Zamboanga del Norte Province
formerly "Jamboanga", occupies the northwestern part of the Zamboanga Peninsula in western Mindanao. North and west of the province is Sulu Sea, east is Misamis Occidental and southeast is separated by mountain ranges from the south.

BRIEF PROFILE
Capital:	Dipolog City
Land Area:	661,811 hectares
Population:	676,862 (1990 statistics)
Cities:	Dipolog, Dapitan
Number of Towns:	25

The land_______________________________

The province is one of the largest in Region 9 and has a total land area of 661,811 hectares divided into 25 municipalities, 2 cities and 597 barangays. Dipolog City, its capital, consists of 20 barangays while Dapitan city has 50 barangays. It is known as a second class province with 3 congressional districts. Dry season is from January to April with rainfall the rest of the year.

A Brief History___________________________

Zamboanga del Norte is a part of the Zamboanga Peninsula which used to be a single province, on the the six districts of Mindanao and Sulu in Spanish times. in 1914, the American Civil Government reorganized the Mindanao "Govierno Militar" and established the Department of Mindanao and Sulu with the town of Zamboanga (now Zamboanga City) as the seat of government. On June 6, 1952, the peninsula was divided into the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur by virtue of Republic Act. No. 711.

The People______________________________

Noted as a growth area for the promotion and development of investments and blessed with an abundance of natural resources, the province has attracted many migrants from the Visayas and Luzon. Muslims are found in the coastal areas of the province.

Commerce and Industry_____________________

Zamboanga del Norte's main crops are coconut, corn, palay, banan, cassava, rubber and vegetables. Its known mineral deposits are gold, chromite, manganese, asbestos and silica. Fishing and farming are the primary economic activities. Leading industries include coconut production as well as rice, corn and banana production. The region is the third highest in fish production in the country.