The anscestors of the indigenous peoples like the Bagobos, Manobos, and Talaingods moved into the region of present day Davao long before Muslim or Spanish expeditions were conducted along the coast. In 1646, the Spanish colonial government recognized the suzerainty of the Mindanao Sultan Cachil Kudarat over the area. Very little, if any, explorations were conducted in the region but Muslim communities were established at the mouths of rivers and along the coast and traded with the interior peoples.

In 1844, following a peace treaty between Spain and the Maguindanao Sultan, Davao was ceded to the Spanish Crown. Spanish explorers led by Jose Oyanguren were sent to the region to establish Spanish presence. In 1847, the province of Nueva Guipuzcoa was erected. A year later, the Bagobo Chief Datu Dabo was defeated on the island of Samal, and ensured the unchallenged rule of the Spaniards.

Nueva Guipuzcoa was replaced by the comandancias of Davao and Bislig, in 1858. In 1860, the District of Davao was established. During the Spanish regime, Davao was a place of exile for hundreds of Filipinos accused of petty crimes and political offenses.

In 1903, the Americans incorporated Davao into the Moro Province. In 1914, the Moro province was converted into the Department of Mindanao and Sulu and all districts comprising it became regular provinces. During the American period, migrants from other parts of the Philippines, as well as foreigners settled in Davao to turn the vast tracts of arable land into productive farms. As a result, Visayans now outnumber the indigenous population and Cebuano is the principal language of commerce and communication.

On July 1, 1967, Davao del Norte was created under Republic Act No. 4867 which split Davao into three provinces. Its name was changed to simply Davao on June 17, 1972 through the passage of Republic Act No.6430.

Davao is the main agricultural center of the region. The majority of its people are Cebuano-speaking migrants from the Visayas, although a significant number of migrants from Luzon add to the population. The principal dialect is Cebuano interspersed with Tagalog words. The ethnic groups that are concentrated in this province are the Dibabawons and Atas.

Atas are related to the Manobos of Cotabato and includes the Talaingod and Matigsulog sub-groups. They dwell in the forests of Kapalong, Davao del Norte. Their traditonal dress features long-sleeved shirts for men, while women wear beaded necklaces, brass bracelets, and anklets to complement their native blouse and malong (colorful tube skirt). The Atas are mainly hunters and upland farmers growing rice, corn, and root crops in kaingin fields.

The Dibabawons, on the other hand, are a mixture of the Mandaya and Manobo tribes. They also practice slash and burn farming, but cultivate abaca as a cash crop. They use the abaca for weaving lovely cloths. The indigenous peoples of Davao enrich the cultural fabric of the province and practice ethnic crafts, such as weaving and jewelry making, that are popular among tourists and art collectors.

Davao is known as the "Green Gold Country" because of its vast banana plantations and gold rush areas. The province is located at the southeastern portion of Mindanao and covers a land area of 3,462 square kilometers. The province has 8 a population of 671,333 and a labor force placed at 382,775 with a participation rate of 69%. Davao has 234,208 hectares for agriculture and has ranked second in corn production and leads in the production of exportable bananas. Its forest area of 5,153 hectares has an established timberland of 92 %. The province is also rich in marine resources and also endowed with large deposits of non-metallic and metallic mineral resources. Attractive tourist spots can easily be found in the province.

Davao is easily reached by land, sea and air. The province has access to an international airport in Davao City and hosts 5 privately owned airstrips. It also has two public seaports and three private ones. The local road network is 1,468 kilometers and connects the province to most parts of Mindanao. Power comes from two electric cooperatives while water supply is managed by the Local Water Utilities Administration. The province has 8 telecommunications company providing land based and mobile telephone services. The local banking industry has 42 banks and 695 financial intermediaries. The local government is also developing three Provincial Agro-Industrial Centers to attract more investments into the province.

The investment opportunities in Davao include fruit tree plantations and fruit exports, fruit processing, livestock and meat processing. Off-farm investment opportunities are jewelry making, production of gifts, toys and houseware items, wood and steel furniture, and engineering and metalwork. The province also has potential to host investments in tourism like the establishment of business hotels, specialty restaurants, and sports and recreational facilities. The growing consumer market makes investments in transportation services and telecommunications equally viable.

Development Initiative Highlights:

• To be an exponent in the mining, quarrying and extracting industries for the region
• To provide needed agricultural products for Mindanao
• To generate tourism revenues for the country through its rich natural resources (waterfalls, caves, beaches), especially Samal Island which is identified as one of the five priority development areas for tourism in the country