Zamboanga del Sur Habagatang Zambonga Provincia del Zamboanga del Sur
—  Province  —
Official seal of Zamboanga del Sur Seal
Map of the Philippines with Zamboanga del Sur highlighted
Coordinates: 7°50′00″N 123°15′00″E / 7.8333333°N 123.25°E / 7.8333333; 123.25Coordinates: 7°50′00″N 123°15′00″E / 7.8333333°N 123.25°E / 7.8333333; 123.25
Country	Philippines
Region	Zamboanga Peninsula (Region IX)
Founded	June 6, 1952
Capital	Pagadian City
Government
• Type	Province of the Philippines
• Governor	Antonio Cerilles (NPC/Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
• Vice Governor	Juan Regala (Lakas-Kampi-CMD)
Area
• Total	4,499.5 km2 (1,737.3 sq mi)
Area rank	26th out of 80
Population (2007)
• Total	914,278
• Rank	25th out of 80
• Density	200/km2 (530/sq mi)
• Density rank	38th out of 80
Divisions
• Independent cities	1
• Component cities	1
• Municipalities	26
• Barangays	681 including independent cities: 779
• Districts	1st and 2nd districts of Zamboanga del Sur
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Spoken languages	Cebuano, Zamboangueño/Chavacano, Subanon, Tausug, Tagalog, English

Zamboanga del Sur (Cebuano:Lalawigan sa Habagatang Zamboanga, Spanish/Zamboangueño/Chavacano:Provincia del Zamboanga del Sur, Tagalog:Timog Zamboanga, Standard Subanen:S'helatan Sembwangan/Sembwangan dapit Shelatan) is a province of the Philippines located in the Zamboanga Peninsula region in Mindanao. Pagadian City is the capital. The province borders Zamboanga del Norte to the north, Zamboanga Sibugay to the west, Misamis Occidental to the northeast, and Lanao del Norte to the east. To the south is the Moro Gulf.

Demographics[link]

As of the 2000 census, Zamboanga del Sur had a population of 836,147, making it the 16th most populous province. The population density was 3,480/km², the 20th most densely populated province.

Languages[link]

The most commonly spoken language is Cebuano. Also spoken, although in small percentage, are Zamboangueño/Chavacano, Tagalog, English, Hiligaynon, Maguindanao, Iranun, Subanun, and Ilocano.

Economy[link]

The economy is predominantly agricultural. Products include coco oil, livestock feed milling, rice/corn milling, including the processing of fruits, gifts and housewares made from indigenous materials like handmade paper, roots, rattan, buri, and bamboo; wood-based manufacture of furniture and furniture components from wood, rattan, and bamboo; marine and aquaculture including support services; construction services and manufacture of marble, concrete, and wooden construction materials. There are also mining areas in the province, such as found in the Municipality of Bayog managed by TVI, a Canadian-based mining firm which concentrates on gold mining, and the Cebu Ore Mining which is handling the Ore-Copper-Steel mines. There are also small-scale mines in the Municipality of Dumingag.

Geography[link]

Zamboanga del Sur occupies the southern section of the Zamboanga peninsula that forms the western part of the Island of Mindanao. It is located at longitude 122° 30"" and latitude 7° 15"" north. It has a total land area of 473,491 hectares or 4,734.91 square miles.

Stretching northward from Sibugay in the southwest and running along the northern boundary to Salug Valley in the east is the province’s mountainous countryside. The coastal plains extend regularly from south to west then spread into wide flat lands when reaching the coastal plains of the Baganian peninsula in the southeast.

Political[link]

Zamboanga del Sur is subdivided into 26 municipalities and 1 city. These divisions are further subdivided into 681 barangays. The province comprises two congressional districts.

Cities[link]

• Pagadian City

Municipalities[link]

Largest Barangays of Zamboanga del Sur[link]

Largest Barangays of Pagadian City[link]

Physical[link]

Zamboanga del Sur occupies the southern section of the Zamboanga Peninsula that forms the western part of the island of Mindanao. It is located at longitude 122° 30"" and latitude 7° 15"" north. It has a land area of 4,734.91 km². It is bounded on the north by the province of Zamboanga del Norte; on the south by the Moro Gulf; on the southwest by Zamboanga Sibugay; and on the east and northeast by Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Panguil Bay.

Stretching northward from Sibugay in the southwest and running along the northern boundary to Salug Valley in the east is the province's mountainous countryside. The coastal plains extend regularly from south to west then spread into wide flat lands when reaching the coastal plains of the Baganian peninsula in the southeast.

The province has a relatively high mean annual rainfall: 1,599 - 3,500 mm. Temperature is relatively warm and constant throughout the year: 22 - 35 °C.

The longest river in Region IX, the Sibugay River gets its water from the mountains of Zamboanga del Sur most specifically in Bayog and Lakewood, from where it flows into Sibugay Bay which is now part of Zamboanga Sibugay. Other notable rivers are the Kumalarang River and Salug River in Molave.

History[link]

The name of Zamboanga was derived from the Malay word "Jambangan", meaning a pot or place of flowers. The original inhabitants of the Zamboanga peninsula were the Subanens, who settled along the riverbanks. The next group of settlers to arrive were Muslim migrants from the neighboring provinces. The Maguindanaoans and Kalibugans were farmers; the Tausugs, Samals, and Badjaos were fishermen; and the Maranaos were traders and artisans. Mat weaving was the major occupation of the Muslim settlers.

Then came an exodus of migrants from nearby provinces. Historians say most of them came from the Visayas, Cebu, Bohol, Negros, and Siquijor. Together with the original settlers, these pioneers helped develop Zamboanga del Sur into the abundant and culturally diverse province that it is.

Historically, Zamboanga was the capital of the Moro Province presently known as Mindanao, which comprised five districts: Cotabato, Davao, Sulu, Lanao, and Zamboanga. In 1940, these districts became individual provinces. Zamboanga City became the capital of Zamboanga province. Soon after World War II, the provincial capital was transferred to Dipolog. Molave was created as the provincial capital in 1948.

Zamboanga del Sur was carved out from the former Zamboanga province that encompassed the entire peninsula in the southwestern Mindanao on September 17, 1952 by virtue of Republic Act 711. As the 52nd province of the Philippines, it originally consisted of 11 towns, which were later expanded into 42 municipalities and one city, Pagadian, its capital.

Political developments in February 2001 saw another major change in the territorial jurisdiction of Zamboanga del Sur. Its inhabitants voted to create a new province out of the third congressional district, named Zamboanga Sibugay.

[edit] Governors^[1]

References[link]

• ZamboSur News Updates
• WOW Philippines - Zamboanga del Sur
• Daily Zamboanga Times
• Official Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Peninsula News
• The Official Website of Zamboanga Today Newspaper

v t e Political divisions of the Philippines Capital Manila National Capital Region Autonomous region Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Provinces Abra Agusan del Norte Agusan del Sur Aklan Albay Antique Apayao Aurora Basilan Bataan Batanes Batangas Benguet Biliran Bohol Bukidnon Bulacan Cagayan Camarines Norte Camarines Sur Camiguin Capiz Catanduanes Cavite Cebu Compostela Valley Cotabato Davao del Norte Davao del Sur Davao Oriental Dinagat Islands Eastern Samar Guimaras Ifugao Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Iloilo Isabela Kalinga La Union Laguna Lanao del Norte Lanao del Sur Leyte Maguindanao Marinduque Masbate Misamis Occidental Misamis Oriental Mountain Province Negros Occidental Negros Oriental Northern Samar Nueva Ecija Nueva Vizcaya Occidental Mindoro Oriental Mindoro Palawan Pampanga Pangasinan Quezon Quirino Rizal Romblon Samar Sarangani Siquijor Sorsogon South Cotabato Southern Leyte Sultan Kudarat Sulu Surigao del Norte Surigao del Sur Tarlac Tawi-Tawi Zambales Zamboanga del Norte Zamboanga del Sur Zamboanga Sibugay Former Provinces Agusan Ambos Camarines Camarines Cotabato Davao Kalinga-Apayao Lanao Lepanto-Bontoc Manila Mindanao and Sulu Mindoro Misamis Moro Province Negros Negros del Norte Occidental Leyte Oriental Leyte Samar Shariff Kabunsuan Surigao Tayabas Zamboanga Other subdivisions Island groups (Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao) Regions Cities Municipalities Barangays Legislative districts Territorial disputes North Borneo (Sabah) Scarborough Shoal Spratly Islands