Cordillera Central (Luzon)

Cordillera Central
The southern limits of the range as viewed from the plains of Sison
Highest point
Peak	Mount Pulag
Elevation	9,587 ft (2,922 m)
Geography
Country	Philippines
Provinces	List Abra Apayao Benguet Cagayan Ifugao Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur Kalinga La Union Mountain Province Nueva Vizcaya Pangasinan
Range coordinates	17°20′N 120°57′E / 17.33°N 120.95°E / 17.33; 120.95Coordinates: 17°20′N 120°57′E / 17.33°N 120.95°E / 17.33; 120.95

The Cordillera Central is a massive mountain range situated in the northern central part of the island of Luzon, in the Philippines. The mountain range encompasses all provinces of the Cordillera Administrative Region (Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province), as well as portions of eastern Ilocos Norte, eastern Ilocos Sur, eastern La Union, northeastern Pangasinan, western Nueva Vizcaya, and western Cagayan.

To the north, the mountain range terminates at the northern shores of Luzon along the Babuyan Channel in Ilocos Norte and Cagayan provinces. At its southeastern part, the Central Cordillera is linked to the Sierra Madre Mountains, the longest mountain range in the country, through the Caraballo Mountains in Nueva Vizcaya province. During Spanish colonial period, the whole range was called Nueva Provincia, (New Province).

The Cordillera Central is the highest mountain range in the Philippines. It comprises about 1/6 of the whole Luzon island with a total area of 18,300 km² (7,100 sq mi). The highest mountain in the range, Mount Pulag, is also the highest mountain on Luzon Island at 2,922 metres (9,587 ft). It is officially the second highest mountain in the country after Mount Apo on Mindanao Island, the second largest island of the Philippines.