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PROVINCIAL PROFILE OF CAMARINES NORTE
FAST FACTS
Click Here to See the List of Towns.
LOCATION
Camarines Norte occupies the northwestern portion of the Bicol Peninsula. It is bounded on the north by the Pacific Ocean, on the east by the San Miguel Bay, on the southwest by Quezon, and on the south by Camarines Sur.
THE LAND
The province's topography is characterized by rolling hills and rugged terrain giving way to fertile coastal plains and valleys. A crescent-shaped coastline links Lamon Bay to San Miguel Bay. Offshore islands include the Calaguas group and those off Mercedes on the northwest. Its most important rivers are Basigon and Labo.
A BRIEF HISTORY
Camarines derives its name from the Spanish word camarin, meaning rice granary or warehouse. Camarines was divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur in 1829. The two were united as Ambos Camarines in 1854 but separated again in 1857. North and South were again united in 1893. On March 10, 1917, the Philippine Legislature passed Act No. 2711, authorizing the governor general to divide the province into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur.
Among prominent sons of Camarines Norte were Jose Maria Panganiban, a propagandist during Rizal's time, Gen. Vicente Lukban, a patriot and revolutionary leader, and Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, one of the youngest delegates to the 1935 Constitutional Convention and a World War II hero.
THE PEOPLE
The inhabitants are distributed evenly across the lowlands. they speak a dialect called Bikolano.
COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Camarines Norte is a rich mining area. There are abundant reserves of gold, iron, copper, uranium, lead, and zinc. The province is, however, predominantly agricultural. Coconut and abaca are the major products. There is a thriving fishing industry along the coast; Mercedes town is a major supplier of fish and shrimp to Manila. The more important cottage industries are hammock-making and buri-weaving into hats, bags and mats.
Information gathered from:
League of
Provinces
by:Roberto C. Arellano
This page last revised:August 05, 1999.
