Davao
[key], city, Davao del Sur prov., SE Mindanao, the Philippines, at the
mouth of the Davao River on Davao Gulf. The chief commercial center and
major port of Mindanao, Davao experienced much industrial growth in the
1960s, and its population almost tripled. The city serves a prosperous
region that produces hemp, coffee, cacao, and timber, and it has an
important wood products industry. Before World War II, Davao was noted for
its very large Japanese population. The city and port were seized by
Japanese landing parties on Dec. 20, 1941, and used as a base for operations
in the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia). In 1945, after most of the
Philippines had been liberated, Japanese forces clung stubbornly to the
city, and its recovery involved heavy fighting. Davao has a land area of 854
sq mi (2,211 sq km), making it one of the largest cities in the world. The
volcanic Mt. Apo, the highest (9,690 ft/2,954 m) peak in the islands, is
within its boundaries. Davao is the seat of the Univ. of
Mindanao.
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