GEOPHYSICAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

Location and Boundaries             

              The Municipality of Carmen is geographically located at about the points 124.8 degrees east and 7.2 degrees north. It is bound on the north by the Province of Bukidnon, on the east by the municipalities of Pres. Roxas and Kabacan, on the south by the Province of Maguindanao, and on the west by the Municipality of Aleosan. It is embraced from the northeast, then east, then south by the Mulita and the Rio Grande rivers; from the northwest, then west, then southwest, by the Malitubog and Maridagao rivers. It is approximately 28 kilometers away from the capital town of Kidapawan. 

Land Area and  Topography 

       Carmen has a total land area of about 73,175 has. or 731.75 sq. km. Of rich, fertile lands suitable for agriculture and agricultural-based industries. Majority of its population, therefore, depends mainly on agri-based activities as their chief means of livelihood. 

       Topography is marked by from flat terrains, valleys, scattered small hills in the southern part, then to plateaus and, finally, to mountain ranges in the northwest. Slope is from level to nearly level, then to very gently sloping, then to moderately sloping to rolling and, finally, to strongly sloping. Carmen, by the topographic classification by type of terrain, is 1,170.8 has. Lowland area, 7,902.9 has upland area, and 64,101.3 has. Mountainous area. The plain areas are the barangays of Ugalingan, General Luna, Nasapian, Kibayao, Poblacion, and part of Tacupan; the slightly rolling areas covers the barangays of Katanayanan, Kibenes, Ranzo, Palanggalan, Manarapan, Kitulaan, Langogan and Lanoon. The mountainous areas are the barangays of Tonganon, Tupig, Bentangan, Liliongan, Malapag, Macabenban and Tambad. 

Climate 

       The municipality has an average temperature of 28 degrees Celsius with a mean maximum or 32 degrees Celsius and mean minimum of 23 degrees Celsius. The coldest part of the year are the months of December, January and February while the hottest are the months of April, May, June, August, and September. It has two (2) distinct seasons, the wet and the dry seasons. The farming season starts in early June and ends in late November when the dry season begins. Typhoon is seldom felt in the area as it is located outside the typhoon belt. This condition is very suitable to nearly all kinds of productive agricultural activity.  

Land Capability Classification 

      Carmen is classified as a good land; has 0-3% nearly level to gently sloping ranges, and can be cultivated safety. But due to low fertility, shallowness, doughtiness, slight alkalinity or salinity, special soil management practices should be adopted and easily applied conservation practices must be adopted. 

      Of the total land area of 73,175 hectares, 48.76% or 35,682.10 hectares are classified as agricultural crop lands. Areas devoted to rice production total to 5,570.10 has. of which 1,314.90 has. are irrigated, 3,303.90 has, rainfed-upland rice-cultivation, 951.30 has. are rain fed-lowland rice cultivation. About 24,305.70 are utilized for corn production. Other agricultural areas are used for vegetables, fruit trees, coconut and rubber. Forest areas cover 4,670.80 has; about 4,913.80 has. are pasture areas; 4,080.50 has. Are cogonal areas; 3,379.80 has. are used for commercial, residential and public areas; 848.10 has. are lakes, rivers, creeks and swampy areas; and 7,661.30 has Are uncultivated areas. Areas for other purposes were 11,938.60 hectares. 

Soil Types 

      The various soil type are Paraon clay, the dominant soil type which makes up 26% of the total land area; Aroman clay loam; Tacloban clay; Kidapawan clay loam; and Kudarangan clay. These soil types are very rich and very suitable for almost all kinds of agricultural crops, food and non-food, like rice, corn legumes, onions, root crops, tobacco, rubber, vegetables, and coconut. 

     Mostly, the soil is composed of disintegrated sandstone or limestone mixed with clay or loam above a bedrock of sandstone or limestone. 

     It is estimated based on the soil types and characteristics that about 92% of the town’s area have a high waterholding capacity, thus making drainage a sort of a problem. On the other hand, about 60% of the total land area has no apparent erosion problems. 

      Forest, Minerals and other Natural Resources. 

     Forests resources are rapidly dwindling. Of the original 25,140,205 has. of forest area, only about 4,670.80 has. has remained. 

There is only one potential fish and aquatic resources present in the area. It is Lake Bukanibod located in the southwestern part of Barangay Kibayao, which needs some development program to be more productive. 

The commonly known minerals present in the municipality are sand and gravel which volume and potential are good sources for quarrying but which up to the present are mostly untapped. Other metallic substance of high commercial value are known to be present but these are still unexplored. 

Water, both surface and underground, are very abundant in the area as evident by the 4 big rivers that surround the municipality such as the Mulita, Malitubog, Maridagao, and the Rio Grande de Mindanao. All these are potential sources for irrigation and hydropower generation. 

Other resources present in the municipality are the large volume of limestone that can be processed into cement. Guano also abounds in numerous caves in the municipality such as in barangays Liliongan and Tonganon. Guano can be manufactured into fertilizers.

The cave at Barangay Liliongan is very large and has terraced underground creeks with crystal clear water and stalactites and stalagmites. A site in Barangay Bentangan has been considered to have historical significance since it was the site of the first settlement of the highlanders known as the Aroman Manobo and the place is known to be the sacred ground where the venerated first Timuay’s were buried.