Located in Southern Philippines, Agusan del Sur is endowed with rich natural resources contained in its vast agricultural, forest, and marsh lands. Its vision: to become an agro - processing center and an eco-tourism destination.

Geography

Agusan del Sur is a landlocked province bounded on the North by Agusan del Norte, on the South by Compostela Valley, on the West by Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon and on the East by Surigao del Sur. The province accessed by land transportation through the Davao - Butuan National Highway. Three minor roads also provideaccess for travelers coming from Tandag, Lianga, Barobo, and BisligCity in Surigao del Sur, and one road connects the southwestern part of the province with Asuncion, Compostela Valley province. All four roads intersect the National Highway at different points.

In the future, the Agusan River may be used as a potential route for travel around the province.

Land Area

Agusan del Sur's approximate area is 896, 550 hectares or 8,965.50 sq. km. ranking as the fourth largest province in the country. The otherprovinces are Palawan, Isabela, and Cagayan Valley.

The municipalities of Loreto, La Paz, Esperanza, and San Luis are among the four larger municipalities covering almost sixty percent of the province's total land area. On the other hand, the river towns of Sta. Josefa and Talcogon have the smallest land area.

Topography

Agusan del Sur is an elongated basin formation with mountain ranges in the eastern and western sides forming a valley, which occupies the center longitudinal section of the land. The AgusanRiver, flowing from Compostela Valley in the South towards Agusan del Norte in the North, runs almost in the middle of the valley and empties into Butuan Bay. The river has twelve tributaries, namely Wawa, Gibong, and Simulao River in the eastern side : and Ojot, Pusilao, Kasilayan, Libang, Maasam, Agdawan, Cawayan, Umayam, and Ihaoan River in the western side. These tributaries are fed by numerous streams and creeks. The southern half of the province from the municipality of Veruela is an area filled with many swamps and lakes, the biggest of which is Talacogon Lake.

Soil Types

Agusan del Sur is endowed with rich and fertile soil. Where varied crops can be grown. Based in the Land Resource Evaluation Project conducted by the Bureau of Soils in 1983, Agusan del Sur's soil types are characterized from deep to very deep, moderately deep to shallow and shallow to slightly acidic, strongly acidic, moderately acidic and neutral high fertilityand low fertility. It has also varied colors dark-brown, brown, dark yellowish brown, very dark grayish brown, and reddish brown. Among soil types are clay, clayey, loam, loamy, silty, sandy, clay, loam, coarse loamy and clayey loamy. The clayey and loamy types are richer in nutrients than most sandy soils. The texture of the soil has a considered effect on many factors which affect plant growth and agriculture management.

Climate and Rainfall

The province is geographically situated below the typhoon belt but is usually affected by depressions forming in the typhoon regions of Visayas and Surigao del Norte. The climate map of the Philippines based on modified coronas classification shows that the province falls under type II.

Type II climate has no dry season with a very pronounced maximum rain period. Maximum rainfall generally occurs in December -- January although there is no single dry month. Areas characterized by this climate type are generally along or very near in the eastern coast thus are open to the northeast monsoon.

Culture & Heritage

Agusan's pre-hispanic cultural history can be traced to the great influence of the Majapahit Empire through the discovery of an eight-inch tall image of a woman in pure gold. This icon, called the Golden Tara, was recovered in 1917 at the Wawa River, a tributary of the Agusan River.

The Golden Tara is the earliest known image of Indian origin, corroborating early Hindu- Philippines relations. It is a Buddhist image of the Sailendra Period of the Sri-Vijaya history (900-950 AD). The 21-karat gold figurine is presently kept at the Gem Room of the Chicago Field Museum of Natural History, USA.

Over time, the province has become a melting pot of peace-loving people from various regions in the country all lured into this "Land of Golden Opportunities". The predominant inhabitants are Cebuano speaking, with Roman Catholicism as the main religion.

Festivals, showcasing the tribal heritage are held every year.

Ethnic Origin

Records of the Commission of National Integration show that five native tribes were found in the province, namely: Higaonon, Mamanwas, Talaadig, Banwaon and Manobo. Three of these tribes can be distinctly located the Manobos living along the National highway and the river towns towards the boundary of the Agusan del Sur and Davao del Norte and Banwaons and Higaonons living in the western side of the Agusan River, in the municipality of Esperanza towards the boundary of Agusan del Sur and Bukidnon. The original inhabitants of the Agusan del Sur were the Negritoes and Mamanwas. The descendants of the latter still inhabit the innermost recesses of Agusan del Sur's forested area.

Agusan del Sur is now inhabited by people coming from different ethnic groups. The lure of the "Land of Promise" has brought into the province settlers from different regions. Intermarriages between settlers and natives resulted into a multi-ethnic population. Cebuano is dominantly spoken followed by Boholano and Ilonggo. Of the native tongue, the Manobo language is the most popular. Other popular languages are Hiligaynon, Butuanon, Surigaonon, and Kamayo. A good portion of the population, however, can understand and communicate in Filipino, the national language.

English is usually used in conversations with tourists who cannot communicate in Filipino, and in government transactions. It is also the medium of instruction in schools.