Isabela
Isabela, officially the Province of Isabela, is the second largest province in the Philippines by land area, located in the Cagayan Valley. Its capital and largest LGU is Ilagan City. Known as the rice and corn granary of Luzon, Isabela was declared the country’s top corn producer and the second-largest rice producer, earning the title 'Queen Province of the North.' It has four trade centers: Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago, and Roxas.
HISTORY
The province of Isabela was once a vast rainforest inhabited by numerous indigenous ethnolinguistic groups. Archaeological sites such as shell middens provide evidence of its early settlement. The Spaniards organized it into a province in May 1856, named after Queen Isabella II of Spain. Today, many indigenous groups still inhabit the province, preserving their culture alongside modern developments.
QUICK FACTS | |
| Population (2020) | 1,697,050 |
| Land Area (sq.km) | 13,102.05 |
| No. of Households | 422,670 |
| Average Household Size | 4.3 |
| Registered Voters | 1,125,541 |
| Major Landmark | Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine |
| Coastal Access | Yes |
| Elevation (above sea level) | 155.3m |
Map
Isabela is a landlocked province in the Cagayan Valley. It is bounded by Cagayan to the north, Kalinga and Mountain Province to the west, Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya to the south, and the Sierra Madre to the east. It has 34 municipalities and 3 cities with a total of 1,055 barangays.
MUNICIPALITIES POPULATION DATA
Isabela has 34 municipalities, 3 cities, and 1,055 barangays.
| name | type | barangay_count | population_2020 | population_2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alicia | Municipality | 34 | 52687 | 73874 |
| Angadanan | Municipality | 59 | 45134 | 45970 |
| Cabagan | Municipality | 26 | 61325 | 55445 |
| Cabatuan | Municipality | 22 | 46122 | 40223 |
| Delfin Albano (Magsaysay) | Municipality | 29 | 41019 | 30860 |
| Dinapigue | Municipality | 6 | 5827 | 6116 |
| Divilacan | Municipality | 12 | 5827 | 5871 |
| Echague | Municipality | 64 | 66279 | 88410 |
| Gamu | Municipality | 16 | 41019 | 30850 |
| Naguilian | Municipality | 25 | 29042 | 34520 |
| Palanan | Municipality | 17 | 17684 | 18091 |
| Reina Mercedes | Municipality | 20 | 27900 | 28222 |
| San Agustin | Municipality | 23 | 31212 | 22228 |
| San Guillermo | Municipality | 26 | 22302 | 21043 |
| San Isidro | Municipality | 13 | 28016 | 27326 |
| San Manuel | Municipality | 19 | 33019 | 34740 |
| San Mariano | Municipality | 36 | 48228 | 61876 |
| San Mateo | Municipality | 33 | 42016 | 67433 |
| San Pablo | Municipality | 17 | 45134 | 26462 |
| Santa Maria | Municipality | 20 | 25758 | 25919 |
| Santo Tomas | Municipality | 27 | 24528 | 24528 |
| Tumauini | Municipality | 46 | 45134 | 77153 |
| Aurora | Municipality | 33 | 36621 | 37191 |
| Benito Soliven | Municipality | 29 | 29752 | 30682 |
| Burgos | Municipality | 14 | 22302 | 26729 |
| Quezon | Municipality | 15 | 27037 | 28376 |
| Mallig | Municipality | 18 | 32208 | 32509 |
| Quirino | Municipality | 21 | 25023 | 25205 |
| Roxas | Municipality | 26 | 65839 | 66593 |
| Santiago | City | 37 | 157457 | 150313 |
| Ilagan | City | 91 | 159533 | 164020 |
| Luna | Municipality | 19 | 20697 | 21015 |
| Cauayan | City | 65 | 153418 | 143539 |
DEMOGRAPHICS
Population by Age Group (2020)
As of 2020, the largest age group was 15–19 years (about 150,000–160,000), followed by 10–14 years (about 140,000–150,000). The smallest group was 80+ years, with only 20,000–25,000 individuals.
| age | population_2020 |
|---|---|
| 10–14 | 145000 |
| 15–19 | 155000 |
| 80+ | 22000 |
Population by Gender (2020)
In 2020, Isabela’s population was composed of about 50.5% males and 49.5% females.
ECONOMY
Agriculture
From 2015 to 2024, Isabela maintained high agricultural productivity, with palay and corn as staple crops. In 2024, Isabela harvested about 201,432 metric tons of palay from 37,531 hectares, averaging 5.38 MT/ha. Rice sufficiency was at 224%, making Isabela a major supplier to Metro Manila and neighboring regions. The province is also the top corn producer in the country, with about 6,300 metric tons annually, dominated by white corn.
| title | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Palay (Total) | 201432 |
| Corn (Total) | 6300 |