Sitangkai is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Tawi-Tawi, the southernmost inhabited island of the Philippines. It is called the 'Venice of the Philippines' due to the use of boats as primary transportation, although footbridges connect one house from another. The major sources of livelihood are fishing and farming, although there is very sparse agricultural land available. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 52,772 people in 8,969 households.
Sitangkai was created as a municipality on August 26, 1959 by virtue of Executive Order No. 355 of Pres. Carlos P. Garcia. On October 21, 2006 with the ratification of Muslim Mindanao Autonomy Act No. 197, 16 of its 25 barangays were transferred to the newly created municipality of Sibutu. All of which are located on Sibutu Island.
Political divisions
Sitangkai is politically subdivided into 9 barangays.
| Barangay | Population (2000) |
|---|---|
| Datu Baguinda Putih | 5,518 |
| Imam Sapie | 3,034 |
| North Larap | 2,383 |
| Panglima Alari | 6,121 |
| Sipangkot | 3,703 |
| Sitangkai Poblacion | 3,196 |
| South Larap (Larap) | 1,162 |
| Tongmageng | 1,333 |
| Tongusong | 1,807 |