Isabela, Province in Cagayan Valley, Philippines
Isabela is a province in northeastern Luzon that stretches across plains, mountains, and a coastline along the Philippine Sea. The landscape shifts between wide rice paddies, dense forests, and small fishing villages by the water.
The province formed in 1856 by merging territories from Cagayan and Nueva Vizcaya under Spanish colonial rule. Settlers and missionaries established towns along the rivers and opened the fertile interior for agriculture.
The region's name honors Queen Isabella II of Spain and recalls the colonial past of the Philippines. Visitors notice traces of this heritage everywhere in place names, architecture, and religious festivals still celebrated today.
Travelers reach the area through three airports or on the main Pan-Philippine Highway, which runs through the entire territory. Smaller towns connect to the road network through paved roads and side routes.
In the municipality of Ramon stands a large dam on the Magat River that generates electricity for much of Luzon and also irrigates the fields. The structure regulates water levels and protects settlements farther downstream from flooding during the rainy season.
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