Geography of Surigao

Surigao del Norte is located at the Northeastern part of Mindanao between 125⁰ 15’ to 126⁰ 15’ east longitude and 9⁰ 18’ to 10⁰ 30’ north latitude. It is bounded on the North and East by the Pacific Ocean, on the South by the Provinces of Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Sur and on the West by the Surigao Strait. It belongs to the new region, the Caraga Region, which is composed of 4 provinces and 3 cities.

  

CAPITAL

                Surigao City 

LAND AREA

                The province is composed of the mainland and 2 large islands with a total land area of 281, 915 hectares (based on the updated DENR-GIS Generated Land Area). Of this total the mainland portion occupies 138, 914 hectares, Siargao Island has 62, 796 hectares and Dinagat Island with 80, 205 hectares. The biggest land area is Claver (31, 534 hectares or 11.19%) and followed by Surigao City (26,117 hectares). Burgos, on the other hand, has the smallest area equivalent to 0.89% of the total. 

TOPOGRAPHY

                The mainland portion of the province has a varied terrain ranging from flat, to rugged to mountainous. A mountain range located along the boundary of the municipalities of Tubod, Bacuag and Mainit is Mt. Diwata. On the north eastern part of Sison – Placer – Mainit boundary is Mt. Buhangin with an elevation of 664 meters and flanking the western side along the boundary of Mainit – San Francisco is Mt. Tendido with an elevation of 865 meters. Two common mountain range namely: Mt. Satellite having an elevation of 1, 016 meters and Mt. Agudo with 1, 018 meters above sea level are found in Malimono. 

Adjoining the municipality of Alegria and the municipality of Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte is Mt. Kabutan with an elevation of 975 meters. At the southeastern part bordering Surigao del Sur and Municipality of Claver lies Mt. Legaspi with an elevation of 1, 170 meters above sea level. The mountainous eastern side of Dinagat Island is dominated by Mt. Redondo and Mt. Kanbinliw in Loreto with elevations reaching over 900 meters. 

The terrain in Siargao Island is predominantly rolling to steep. The highest elevation is 291 meters above sea level located along the middle Bucas Grande Island. On the western and southern sides of the island are broad expanse of mangrove swamps and broad reef flats. The island is proximate to the Philippine Deep which is 10, 700 meters below sea level and considered as the deepest part of the trench.

SOIL TYPES 

The soil in the province is basically clay and sandy loam type. The soil in the mainland area is generally classified as loam soil (50% Anao-aon/Malimono clay loam and 50% kabatohan clay loam) characterized as permeable, moderately drained and highly suitable for agriculture. The Dinagat Island souled is primarily Dinagat clay loan which comprised 70%, kabatohan loam 20%, and 10% of Bolinao clay step phase. It is characterized as friable, slightly sticky and granular in nature.