South Cotabato

Summary data
Map of the Philippines highlighting South Cotabato
Typeprovince
Island groupMindanao
RegionSOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
Highly urbanized cities1
Cities1
Municipalities10
Barangays [note]199
Coastal/Landlockedcoastal
Marine waterbodiesCelebes Sea
Area (2013) [note]3,793.90 km2 (1,464.83 sq mi)
Population (2020) [note]975,476
Density (2020) [note]257 / km2 (666 / sq mi)
[note] Figures exclude highly urbanized cities

South Cotabato is a province in the Philippines situated in the SOCCSKSARGEN region occupying the southern-central section of Mindanao. Its capital is the City of Koronadal.

The province has a land area of 3,793.90 square kilometers or 1,464.83 square miles. Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 975,476. This represented 19.90% of the total population of the SOCCSKSARGEN region, 3.72% of the overall population of the Mindanao island group, or 0.89% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 257 inhabitants per square kilometer or 666 inhabitants per square mile.

Map

South Cotabato is bordered, clockwise from the Northeast, by Davao del Sur, Sarangani, Sarangani Bay, and Sultan Kudarat.

details
Map of the Philippines with South Cotabato highlighted in redMap of South Cotabato showing its cities and component municipalitiesBangaGeneral SantosKoronadalLake SebuNoralaPolomolokSanto NiƱoSurallahT'BoliTampakanTantanganTupi

Local government units

South Cotabato has 10 municipalities and 1 city. The total number of barangays in the province is 199. The City of General Santos is commonly grouped with the province, although it is administratively independent due to its distinction as a highly urbanized city.

details
Local government units of South Cotabato
NameTypePopulation (2020)Population (2015)Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020)Area (2013), in km2Density (2020), per km2Brgy count
Bangamunicipality89,16483,9891.27%240.3537122
Koronadalcity (CC), capital, regional center195,398174,9422.36%277.0070527
Lake Sebumunicipality81,22187,442-1.54%702.0011619
Noralamunicipality46,68246,6420.02%188.1124814
Polomolokmunicipality172,605152,5892.63%339.9750823
Santo Niñomunicipality39,79640,947-0.60%85.0146810
Surallahmunicipality89,34084,5391.17%297.9330017
Tampakanmunicipality41,01839,5250.78%390.0010514
Tantanganmunicipality45,74443,2451.19%149.7030613
T'Bolimunicipality101,04991,4532.12%895.8311325
Tupimunicipality73,45969,9761.03%228.0032215
South Cotabato Total975,476915,2891.35%3,793.90257199

Economy

The annual regular revenue of South Cotabato for the fiscal year of 2016 was 1,528,497,402.72.

details
Annual regular income of South Cotabato (2009‑2016)
Fiscal YearAnnual Regular IncomeChange
2009762,090,107.20
2010819,381,683.847.52%
2011899,629,696.009.79%
2012907,783,517.580.91%
20131,016,394,387.1211.96%
20141,150,609,873.6513.21%
20151,320,458,715.9614.76%
20161,528,497,402.7215.76%

End notes:

  • Annual Regular Income = Locally Sourced Revenue + Internal Revenue Allotment (IRA) Current Year + Other Shares from National Tax Collection
  • Locally Sourced Revenue = Real Property Tax (General Fund) + Tax on Business + Other Taxes + Regulatory Fees + Service/User Charges + Receipts from Economic Enterprises

Demographics

Population by age group

According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in South Cotabato is 5 to 9, with 165,523 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 8,671 individuals.

details
Population of South Cotabato by age group (2015 census)
Age groupPopulation (2015)Age group percentage
Under 134,8582.31%
1 to 4140,7929.33%
5 to 9165,52310.96%
10 to 14155,05510.27%
15 to 19153,12410.14%
20 to 24147,8439.79%
25 to 29130,4238.64%
30 to 34110,7897.34%
35 to 39101,2876.71%
40 to 4487,6575.81%
45 to 4977,5685.14%
50 to 5462,0124.11%
55 to 5948,4713.21%
60 to 6436,2582.40%
65 to 6924,1671.60%
70 to 7415,1631.00%
75 to 7910,0740.67%
80 and over8,6710.57%
Total1,509,735100.00%
  • Youth Dependency Ratio: 51.94
  • Old Age Dependency Ratio: 6.08
  • Total Dependency Ratio: 58.02
  • Median Age: 23.57

Historical population

The population of South Cotabato grew from 30,741 in 1903 to 975,476 in 2020, an increase of 944,735 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive growth rate of 1.35%, or an increase of 60,187 people, from the previous population of 915,289 in 2015.

details
Population of South Cotabato (1903‑2020)
Census datePopulationGrowth rate
30,741
13,957-4.86%
20,0581.83%
55,01710.91%
136,6098.33%
252,6126.20%
329,5345.48%
401,7054.04%
539,4582.99%
621,1552.68%
690,7282.30%
767,2551.46%
827,2002.78%
915,2891.95%
975,4761.35%

The total number of registered voters or electorate in South Cotabato for the year 2019 was 860,059.

National roads

As of December 2016, the National Roads in South Cotabato are:

Primary Roads

  • Dulawan-Marbel Road
  • Kidapawan-Allah Junction Road
  • Marbel-Allah Valley-Cotabato Road

Secondary Roads

  • Awang-Upi-Lebak-Kalamansig-Palimbang-Sarangani Road
  • Isulan Junction-Ninoy Aquino Road
  • SNA-Lebak-Kalamansig Road

Notes

  1. Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
  2. Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
  3. Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.
  4. Data on National Roads is from the Department of Public Works and Highways.
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