Abra

Abra (Ilocano: Probinsya ti Abra; Filipino: Lalawigan ng Abra) is a landlocked

province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its
capital is Bangued, and is bordered by Ilocos Norte on the northwest, Apayao on the
northeast, Kalinga on the mid-east, Mountain Province on the southeast, and Ilocos
Sur on the southwest.

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[3] 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 again 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.[4]

World War II

In 1942, the Japanese forces occupied the Philippines and entered Abra.[further explanation needed]

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.[further explanation needed]

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.[5]
Geography
Abra is situated in the mid-western section of the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. It
is bordered by the provinces of Ilocos Norte on the northwest, Apayao on the northeast, Kalinga
on the mid-east, Mountain Province on the southeast, and Ilocos Sur on the southwest. Abra has
a total land area of 4,165.25 square kilometres or 1,608.21 square miles[6].

The province 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.

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.[7][6]

Demographics
The population of Abra in the 2015 census was 241,160 people,[2] with a density of 58 inhabitants
per square kilometre or 150 inhabitants per square mile.

Abra's inhabitants are mostly descendants of Ilocano settlers and members of the Tingguian tribe.
Based on the 2000 census survey, Ilocanos comprised 71.94% (150,457) of the total provincial
population of 209,146. Tingguians came in second at 18.7% (39,115), while other ethnic groups
in the province were the Ibanag at 4.46% (9,334), Itneg at 3.17% (6,624), and Tagalog at
0.42% (869).[8]

The predominant languages are Ilocano[9] and Itneg.[10]

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.[citation needed]

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.