Abra (province)

This article is about the Philippine province. For other uses, see Abra.

Abra
Province of Abra
Abra Provincial Capitol
{{safesubst:#property:P41}} Flag {{safesubst:#property:P158}} Seal
{{safesubst:#property:P242}} Location in the Philippines
Coordinates:
Region	[[{{safesubst:#property:P131}}|{{safesubst:#property:P131}}]] (CAR)
Founded	{{safesubst:#property:P571}}
Capital
Government
• Governor	Eustaquio Bersamin (LP)
• Vice Governor	Chari Bersamin (LP)
Area
• Total	4,165.25 km2 (1,608.21 sq mi)
Area rank	31st out of 81
Population (2010)
• Total	234,733
• Rank	68th out of 81
• Density	56/km2 (150/sq mi)
• Density rank	80th out of 81
Divisions
• Independent cities	0
• Component cities	0
• Municipalities	27 {{safesubst:#property:P150}}
• Barangays	303
• Districts	Lone District of Abra
Time zone	PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP code	{{safesubst:#property:P281}}
IDD : area code	+63 (0){{safesubst:#property:P473}}
ISO 3166 code	{{#property:P300}}
Spoken languages	Ilocano Tinguian Isneg Tagalog English
Website	http://{{safesubst:#property:P856}}

Abra is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Bangued, is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Apayao on the north, Ilocos Sur and Mountain Province on the south, Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Kalinga and Apayao on the east.

History

Pre-colonial period

The first inhabitants of Abra were the ancestors of the Bontocs and the Ifugaos. These inhabitants eventually left to settle in the old Mountain Province. Other early inhabitants were the Tingguians, or Itnegs, as they are also known.

Spanish era

In 1598, a Spanish garrison was established in Bangued to protect Christian Ilocanos from Tingguian raids. Originally the area was called El Abra de Vigan ("The Opening of Vigan"). During the British Occupation of the Philippines, Gabriela Silang and her army fled to Abra from Ilocos and continued the revolt begun by her slain husband, Diego Silang. She was captured and hanged by the Spanish in 1763.

In 1818, the Ilocos region, including Abra, was divided into Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. In 1846, Abra was created as a political-military province with Lepanto as a sub-province. It remained so until the arrival of the Americans in 1899.

American period

In 1908 the Philippine Commission once again in annexed Abra to Ilocos Sur in an attempt to resolve Abra's financial difficulties. On March 9, 1917, the Philippine Assembly re-established Abra as a province.

World War II

In 1942, the Japanese forces occupied the Philippines and entered Abra.

Abra was liberated by the Philippine Commonwealth forces and local Cordilleran guerrillas during the Battle of Abra in 1945, at the end of the Second World War.

Modern history

The revolutionary Marxist priest, Conrado Balweg, who fought for the rights of the Cordillera tribes, began his crusade in Abra. After successfully negotiating a peace accord with Balweg's group in 1987, the Philippine government created the Cordillera Administrative Region, which includes Abra.

Geography

Physical

Abra is hemmed in by the towering mountain ranges of the Ilocos in the west and the Cordillera Central in the east. The Abra River runs from the south in Benguet to the west and central areas, bisecting the whole Abra Valley. It is joined by the Tineg River originating from the eastern uplands at a point near the municipality of Dolores.

Administrative divisions

Abra comprises 27 municipalities, all encompassed by a single legislative district.

 †  Provincial capital

Municipality		Population		Area		Density		Brgy.	Coordinates
		(2010)		km2	sq mi	/km2	/sq mi
Bangued	†	18.7%	43,936	105.70	40.81	420	1,100	31
Boliney		1.7%	4,063	216.92	83.75	19	49	8
Bucay		7.3%	17,126	107.17	41.38	160	410	21
Bucloc		0.9%	2,176	63.77	24.62	34	88	4
Daguioman		0.7%	1,715	114.37	44.16	15	39	4
Danglas		2.0%	4,734	156.02	60.24	30	78	7
Dolores		4.9%	11,499	47.45	18.32	240	620	15
La Paz		6.3%	14,882	51.41	19.85	290	750	12
Lacub		1.3%	2,977	295.30	114.02	10	26	6
Lagangilang		5.9%	13,824	101.44	39.17	140	360	17
Lagayan		1.9%	4,477	215.97	83.39	21	54	5
Langiden		1.4%	3,170	116.29	44.90	27	70	6
Licuan-Baay (Licuan)		2.1%	4,864	256.42	99.00	19	49	11
Luba		2.7%	6,391	148.27	57.25	43	110	8
Malibcong		1.6%	3,807	283.17	109.33	13	34	12
Manabo		4.6%	10,756	110.95	42.84	97	250	11
Peñarrubia		2.8%	6,544	38.29	14.78	170	440	9
Pidigan		4.9%	11,528	49.15	18.98	230	600	15
Pilar		4.2%	9,908	66.10	25.52	150	390	19
Sallapadan		2.5%	5,985	128.62	49.66	47	120	9
San Isidro		2.1%	4,888	48.07	18.56	100	260	9
San Juan		4.5%	10,546	64.08	24.74	160	410	19
San Quintin		2.2%	5,233	66.59	25.71	79	200	6
Tayum		5.9%	13,940	61.14	23.61	230	600	11
Tineg		2.0%	4,668	744.80	287.57	6.3	16	10
Tubo		2.4%	5,719	409.87	158.25	14	36	10
Villaviciosa		2.3%	5,377	102.93	39.74	52	130	8
Total			234,733	4,165.25	1,608.21	56	150	303	(see GeoGroup box)
^ Former names are italicized. ^ Coordinates mark the town center, and are sortable by latitude.

Barangays

The 27 municipalities of the province comprise a total of 303 barangays, with Poblacion in La Paz as the most populous in 2010, and Pattaoig in San Juan as the least.

Further information: List of barangays in Abra

Demographics

Santa Catalina de Alejandria Parish Church in Tayum

Population census of Abra
Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1990	184,743	—
1995	195,964	+1.11%
2000	209,491	+1.44%
2007	230,953	+1.35%
2010	234,733	+0.59%
Source: National Statistics Office

Abra's inhabitants are mostly descendants of Ilocano settlers and members of the Tingguian tribe. As of 2011, the population of the province is 240,141.

The predominant languages are Ilocano and Itneg. Based on the 2000 census survey, the majority of the province population is Ilocano 71.9%. Other ethnic groups living in the province are the Tinguian 18.7%, Ibanag 4.5%, Isneg 3.2% and Tagalog 0.4%.

Economy

As of 1990, there were 743 cottage industries in Abra, of which 208 are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry. 59% are engaged in bamboo and rattan craft making, both leading industries in the area.

In 1992, the natural dye industry, together with loom weaving and embroidery, was revived by former Governor Ma. Zita Claustro-Valera, the first female governor of Abra.

Abra's economy is agriculture-based. Its major crops are rice, corn, and root crops; commercial products include coffee, tobacco, and coconut. Extensive grassland and pasture areas are used for livestock production.

External links

• Media related to at Wikimedia Commons
• Geographic data related to Abra (province) at OpenStreetMap
• Philippine Standard Geographic Code
• History articles and links on Bucay and Abra

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