|
|
PROVINCIAL PROFILE OF CAGAYAN
FAST FACTS
Capital : Tuguegarao
Area : 9,002.7 sq. km
Population : 857,714
Cities : none
No. of Towns : 29
Click Here to See the List of Towns
LOCATION
Cagayan is situated at the northeastern tip of Luzon. It is
bounded on the
north by the Balintang Channel, on the east by the Pacific Ocean,
on the west
by Ilocos Norte and Kalinga-Apayao, and on the south by Isabela.
THE LAND
The province forms the lower basin of the Cagayan River. The
eastern coast
is hilly and mountainous because of the Sierra Madres. The
northern coast is
low and marshy, while the western boundary with Kalinga-Apayao is
either
hilly or low and swampy. Between the low mountains are large
valleys.
The Babuyan Islands, about 40 to 60 km north of the Luzon
mainland, are
part of Cagayan. The group is noted for active volcanoes, such as
Babuyan
Claro and Camiguin Volcano. Didicas Island was once known as
Didicas
Rock until a submarine volcano erupted in 1952 and formed the
island. The
general in the Sierra Madres in the east has rainfall that is
more or less evenly
distributed throughout the year. The rest of the provinces is
relatively dry
from November to April and wet the rest of the year.
A BRIEF HISTORY
The province could have gotten its name from the Ilocano word
carayan or
"big river," referring to the Rio Grande De Cagayan,
the longest river in the
country, which bisects its valley from north to south. Or it
could have been
derived from the tagay trees (tall hardwood) that grew along the
river banks.
It is possible that the area was called Catagayan, meaning
"where the tagay
abounds." The earliest inhabitants were the Aetas, short
dark-skinned nomads
belonging to the Negrito family. They were followed by Indo-Malay
immigrants who came to be known as Ibanags. Before the Spaniards
banks
and were trading with the Chinese and other merchants from
neighboring
countries.
In 1572, Juan de Salcedo explored Cagayan Valley. By 1583, all
the territories
east of the Cordillera Central Mountains and north of the
Caraballo Mountain
Range formed one political unit called "La Provincia de
Cagayan." Its capital
was Nueva Segovia (now the town of Lal-lo, near Aparri).
THE PEOPLE
Ilocano migrants now outnumber the native groups, the majority
of which are
the Ibanags and Gaddangs. Smaller groups include the Isneg, the
Malaueg,
and the Itawes who live along the western boundaries. The Negrito
population
is variously known as Aetas, Agtas, Pugots, and Dumagatas.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
The province's agricultural production is concentrated on two
areas. The
Cagayan Rover Delta produces rice, corn, vegetables, and
rootcrops. The
region near the boundary with Isabela contains a number of large
tobacco
plantations. The mountain ranges yield good hardwoods, as well as
rattan and
other forest products used in cottage industries. Fishing is a
major industry in
the coastal areas.
Information gathered from:
League of
Provinces
by:Roberto C. Arellano
This page last revised:January 24, 1999.
