Isabela (province)

Isabela
(from top: left to right) Pacific coast in Dinapigue, Sierra Madre Mountains, Magat Dam, Cagayan River in Jones, Isabela Provincial Capitol and Our Lady of Atocha Church.
Nicknames: 
  • Queen Province of the North
  • Rice Bowl of the North
  • Top Corn Producer of the Philippines
  • Sentro ng AGRIkultura
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 17°N 122°E / 17°N 122°E / 17; 122
CountryPhilippines
RegionCagayan Valley
FoundedMay 1, 1856
Named afterIsabella II of Spain
Capital
and largest city
Ilagan
Government
  TypeSangguniang Panlalawigan
  GovernorRodolfo T. Albano III (PFP)
  Vice GovernorFaustino Dy III (PFP)
  LegislatureIsabela Provincial Board
Area
  Total
13,102.05 km2 (5,058.73 sq mi)
  Rank2nd out of 81
 (includes Santiago)
Highest elevation
(Mount Dos Cuernos)
1,736 m (5,696 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
  Total
1,697,050
  Rank15th out of 81
  Density130/km2 (340/sq mi)
   Rank67th out of 81
 (Includes Santiago)
Demonyms
    • Isabeleño
    • Isabelino
    (m/n)
  • Isabeleña (f)
  • Isabelan
Divisions
  Independent cities
  Component cities
  Municipalities
  Barangays
  DistrictsLegislative districts of Isabela (shared with Santiago City)
Time zoneUTC+8 (PHT)
IDD:area code+63(0)78
ISO 3166 codePH-ISA
Spoken languages
Websiteprovinceofisabela.ph

Isabela, officially the Province of Isabela (Ilocano: Probinsia ti Isabela; Ibanag: Provinsia na Isabela; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Isabela), is the second largest province in the Philippines by land area located in the Cagayan Valley. Its capital and the largest local government unit is the city of Ilagan. It is bordered by the provinces of Cagayan to the north, Kalinga to the northwest, Mountain Province to the central-west, Ifugao and Nueva Vizcaya to the southwest, Quirino, Aurora and the independent city of Santiago to the south, and the Philippine Sea to the east.

This primarily agricultural province is the rice and corn granary of Luzon with its mix of plains and rolling terrain. In 2012, the province was declared as the country's top producer of corn with 1,209,524 metric tons. Isabela was also declared the second-largest rice producer in the Philippines and the "Queen Province of the North".

The province has four trade centers in the cities of Ilagan, Cauayan, Santiago and the municipality of Roxas. Santiago is considered to have the fastest-growing local economy in the entire Philippines.