Lanao del Sur has a long and colorful history to share. Lanao is the home of the Maranao Sultanate known today as the four principalities or Pat a Pangampong sa Ranao, namely Masiu, Unayan, Balo-i and Bayabao. The Sultanate governs independently through an unwritten code referred to as Igma Ago Taritib (Order and Consensus). Its political power and domain is equally recognized by the state like those in Sulu and Maguindanao.

In the heyday of colonialism, Lanao is proud to have resisted the succeeding foray of Spanish, American and Japanese intrusions. The saga of Maranao heroes who fought bravely in the so-called Moro Wars during the Spanish colonization along with their Tausug and Maguindanao brothers are living proofs. The legendary battles of Bayang, Sultan Gumander, Ganassi and Tugaya records Maranao fighters armed with kris, spear, bow and arrow faced the cannons and rifles of the Americans, exhibiting Maranao assertion for freedom and distinct political identity. The Japanese likewise failed following the fate of its predecessors.

The creation of Lanao del Sur is dated during the height of the Commonwealth government campaign for settlement in Mindanao. The undivided Lanao was administratively part and a political unit of the Moro province by virtue of Philippine Commission Act No. 787. Thereafter, on May 27, 1959 by virtue of Republic Act No. 2228, the unified Lanao was divided into two distinct provinces, namely Lanao del Sur and Lanao del Norte.

Lanao del Sur was officially chartered on July 4, 1959.

Lanao del Sur went through phases of political changes. As a result of the negotiated settlement with the MNLF (Tripoli Agreement) during the Martial Law years, President Marcos issued P.D. No. 742 which included Lanao del Sur in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The constituents of Lanao del Sur affirmed the province inclusion in ARMM during the plebiscite on February 19, 1989. Although Marawi City refused to join first, it reconsidered its position later in 2001.

Lanao del Sur is currently composed of 39 municipalities and Marawi City. It consists of 1,159 barangays and is divided into two congressional districts.

Geographical Location

The province of Lanao del Sur is located at latitude 7’ 24’ 34” and nestled in the hinterland of Mindanao at an elevation of 702 meters above sea level. It occupies the extensive plateau of North Central Mindanao and surrounds the basin of Lake Lanao. The province of Bukidnon bounds it on the east, on the south of it is Maguindanao and North Cotabato, on the west is Illana Bay and on the northwest is the province of Lanao del Norte.

Lanao del Sur is well-enclosed within the Bukidnon-Lanao highland areas with a series of plateaus, plains, highlands and basins, rolling hills and volcanoes whose mountain ranges serve as a natural boundary from Maguindanao and Cotabato. The province has a total land area of 13,754.24 square kilometers with 387.32 square kilometers of water area composed of lakes and swamps.

Along the northwest portion, the province of Lanao del Sur is accessible through the 36-kilometer Iligan City-Marawi City National Highway. The province is also about 137-kilometer from Cagayan de Oro City through a well-paved road travelled by many public vehicles. On the other hand, the Marawi City-Malabang-Cotabato City route, passing through the Narciso Ramos Highway, connects the province to Maguindanao and other southern Mindanao provinces.

Land Area and Classification

The province has a total land area of 13,375.24 square kilometres with an estimate of 387.32 square kilometres of water area composed of useful lakes and swamps. The municipality of Bubong occupies the biggest land area of 798.50 square kilometers while the municipality of Lumbaca Unayan has the smallest land area of 42.28 square kilometers.

The Bureau of Soils identified eleven (11) types of soil common in the province, a large portion of which is suitable for rice and a corn. Salaman Loam clay accounts for 0.52%, Ramain and Buaya-an loam clay with 0.50%, and Pu-an loam clay with 0.21%. All these are identified as good types of land suitable for agricultural cultivation.

The moderately good type of soil is the Binidayan silt loam which is 11.1%, while the fairly good soil but limited for cultivation are the Adtuyo clay loam, Langkong Sandy loam and Kundarangan clay loam comprising about 33.3% land with a soil type limited to pasture and forest are the Malabang sandy loam, Adtuyo-bam Castillan Complex, Caromatan Silt Loam, Bolinao Silt loam, Kidapawan clay loam and Jansan clay loam with and aggregate percentage of 15.62%. Land with a soil type suitable for forestry is the mountain soil with 30.15%. Another soil type is the Kudarang loam clay which comprises about 30.15%.

Timberland forms 65.6 % of the province while the remaining 34.2% is classified as alienable and disposable. In 1986, the NSO data revealed that 1,331 square kilometers was certified as A&D land and 2,540.7 square kilometers as forestland. In 1997, however, there was a decrease of 11.85% of the total forest land, thus, decreasing the forest land to 53.75% while the Alienable and Disposable land area had increased to 46.25%.

The A&D lands of the province have a total area of 1,502.523 square kilometers. The largest A&D land, with an area of 167.040 square kilometers, is found in the Municipality of Tagoloan and the smallest A&D land, with only 5.125 square kilometers, is in the Municipality of Madalum.

The production areas within A&D lands constitute a total of 843.86 square kilometers which are divided according to the type of crops planted, such as: 192.623 square kilometers for seasonal crops; 507.384 square kilometers for annual crops and 5.766 for perennial crops and fruit bearing trees.

Climate

The thick and lush forest surrounding the province provides a natural shield against typhoons and floods. Lying hundreds of meters below sea level, the province has a cool temperature, which dwindles between 16.0 to 22.0°C adding to its tourism potential during summers. The lowest recorded temperature was 12°C.

Mostly sunny days can be expected from March to May. Monsoon rains usually begin around the mid of June and last until mid-to-late of October. November to February is cold months. During these months, four or five days of awfully cold weather are often followed by a few warmer days.

Demography

Lanao del Sur had a population of 1,195,518 per 2020 population count by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Religion

The population of the province is predominantly Muslims, comprising about 92.4% making Marawi City as the only Islamic City of The South.

People

Meranao was originally spelled as Maranaw which was derived from the phrase “taw sa ranaw” or people of the lake.