Abra | |||
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Province | |||
Province of Abra | |||
Abra Provincial Capitol
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Location in the Philippines |
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Coordinates: 17°35′N 120°45′E / 17.58°N 120.75°ECoordinates: 17°35′N 120°45′E / 17.58°N 120.75°E | |||
Region | Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) | ||
Founded | 10 March 1917 | ||
Capital | Bangued | ||
Government | |||
• Type | Sangguniang Panlalawigan | ||
• Governor | Maria Jocelyn Valera Bernos (NUP) | ||
• Vice Governor | Ronald Stimson Balao-as (NUP) | ||
Area | |||
• Total | 4,165.25 km2 (1,608.21 sq mi) | ||
Area rank | 29th out of 81 | ||
Population (2015 census) | |||
• Total | 241,160 | ||
• Rank | 68th out of 81 | ||
• Density | 58/km2 (150/sq mi) | ||
• Density rank | 80th out of 81 | ||
Divisions | |||
• Independent cities | 0 | ||
• Component cities | 0 | ||
• Municipalities |
27
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• Barangays | 303 | ||
• Districts | Lone District of Abra | ||
Time zone | PHT (UTC+8) | ||
ZIP code | 2800–2826 | ||
IDD : area code | +63 (0)74 | ||
ISO 3166 code | PH-ABR | ||
Spoken languages | |||
Website | www |
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.
The first inhabitants of Abra were the ancestors of the 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.
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.