[13][14][15] Mati comes from the Mandaya word Maa-ti, which refers to the town's creek that easily dries up even after heavy rain.

Pioneer settlers were the Austronesian indigenous peoples Mandaya and Kalagan, and the Arabic-Indo-Malayan-influenced Maguindanao and Maranao.

Captain Prudencio Garcia, the pioneer political-military head in 1861, and his comrade Juan Nazareno founded the settlement of Mati and two other communities in Davao Oriental.

[17] On June 20, 2007, the Commission on Elections officially proclaimed the ratification of Republic Act 9408 converting the Municipality of Mati into a component city.

On December 22, 2009, the cityhood law of Mati and 15 other municipalities regain its status as cities again after the court reversed its ruling on November 18, 2008.

On August 23, 2010, the court reinstated its ruling on November 18, 2008, causing Mati and 15 cities to become regular municipalities.

Finally, on February 15, 2011, Mati becomes a city again including the 15 municipalities declaring that the conversion to cityhood met all legal requirements.

[19] Mati features a tropical rainforest climate with copious amounts of rainfall throughout the course of the year.

[21] Cebuano is the most widely spoken language and the corresponding ethnicity (which includes the Boholano subgroup) accounts for 71.55% of the total household population according to a 2000 census.

Most residents of Mati are descendants of migrants from the Visayas who came for employment opportunities in logging, mining, farming, fishing, trading and teaching.

[26] The Cathedral of San Nicolas de Tolentino is the center of Diocese of Mati under the jurisdiction of Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Davao.

[29] Because of its tropical nature and beaches, the tourism industry in the city has been expanding rapidly in recent years.

Main goods and produce from the city include coconuts, pomelos, bananas, fish, especially tuna and milkfish, poultry, carabao dairy, sunflowers, and edible mushrooms.

In years, both festivals have become alternative tourist destinations as competitors from various regions in the country start pouring in for competitions like streetdancing, boat racing, and skimboarding.

In 2022, the city government, together with the Department of Tourism, launched BAY DEEP MATI, a freediving festival that is the first in the country.

[37] Recently, Mati hosted the Mindanao Association of State Tertiary Schools (MASTS) Games in 2014 and 2022.

In recent years, underbone motorcycles have earned quite a popularity among professionals and students, thus easily becoming a public transport alternative to commuters who prefer more speed.

Mati Airport (IATA: MXI, ICAO: RPMQ) serves the city, but only accommodates chartered flights.