Mati is the only city in, and the capital city of, the Province of Davao Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 126,143 people. Residents of Mati are called Matinians.

Mati comes from the Mandayan word Maa-ti which refers to the town's creek that easily dries up even after heavy rain. Pioneer settlers were tribes Kalagan, Mandayan, and Maranao which carried strong Arabic and Indo-Malayan influences.

Captain Prudencio Garcia, the pioneer political-military head in 1861, and his comrade Juan Nazareno founded Mati and two other towns in Davao Oriental. By 1903, Mati was declared a municipality by virtue of Act No. 21. By 1907, Act No. 189 further reaffirmed the establishment of its local government. Bonifacio Serrano was the first appointed mayor while the first elected mayor was Patricio Cunanan in 1923. Mati became the capital of Davao Oriental since 1967.

The Japanese Imperial forces landed in town and occupied most of eastern Davao region in 1942. Mati was liberated in 1945 by the Allied Philippine Commonwealth troops of the 6th, 10th, 101st, 102nd, 103rd, 104th, 106th, 107th and 110th Infantry Division of the Philippine Commonwealth Army, 10th Infantry Regiment of the Philippine Constabulary and the Davaoeño guerrilla units.

Davao Oriental (Filipino: Silangang Dabaw) is a province of the Philippines located in the Davao Region in Mindanao. Its capital is Mati and borders Compostela Valley to the west, and Agusan del Sur and Surigao del Sur to the north. Davao Oriental is the easternmost province of the country with Pusan Point as the easternmost location. The Philippine Sea, part of the Pacific Ocean, faces Davao Oriental to the east. Part of the province lies on an unnamed peninsula that encloses the Davao Gulf to the west.

The native (and official) language spoken in this province are Kamayo(also knowna as Mandaya). Cebuano is also spoken here, and Chavacano de Davao being spoken by the people from Compostela Valley and Davao City.

Even some of the natives adhere to Christian faith (mostly Catholics), they are syncretic in some of their beliefs. Folklore beliefs include fairies (diwatas).

Homes are usually made out of wood, with bamboo figuring prominently in many rural abodes.

Davao Oriental is the copra (dried coconut meat) producer capital of the Philippines.