SOCCSKSARGEN (Region XII)
 | |
| Type | region |
|---|---|
| Island group | Mindanao |
| Provinces | 4 |
| Cities | 5 |
| Municipalities | 45 |
| Barangays | 1,195 |
| Coastal/Landlocked | coastal |
| Marine waterbodies | Celebes Sea |
| Area (2013) | 227.86 km2 (8797.75 sq mi) |
| Population (2020) | 4,901,486 |
| Density (2020) | 215 / km2 (557 / sq mi) |
SOCCSKSARGEN, officially designated as Region XII, is an administrative region in the Philippines occupying the southern-central section of Mindanao. It covers 4 provinces, namely, Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, as well as 1 highly urbanized city (General Santos) and the independent component city of Cotabato. The regional center is the City of Koronadal.
Its population as determined by the 2020 Census was 4,901,486. This represented 18.67% of the overall population of the Mindanao island group, or 4.50% of the entire population of the Philippines. Based on these figures, the population density is computed at 215 inhabitants per square kilometer or 557 inhabitants per square mile.
Map
SOCCSKSARGEN is bordered, clockwise from the Northeast, by Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, the Sarangani Strait, Sarangani Bay, Celebes Sea, Moro Gulf, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
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Local government units
SOCCSKSARGEN has 4 provinces, 45 municipalities, and 5 cities (1 of which is a highly urbanized city administered independently from any province). The total number of barangays in the region is 1,195.
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| Name | Type | Population (2020) | Population (2015) | Annual Population Growth Rate (2015‑2020) | Area (2013), in km2 | Density (2020), per km2 | City count | Mun count | Brgy count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotabato | province | 1,490,618 | 1,379,747 | 1.64% | 9,317.30 | 160 | 1 | 17 | 543 |
| Cotabato City | city (ICC), regional center | 325,079 | 299,438 | 1.74% | 176.00 | 1,847 | – | – | 37 |
| General Santos | city (HUC) | 697,315 | 594,446 | 3.42% | 492.86 | 1,415 | – | – | 26 |
| Sarangani | province | 558,946 | 544,261 | 0.56% | 3,642.16 | 153 | 0 | 7 | 141 |
| South Cotabato | province | 975,476 | 915,289 | 1.35% | 3,793.90 | 257 | 1 | 10 | 199 |
| Sultan Kudarat | province | 854,052 | 812,095 | 1.07% | 5,363.86 | 159 | 1 | 11 | 249 |
| SOCCSKSARGEN Total | 4,901,486 | 4,545,276 | 1.60% | 22,786.08 | 215 | 5 | 45 | 1,195 | |
Demographics
Population by age group
According to the 2015 Census, the age group with the highest population in SOCCSKSARGEN is 5 to 9, with 525,893 individuals. Conversely, the age group with the lowest population is 80 and over, with 26,082 individuals.
Age distribution
| Age group | Population (2015) | Age group percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1 | 102,506 | 2.26% |
| 1 to 4 | 429,084 | 9.44% |
| 5 to 9 | 525,893 | 11.57% |
| 10 to 14 | 496,412 | 10.92% |
| 15 to 19 | 478,761 | 10.53% |
| 20 to 24 | 436,120 | 9.60% |
| 25 to 29 | 382,347 | 8.41% |
| 30 to 34 | 321,367 | 7.07% |
| 35 to 39 | 297,171 | 6.54% |
| 40 to 44 | 258,198 | 5.68% |
| 45 to 49 | 228,152 | 5.02% |
| 50 to 54 | 178,895 | 3.94% |
| 55 to 59 | 137,943 | 3.03% |
| 60 to 64 | 102,267 | 2.25% |
| 65 to 69 | 69,520 | 1.53% |
| 70 to 74 | 44,900 | 0.99% |
| 75 to 79 | 29,658 | 0.65% |
| 80 and over | 26,082 | 0.57% |
| Total | 4,545,276 | 100.00% |
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Historical population
The population of SOCCSKSARGEN grew from 34,762 in 1903 to 4,901,486 in 2020, an increase of 4,866,724 people over the course of 117 years. The latest census figures in 2020 denote a positive annualized growth rate of 1.60%, or an increase of 356,210 people, from the previous population of 4,545,276 in 2015.
Trends in population growth
| Census date | Population | Annualized Growth Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 34,762 | – | |
| 96,391 | 6.65% | |
| 162,201 | 2.64% | |
| 194,880 | 1.90% | |
| 652,020 | 11.20% | |
| 1,186,963 | 6.04% | |
| 1,365,078 | 2.85% | |
| 1,722,727 | 4.76% | |
| 2,399,953 | 3.37% | |
| 2,846,966 | 3.25% | |
| 3,222,169 | 2.69% | |
| 3,830,500 | 2.41% | |
| 4,109,571 | 2.59% | |
| 4,545,276 | 1.94% | |
| 4,901,486 | 1.60% |
The total number of registered voters or electorate in SOCCSKSARGEN for the year 2019 was 2,431,265.
Notes
- Unless otherwise specified, population count (excluding percentages) and land area figures are derived from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
- Data on registered voters is from the Commission on Elections.
- Maps utilize OpenStreetMap data available under the Open Data Commons Open Database License.