Isabela Province
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| Basic data | |
|---|---|
| Region : | Cagayan Valley |
| Capital : | Ilagan City |
| Population : | 1,593,566 August 1, 2015 census
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| Population density : | 128 inhabitants per km² |
| Area : | 12,414.93 km² |
| PSGC : | 023100000 |
| Governor : | Faustino Dy III. |
| Official website: | http://isabela.ph/ |
| structure | |
| - Highly urbanized cities | 1 |
| - provincial cities | 1 |
| - municipalities | 35 |
| - Barangays | 1055 |
| - electoral districts | 4th |
| Location of the province in the Philippines | |
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Coordinates: 17 ° 0 ' N , 122 ° 0' E
Isabela is a Philippine province in the Cagayan Valley region on the main island of Luzon . The capital of the province is Ilagan City . On August 1, 2015, 1,593,566 people lived in the province of 12,414.93 km². It is the second largest province in the Philippines after Palawan .
geography
Isabela is located in the northeast of the island of Luzon and lies on the Philippine Sea. The following provinces border the large province clockwise from the south: Aurora , Quirino , Nueva Vizcaya , Ifugao , Mountain Province , Kalinga and Cagayan . In the east of the province there is the Sierra Madre mountain range , which is heavily forested. Large parts of the province are considered to be little explored both in terms of their geology and biodiversity . In the western part is the Sierra Madre mountain range , which is crossed by the Cagayan , Siffu and Magat rivers . The rainforest in the higher and lower areas of the mountain is home to many as yet unknown endemic animal species and plants.
history
The province was founded on May 1, 1856, and was named Isabela in honor of Queen Isabella II of Spain . Their original territorial division consisted of the municipalities of Gamu, Angadanan, Bindang (now Roxas), Camarag (now Echague), Carig (now Santiago City) and Palanan, which were further divided by the steady increase in population.
The final act of the Philippine Revolution (1896-1901) and an important stage of the Philippine-American War (1898-1902) took place in the province when US troops under General Frederick Funston took over the President of the First Philippine Republic General Emilio Aguinaldo captured in Palanan on March 23, 1901.
The provincial administration was reorganized after the occupation and rebuilt based on the American model. On August 24, 1901, when Law No. 210 of the Colonial Administration came into force, a civil provincial administration was reinstated. Under the American colonial administration, the educational system of the province was modernized and changed the political system of the Philippines permanently. In agriculture , as the most important branch of the economy, rice cultivation replaced traditional cereal cultivation and large tobacco plantations were established.
During the Second World War , the province's economy stagnated during the occupation by the Imperial Japanese Army from 1942 to 1945. The liberation came in 1945 after heavy fighting by the troops of the Philippine Commonwealth .
After the Second World War, the province rose to become the economic engine of northern Luzon. On July 7, 1994, Santiago City was politically separated from the province and declared the commercial center of Region II (Cagayan Valley). In 1995 Isabela was to be divided into the provinces of Isabela del Norte and Isabela del Sur, but in a referendum, the majority of voters decided against this division.
Ethnic peoples
The largest ethnic group is the Ilokano , 68.71% of the total population is attributed to this people. The second largest group is the Ibanag (14.05%), followed by the Tagalog (10.02%). The remaining 7.22% belong to the peoples and tribes of the Gaddang, Paranan, Yogad and other smaller tribes.
languages
The languages spoken follows that of the ethnic groups resident in the province. The most widely spoken language is Ilokano, followed by Ibanag, Tagalog , Yogad and Gaddang. English is widely spoken and understood in the province.
economy
Agriculture is the main industry in Isabela. Agriculture is highly mechanized and most of the fields are also irrigated. Last but not least, the university helps ensure that agriculture is highly productive. The timber industry used to be the big earner in the province, but because of the ban on logging, this industry is declining considerably. However, furniture is still made from tropical woods in the region. In the valley of the Magat River lies the Magat Reservoir , whose hydropower plant has a capacity of 381 megawatts.
Fishing and tourism are also gaining importance in the province through the establishment of the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park , the largest national park in the Philippines , and the Peñablanca Protected Landscape & Seascape .
cities and communes
Isabela is divided into 1,055 barangays , 35 municipalities and two cities, of which Santiago City is independent of the province and is included in the province for statistical purposes only.
Cities
- Cauayan City
- Ilagan City
- Santiago City autonomous urban district
Boroughs
Attractions
- The Church of San Mattias in the municipality of Tumauini and the Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park have been on the list of proposals for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List since 2006 . Gamu is home to the St. Rose de Lima Church, St. Claire Monastery and the Shrine of Our Lady of the Visitation of Guibang. The Fuyot Spring National Park in Ilagan City.
