Capital: Calapan
Area: 4364,7 sq km
Population: 550,049
Cities: none
Number of Towns: 15

The province´s varied topgraphy is dominated by rugged mountain ranges from the west and fertile valleys towards the eastern coast.

The Halcon moutain range runs from north to south and serves as the province´s natural boundary with Occidental Mindoro. Mt. Halcon at 2586 meter is the fourth highest peak in the Philippines. Lake Naujan is in the northern paart of the province.

The plains stretch from Baco, Calapan, Naujan and Victoria in the north, Pinamalayan and Bongabong in the middle, and Roxas to Mansalay in the south.

The province does not have either a pronounced dry or rainy period but is open to southwest monsoons and tyohoons.

In the early 17th century, the island of Mindoro was separated from bonbon (now Batangas) and organized into a corregimiento. Puerto Galera in what is now Oriental Mindoro was made its capital.

In 1837, the capital was trasferred to Calapan and it remained so utnil June 13, 1950 When Mindoro was divided into two provinces. Oriental Mindoro retained Calapan as its capital.

Mindoro originally included the island of Maestro de Campo, east of Pinamalayan, but this has since become a part of Romblon.

The predominant language is Tagalog but other dialects inlude Ilocano, Cebuano and Mangyan tongues of Arayan, alangan, Buhid, Hanunuo and Tadyawan.

The Mangyans were among the earliest inhabitants of Mindoro. there are now abouth 50,000 Mangayans living in Oriental Mindoro.

The term Mangyan is a generic name for the diverse groups inhabiting the moutains and foothills. Indiviualy, the groups identify themselves by other names.

The Iraya live in the northern towns from Baco to Mamburao in Occidental Mindoro. While they have come to live in settlements, they nevertheless maintain a second hut in the kaingin sites during agricultural production. They are noted for fine baskets.

The Alangan live in a wide area around Mt. Halcon between the Iraya and the Batangan to the south. The paitan area has been declared a reservation for this group.

The Batangan or Taobuid belong to the ethnic stock called proto-Malay. Most of them do not have personal names. Both sexes wear loinclothes. Married women cover their breast with bark scraps.

The Hununuo, who consider themselves the "true" Mangyans, are found in the southern towns from Bongabong to San Jose in Occidental Mindoro. They still use a anscient indigenous script consisting of 48 characters, which they carve onto bamboo tubes. They chant words of wisedom called inukoy and folkloric poems called ambahan. They are also misccally inclined, using instruments made of wood and human hair for strings on a bow.

Agriculture is the major economic activity in the province. The principal products are rice, coconut, corn, citrus and other fruits. Cattle and poultry raising and rubber planting are large-scale. Fishing is lucrative, with 13 coastal towns as rich fishing grounds.

The province has abundant mineral resources asuch as gold in the Baco and Bongabon rivers, and coal at the northwest area of Mt. Halcon. There are also white marble and slate deposits.

Boat: From Manila, buses go to the Batangas City Pier where ferry boats make trips to Calapan several times a day. Another ferry´s go to Puerto Galera.