Sibutu | |
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Municipality | |
Location in Tawi-Tawi province |
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Location within the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 04°41′N 119°28′E / 4.683°N 119.467°ECoordinates: 04°41′N 119°28′E / 4.683°N 119.467°E | |
Country | Philippines |
Region | Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) |
Province | Tawi-Tawi |
District | Lone district of Tawi-Tawi |
Founded | October 21, 2006 |
Barangays | 16 |
Government | |
• Mayor | Kuyoh Pajiji |
Population (2015 census) | |
• Total | 30,387 |
Time zone | PST (UTC+8) |
ZIP code | 7510 |
IDD : area code | +63 (0)68 |
157011000 | |
Electorate | 15,399 voters as of 2016 |
Sibutu is a sixth class municipality and island in the province of Tawi-Tawi, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 30,387 people. It lies about 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) east of the coast of Sabah, Malaysia. The municipality covers the main island of Sibutu as well as four small uninhabited islands 3.5 to 6 kilometres (2.2 to 3.7 mi) south of the main island, which are, from north to south: Sicolan Calch Island, Sicolan Island, Sicolan Islet, and Saluag Island, the latter being the southernmost island of the Philippines.
Sibutu Island has an area is 109 square kilometres (42 sq mi). It is an important site for nature conservation.
Due to an administrative error in the Treaty of Paris, while the remainder of the Philippines was ceded to the United States, Sibutu and Cagayán de Sulu were retained under Spanish Soveriegnty until they were formally ceded to the United States upon the ratification of the Treaty of Washington on March 23, 1901.
The municipality was created out of Sitangkai, Tawi-Tawi, by virtue of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 197, which was subsequently ratified in a plebiscite held on October 21, 2006.
Sibutu is politically subdivided into 16 barangays.