Cotabato, also known as the Empire Province of Cotabato ( Maguindanaon: ''Kutawatu'', كوتوات), was a historical

province A province is an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman , which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire, Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

of the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

established in 1914 that existed until its dissolution in 1973. The province's capital from 1920 to 1967 was

Cotabato City Cotabato City, officially the City of Cotabato (Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kutawatu'', Jawi alphabet, Jawi: ; Cebuano language, Cebuano: ''Dakbayan sa Cotabato''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, inde ...

(of the same name) while Pagalungan became its capital from 1967 to 1973. Originally a district of the former Moro Province, on September 1, 1914, the defunct

Department of Mindanao and Sulu The Department of Mindanao and Sulu was an agency of the United States colonial administration in the Philippine Islands task to administer all Muslim-dominated areas in the territory. It was established on July 23, 1914, pursuant to Act No. 2 ...

provided with autonomous government through '' Act No. 2408'' enacted on July 23, 1914, converted the district into a province along with other former Moro Province districts: Davao, Lanao,

Sulu Sulu (), officially the Province of Sulu (Tausug language, Tausūg: ''Wilaya' sin Lupa' Sūg''; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province of the Philippines in the Sulu Archipelago. It was part of the Bangsamoro, Bangsamoro Autonomous R ...

, Zamboanga, and its former sub-province

Bukidnon Bukidnon (), officially the Province of Bukidnon (; ; ; Bukid language, Binukid and Higaonon language, Higaonon: ''Probinsya ta Bukidnon''), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Northern Mindan ...

. Davao, Lanao and Zamboanga were then later split and partitioned into different current provinces, Sulu was then later split and partitioned into the current provinces of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, and Bukidnon mostly remain what it is today. The province was one of the largest provinces of the Philippines, with an area of . It was dissolved on 1973, comprising what are now the provinces of

Cotabato Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen Regions of the Philippines, regi ...

(North),

South Cotabato South Cotabato, officially the Province of South Cotabato, is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen Regions of the Philippines, region in Mindanao. Its capital is Koronadal (also the regional cen ...

Maguindanao del Norte Maguindanao del Norte, officially the Province of Maguindanao del Norte (, Jawi: دَاِيْرَتْ نُوْ اُوْتَرَ مَڬِنْدَنَوْ; , ڤروبنسيا ا ڤڠوترن مڬیندانو ), is a province in the Philippines l ...

Maguindanao del Sur Maguindanao del Sur, officially the Province of Maguindanao del Sur (, Jawi Alphabet, Jawi:دايرت نو سلاتان مڬیندانو, ), is a landlocked Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro reg ...

Sultan Kudarat Sultan Kudarat, officially the Province of Sultan Kudarat (; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sultan Kudarat'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سولتان كودرت; ; Ilocano language, Ilocano: ''Probinsia ti Sultan Ku ...

, and

Sarangani Sarangani, officially the Province of Sarangani (; ; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Sarangani'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: دايرت نو سرڠان; ), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the ...

History

Establishment and composition

Upon its separation from the

, Cotabato comprised the municipalities of

(the provincial capital), Dulawan, and Midsayap, and the following ''municipal district''s: Philippine territorial map 1880 MINDANAO

* Awang * Balatikan * Balut *

Banisilan Banisilan, officially the Municipality of Banisilan (Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Inged nu Banisilan'', Jawi Alphabet, Jawi: ايڠايد نو بنيسيلن; Iranun language, Iranun: ''Inged a Banisilan'', ايڠايد ا بنيسيلن ...

* Barira * Buayan * Bugasan * Buldun * Buluan *

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...

* Daguma * Dinaig * Dulawan * Gambar * Glan * Isulan * Kabakan * Kalanganan * Kiamba *

Kidapawan Kidapawan, officially the City of Kidapawan (; ; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kidapawan''; Obo language, Obo Monuvu: ''Ingod to Kidapawan''; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and the capital ...

* Kitubud * Kling *

Koronadal Koronadal, officially the City of Koronadal (; ; ; Maguindanao language, Maguindanaon: ''Kuta nu Kurunadal'', ) and also known as Marbel, is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the P ...

* Lebak *

Libungan Libungan, officially the Municipality of Libungan , is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 56,269 people. Etymology Libungan was known by various names by its early set ...

* Liguasan * Maganui * Nuling *

Parang Parang is a popular folk music originating from Venezuela and Trinidad and Tobago that was brought to Trinidad and Tobago by Venezuelan migrants who were primarily of Amerindian, Spanish, Mestizo, Pardo, and African heritage, something whic ...

* Pikit- Pagalungan * Reina Regente * Salaman * Sebu * Silik * Subpangan * Talayan * Tumbau On June 18, 1966,

was separated from the province through ''

Republic Act This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Sources of Philippine laws ;Notes : *Customs may be considered as supplementary source of law, however, customs which are contrary to law, public order or public policy shall not ...

No. 4849''. That very same day, the provincial capital was moved from Cotabato City to Pagalungan.

Dissolution

On November 22, 1973, the remaining territories of the Province of Cotabato was divided into

North Cotabato Cotabato, formerly and still commonly referred to as North Cotabato and officially the Province of Cotabato, is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao. Its capital is the city of Kidapawan, the ...

Maguindanao Maguindanao (; Maguindanaon: ''Dairat nu Magindanaw''; Iranun: ''Perobinsia a Magindanao''; ) was a province of the Philippines located in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). From 2014 to 2022, its provincial capital ...

and

through ''Presidential Decree No. 341''. On March 7, 1984, North Cotabato was renamed to simply "

" through ''Batas Pambansa Blg. 660''. On March 16, 1992, the province of

was formed out of South Cotabato.

References

{{Coord missing, Philippines Former provinces of the Philippines States and territories established in 1914 1914 establishments in the Philippines States and territories disestablished in 1973 20th century in Mindanao History of Cotabato

History

Establishment and composition

Dissolution

See also

References