Davao City in the context of "Philippine Statistics Authority"

Mindanao (/ˌmɪndəˈnaʊ/ MIN-də-NOW) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of the same name that also includes its adjacent islands, notably the Sulu Archipelago. According to the 2020 census, Mindanao had a population of 26,252,442, while the entire island group had an estimated population of 27,384,138 as of 2024.

Mindanao is divided into six administrative regions: the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, the Caraga region, the Davao region, Soccsksargen, and the autonomous region of Bangsamoro. According to the 2020 census, Davao City is the most populous city on the island, with 1,776,949 people, followed by Zamboanga City (pop. 977,234), General Santos (pop. 722,059), Butuan (pop. 372,910), and Cotabato City (pop. 325,079). About 70% of residents identify as Christian and 24% as Muslim. Mindanao is considered the major Bread Basket of the Philippines.

The Davao Region (Cebuano: Rehiyon sa Dabaw; Filipino: Rehiyon ng Davao), designated as Region XI, is an administrative region in the Philippines. Formerly called Southern Mindanao, it is situated in the southeastern portion of Mindanao, enclosing the Davao Gulf. The region comprises five provinces: Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Occidental. Davao City is the region's sole highly urbanized city, as well as its regional center.

Zamboanga City, officially the City of Zamboanga (Chavacano: Ciudad de Zamboanga; Spanish: Ciudad de Zamboanga; Subanen: Bagbenwa Sembwangan; Sama: Lungsud Samboangan; Tausug: Daira sin Sambuwangan; Filipino: Lungsod ng Zamboanga; Cebuano: Dakbayan sa Zamboanga), is a highly urbanized city in the Zamboanga Peninsula region of the Philippines, with a total population of 3,943,837 inhabitants. It is third-largest city by land area in the Philippines, and is also the sixth-most populous city in the archipelago; additionally, it is the second most populous in Mindanao after Davao City. It is the commercial and industrial center of the Zamboanga Peninsula Region.

According to the 2024 census, the City of Zamboanga has a population of 1,018,894 people.

Maguindanaon (Basa Magindanawn, Jawi: باس مڬندنون‎), or Magindanawn is an Austronesian language spoken by Maguindanaon people who form majority of the population of eponymous provinces of Maguindanao del Norte and Maguindanao del Sur in the Philippines. It is also spoken by sizable minorities in different parts of Mindanao such as the cities of Zamboanga, Davao, General Santos, and Cagayan de Oro, and the provinces of Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, Sarangani, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, Bukidnon as well as Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal and Laguna. As of 2020, the language is ranked to be the ninth leading language spoken at home in the Philippines with only 365,032 households still speaking the language.

The Japanese invasion of Lingayen Gulf (Filipino: Paglusob ng mga Hapones sa Golfo ng Lingayen, Pangasinese: Inlusob na Hapon ed Gulpo na Lingayen, Ilocano: Panagraut dagiti Hapon iti Golfo ti Lingayen) was the key point in the Japanese plan for the conquest of the Philippines. Preparations had already been made by the Attack on Clark Field and the landings of Japanese forces at five points in northern and southern Luzon and Mindanao in early/mid December 1941, with the IJAAF seizing air fields and basing aircraft for ground support, and the Imperial Japanese Navy establishing seaplane bases at the Camiguin Island, Legaspi, and Davao. The main landing of Japanese forces targeted Lingayen Gulf, with its proximity to the Philippine capital of Manila, and Lamon Bay on the opposite coast to the south.