Cotabato

Cotabato is a landlocked province in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region (Region XII) of Mindanao. Covering 9,317.30 km², it is composed of 17 municipalities, 1 component city, and 543 barangays. Kidapawan City serves as the provincial capital and center. The name Cotabato comes from the Maguindanaon words 'kuta wato,' meaning 'stone fort,' referring to native fortresses used for defense in earlier times.

HISTORY

Cotabato, once called the 'Empire Province of Cotabato,' was one of the largest provinces in the Philippines in the early 20th century. It was originally inhabited by indigenous groups such as the Manobo, T’boli, Maguindanaon, and other Lumad peoples. Islam spread through Arab traders and missionaries in the 15th century. During Spanish rule, the province resisted colonial control with its fortified 'kuta.' Under American rule in 1914, Cotabato was formally established as a province, covering vast areas that were later divided into South Cotabato (1966), Sultan Kudarat (1973), Maguindanao (1973), and Sarangani (1992). Today, the province is officially called North Cotabato but is commonly referred to simply as Cotabato. It is a cultural melting pot of Christians, Muslims, and Lumads.

QUICK FACTS
Population (2024)	1490618
Land Area (km²)	9317.3
Households	308443
Average Household Size	4.13
Registered Voters	797609
Major Landmark	Mount Apo
Coastal Access	No
Average Elevation (m)	374

Map

Cotabato is located in the SOCCSKSARGEN Region in central Mindanao. It is bordered by Bukidnon to the north, Davao del Sur and Davao City to the east, Maguindanao and Sultan Kudarat to the south, and Lanao del Sur to the west.

MUNICIPALITIES POPULATION DATA

Cotabato has 17 municipalities and 1 component city, with a total of 543 barangays. Municipality-level breakdown was not provided in the PDF.

name	type	barangay_count	population_2020	population_2024
Alamada	Municipality	17	71523	68659
Aleosan	Municipality	19	38023	41944
Antipas	Municipality	13	26946	26817
Arakan	Municipality	28	51584	50558
Banisilan	Municipality	20	48013	46995
Carmen	Municipality	28	79741	107603
Kabacan	Municipality	24	77945	93822
City of Kidapawan	City, Capital	40	160864	160791
Libungan	Municipality	20	57776	56696
Magpet	Municipality	32	55255	53800
Makalala	Municipality	38	88522	87227
Matalam	Municipality	34	81610	81355
Midsayap	Municipality	57	115735	165376
M'lang	Municipality	37	98646	98195
Pigkawayan	Municipality	40	53593	72371
Pikit	Municipality	42	67220	164646
President Roxas	Municipality	25	51245	52512
Tulunan	Municipality	25	61901	60978

DEMOGRAPHICS

Age Distribution (2020)

According to the 2020 Census, the largest age group was 5–9 years (145,194), followed by 10–14 years (142,030) and below 5 years (133,785). The smallest age group was 75–79 years (9,902).

age	population_2020
Below 5 years	133785
5–9 years	145194
10–14 years	142030
15–19 years	129478
20–24 years	112276
25–29 years	103858
30–34 years	93390
35–39 years	80281
40–44 years	72466
45–49 years	63515
50–54 years	55818
55–59 years	44959
60–64 years	36276
65–69 years	25897
70–74 years	16186
75–79 years	9902
80+ years	9934

Population by Gender (2020)

In 2020, Cotabato’s population was 51.27% male and 48.73% female, reflecting a slightly higher male population.

ECONOMY

Agricultural and Fisheries Production

Between 2018 and 2023, Cotabato’s agriculture experienced mixed trends. Crop production increased from 32,009 million pesos in 2018 to 35,120 million pesos in 2023. Livestock production declined until 2020, then steadily rose, reaching 5,788 million pesos in 2023. Poultry showed consistent growth, from 1,304 million pesos in 2018 to 1,925 million pesos in 2023. Fisheries production continuously declined, falling from 1,035 million pesos in 2018 to 629 million pesos in 2023 despite a brief recovery in 2022.

title	2022	2023
Crops	31176	35120
Livestock	5111	5788
Poultry	1498	1925
Fisheries	969	629

BARANGAY