MINDANAO

Mindanao is named after the Maguindanaons who constituted the largest Sultanate historically, and evidence from maps made during the 17th and 18th centuries suggest the name was used to refer to the island by natives at the time. Evidence of human occupation dates back tens of thousands of years. In prehistoric times the Negrito people arrived. Sometime around 1500 BC Austronesian peoples spread throughout the Philippines and far beyond.

Islam spread to the region during the 13th century AD and Philippine sultanates were established, like that of Sulu and Maguindanao. In the late 16th to early 17th century, first contact with Spain occurred, with Spanish forces trying to occupy the area.
Today the region is home to most of the country's Muslim or Moro populations, composed of many ethnic groups such as the Maranao and the Tausug, the Banguingui (users of the vinta), as well as the collective group of indigenous tribes known as the Lumad.
Contrary to common belief, only a portion of Mindanao was inhabited by Muslims by the time the Spanish arrived and colonized the Philippines, and centuries after the first native was converted to Islam. In fact, most of the people in the northern and eastern part of the island practiced native religions before they converted to Christianity. Japanese and government forces failed to quell the desire for separation from the largely Christian nation by Muslim factions on the island. Due to an influx of migration, as well as evangelization, Mindanao's population is now predominantly Christian. Sectarian and ethnic conflicts as well as land disputes are central features of the complex thirty-year-old conflict on the island.

Mindanao is the second largest island in the country at 94,630 square kilometers, and is the eighth most populous island in the world. The island of Mindanao is larger than 125 countries worldwide, including the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Czech Republic, Hungary, Taiwan and Ireland. The island is mountainous, and is home to Mount Apo, the highest mountain in the country. Mindanao is surrounded by seas: the Sulu Sea to the west, the Philippine Sea to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the south. Of all the islands of the Philippines, Mindanao and Borneo shows the greatest variety of physiographic development. High, rugged, faulted mountains; almost isolated volcanic peaks; high rolling plateaus; and broad, level, swampy plains are found there.

The island group of Mindanao encompasses Mindanao island itself and the Sulu Archipelago to the southwest. The island group is divided into six regions, which are further subdivided into 25 provinces.

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. Some of the areas are semi-autonomous Muslim areas. 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. The Limunsudan Falls, with an approximate height of 800 ft, is the highest water falls in the Philippines located at Iligan City.

The Cebuano language is spoken by the majority in Mindanao. Cebuano is generally the native language in most regions, except for Muslim areas on the west coast, and among the hill tribes.

Christians form the majority with 63% of the population, Muslims 32% (mostly on the southern part of the island), other 5%.

The native Maguindanaon and other native Muslim/non-Muslim groups of Mindanao have a culture that is different from the main cultures of the Southern Philippines.