Cordillera (CAR / Cordillera Administrative Region)
The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) is also known as the Cordillera Region and Cordillera. It is the only landlocked region in the country, bordered by the Ilocos Region to the west and southwest, and by the Cagayan Valley Region to the north, east, and southeast. It is the least populous region in the Philippines and is made up of six provinces: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province. The regional center is Baguio city.
This mountainous region, positioned in the Cordillera Central mountain range, includes Mount Pulag, the highest mountain in Luzon. It can be difficult to get around due to isolated communities and terrains of mainly steep slopes and mountain ranges. It is home to many ethnic tribes commonly referred to as the Igorot. Popular activities in the region include hiking, caving and swimming in waterfalls.
Rice terraces can be found through the region. The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are a World Heritage Site consisting of a complex of rice terraces across the CAR. They were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, the first-ever to be included in the cultural landscape category of the World Heritage List.
The regional center of Baguio is known as the ‘Summer Capital of the Philippines’ due to its cooler climate. The CAR is one of the coolest regions in the Philippines, with an average daily high of 24°C and night time low of 15-17°C.
