Sultan Kudarat Province
is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Isulan and borders Maguindanao and Cotabato to the north, South Cotabato and Sarangani to the south, and Davao del Sur to the east, and the Celebes Sea to the west.

BRIEF PROFILE
Capital:	Isulan
Land Area:	4,783.19 km ²
Population:	747,087 (2010)
Cities:	Tacurong
Munacipalities:	11
Barangays:	249
Districts:	1st and 2nd districts of Sultan Kudarat
Languages:	Hiligaynon, Ilokano, Cebuano, Maguindanao

Geography_______________________________

Political

Sultan Kudarat is subdivided into 11 municipalities and 1 city. Three of the municipalities (Kalamansig, Lebak, and Palimbang) are coastal towns, while the rest of the province are located inland.

Tacurong City is the smallest unit in the province in terms of land area, but it is the most urbanized, and is considered to be the province's commercial center. Other growth centers are Lebak and Isulan, the latter being the provincial capital. Bagumbayan is the largest town in terms of land area.

The 11 municipalities and Tacurong City are further subdivided into 249 barangays.

Physical

Sultan Kudarat is located on the southwestern part of the island of Mindanao. It is bounded on the north by the provinces of Maguindanao and Cotabato; on the south by South Cotabato; on the east by Davao del Sur; and on the west by the Celebes Sea. The province's total land area is 4783.1898 square kilometres.

The three coastal towns on the province's western side are lined with mountain ranges that wall the central part of the province from the sea. There are also mountains on the eastern side, leaving flat land in between.

The climate is characterized by a short dry season lasting from one to three months. Unlike most other provinces in the country, Sultan Kudarat is generally free from typhoons and rainfall is more evenly distributed throughout the year.

A Brief History___________________________

The territory that is now the province of Sultan Kudarat was originally part of Cotabato province, which was one of the largest and most resource-rich provinces in the country. During the Spanish colonial era, the land was heavily forested and left largely underdeveloped.

Because of the size of the province, it was divided into smaller units. Additionally, conflicting political, social, and economic interests limited the province's progress. Cotabato was first split into North Cotabato and South Cotabato. North Cotabato was then split into what is now Maguindanao (from which the new province of Shariff Kabunsuan was created), (North) Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat and South Cotabato split into South Cotabato and Sarangani.

Sultan Kudarat was named after a Sultan of Maguindanao, Sultan Muhammad Dipatuan Kudarat, who reigned from 1623 to 1671. It became a separate province on November 22, 1973.

Musical Heritage____________________________

The native Maguindanaon have a fascinating culture that revolves around kulintang music, a specific type of gong music, found among both Muslim and non-Muslim groups of the Southern Philippines.

Map of Sultan Kudarat Province
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