POPULATION
In 2000, Region IX had a total population of 3,045,000. There was an increase of 8.02% from its population in 1995. In 1995, the male population was 45% of the total population and 58% lived in the rural areas. Zamboanga del Sur has the highest population concentration of 62%.

CULTURAL GROUPS
Many of the inhabitants come from cultural minorities: the Yakans of Basilan, the Tau-Lauts (commonly known as Badjaos) and the Subanons of the Zamboangas. The rest are migrants from Visayas and Luzon.

CLIMATE
The region has a moderate climate. It is relatively dry from November to May and at the rest of the year. It is located outside the “typhoon belt” area.

LAND USE
Western Mindanao’s land area is 15,997.3 sq. kms. This is 15.68% of the land in Mindanao and 5% of the Philippines’ total land area.

It has a total land area of 1,599,734 hectares of which 762,252 hectares have been classified as alienable and disposable and 837,482 as forestland .

NATURAL RESOURCES
The region has vast forest resources and previously used to export logs, lumber, veneer and plywood. Its mineral deposits include gold, chromite, coal, iron, lead and manganese. Among its non-metallic reserves are coal, silica, salt, marble, sand and gravel. Its fishing grounds are devoted to commercial and municipal fishing. It has also aqua farms for brackish water and freshwater fishes.

Its coastline of 1330 kms. gives it easy access to the Sulu Sea, Moro Gulf, Sindangan Bay, Pilas Channel and Celebes sea, which are some of the country’s richest fishing grounds. It has the biggest deposits of lead or 84%0 of the national total, zinc 49%, quartz, 52% and silica sand, 34%. It also has deposits of chromite, gold and marble. It is the major supplier of coal and silica sand in the country.

ECONOMY
It has the first export-processing zone in Mindanao. Farming and fishing are the main economic activities of the region. It also has rice and corn mills, oil processing, coffee berry processing and processing of latex from rubber. Its home industries include rattan and furniture craft, basket making, weaving and brass work.

URBAN CENTERS
The cities of Zamboanga, Dipolog and Pagadian serve as the centers of trade, commerce and education in the region. Zamboanga, the “Queen City of the South”, is a tourist destination besides being considered as the busiest city in Western Mindanao.

FACILITIES
As of 1996, only approximately 45% of the potential irrigable area of 62,600 hectares are irrigated. Only 40% of the region’s population have access to water and the 60% can get their drinking water from rivers, lakes and open ponds.

A 100 MW land based power plant in Sangali, Zamboanga City has addressed the power crisis of the 1990s. As of 1996, all carriers in the region have already installed 30,514 telephone lines with a working capacity of 18,549 lines.

Land, air and water transport are available in the region. Buses and jeepneys are the main land transport. Inter-island ships and airlines service passengers to and from Manila, Cebu, Zamboanga and other island provinces. Telecommunication facilities are provided by both the government and private sectors. Cities also have post offices and telegraph stations.