Highly-urbanized city in Caraga Region, Philippines
About Butuan
Butuan, officially the City of Butuan, is a highly urbanized city and the regional center of Caraga, Philippines. It is the de facto capital of the province of Agusan del Norte where it is geographically situated but has an administratively independent government. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 385,530 people making it the most populous city in Caraga Region.
Etymology
The name "Butuan" is believed to have originated from the sour fruit locally called batuan. Other etymological sources say that it comes from a certain Datu Buntuan, a chieftain who once ruled over areas of the present-day city. According to Datu Makalipay, Butuan was named after the wife of Datu Balansag who was the tiniente de barangay of the area before.
History
Butuan, during the pre-colonial times, was a precolonial city-state ruled by a rajah, an Indianized kingdom known for its metallurgic industry and sophisticated naval technology. Butuan flourished at the 10th and 11th centuries CE, and had an extensive trade network with the Champa civilization and the Srivijaya Empire. By 1001, Butuan had established contact with the Song dynasty of China. The History of Song recorded the appearance of a Butuan mission at the Chinese imperial court, and the rajahnate was described as a small Hindu country with a Buddhist monarchy, which had a regular trade connection with Champa. The mission, under a king named "Kiling", asked for equal status in court protocol with the Champa envoy, but ultimately was denied by the imperial court. …
Geography
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the City of Butuan has a total land area of 81,662 hectares (201,790 acres), which is roughly 4.1% of the total area of the Caraga region. Butuan is bordered by the municipalities of Magallanes, Agusan del Norte and Remedios T. Romualdez to the north, municipality of Sibagat, Agusan del Sur to the northeast, east and southeast, municipality of Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte to the south, municipality of Buenavista, Agusan del Norte to the west and Butuan Bay to the northwest. Butuan is 29 kilometres (18 mi) away from the city of Cabadbaran, the provincial capital of Agusan del Norte, to the north. It is also 43 kilometres (27 mi) away from Bayugan to the east and 75 kilometres (47 mi) away from Gingoog to the west. Butuan is located at 8°56′53″N 125°32′35″E. Elevation at these coordinates is estimated at 1.0 meter above sea level (M.a.s.l. …
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