mindanao, characterized by flat and rolling land surrounded by mountains. A valley occupies the central longitudinal section of the land and drained by the several rivers. The biggest of which is the Agusan River, that cut across the provinces of ADN, ADS and Butuan City.

There are eighty-four rivers and thirty-three lakes in the region. Of these water bodies, the Agusan River, Agusan Marshland, and Lake Mainit are considered as major ones.

The region has a total land area of 1,884,697 hectares. This represents 18.54% of Mindanao’s total land area and 6.3% of Philippines. Almost half (47.6%) of the region belongs to Agusan del Sur. Of this total land area, 542,447 hectares are Alienable and Disposable Land and 1,342,250 hectares are Forest Land. It has the following type of soil: Camansa Clay Loam, Malalag Silt Loam, Mountain Soil for ADN; Clayey, Loamy, Silty Loam, Coarse Loamy and Sandy for ADS; Bolinao Clay, Dinagat Clay, Cabatohan Loam, and Jamoyaon Clay Loam for SDN; and Matho Clay, Mountain Soil, Bolinao Clay Loam and Camansa Clay Loam for SDS.

Major agricultural products in the region are palay, corn, coconut, banana, mango, camote, cassava, coffee, rubber and abaca. The most productive agricultural area of the region lies along the Agusan River Basin.