The City of Davao is one of the most important cities in the Philippines and the de facto capital of the island of Mindanao. It is also the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area. Its international airport and seaport is one of the busiest cargo hubs in the Southern Philippines. Davao City is also one of several cities in the Philippines that are independent of any province though it is usually grouped with Davao del Sur for statistical purposes. The city is also the regional center for Davao Region (Region XI). It is one of the world's largest cities in terms of land area, occupying more than 2, 400 square kilometers. Davao City has a resident population of 1.3 million, with about 2 million people present during daylight hours.According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 1, 147, 116 people in 240, 057 households.
As the capital of the region nicknamed Silicon Gulf, it is currently one of the centers of BPO operations in the Philippines. The city is projected to earn at least US$5 billion in annual revenue by 2010, according a CITEM report.
In recent years, the sprawling urban metropolis has emerged as the business, investment and tourism hub for southern Philippines. The city boasts some of the finest beach and mountain resorts in the country, and proximity to the Philippines’ most captivating diving spots as well as its highest peak, Mt Apo.
