Kalinga (province)

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Kalinga is a landlocked province in the Cordillera Administrative Region of Luzon, Philippines. Its capital and largest city is Tabuk. It borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north. Kalinga and Apayao were created as separate provinces in 1995, after splitting from the old Kalinga-Apayao.

Geography and climate
Kalinga covers about 3,231 square kilometers. The lowlands are open grasslands, while the highlands have pine forests. The Chico River drains much of the province. The highest point is Mount Alchan at 2,617 meters. The climate is Type III, with a short dry season (November to April) and a longer wet season (May to October). Average temperatures hover around 17–22°C, with heavy rainfall in some areas.

People and language
The 2024 population was about 235,391. People from Kalinga are called Kalinga or Kalingan. The main language is Kalinga, with several dialects. Ilocano, Gaddang, Tagalog, and English are also spoken as common languages.

Administration
Kalinga has one component city (Tabuk) and seven municipalities: Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tanudan, and Tinglayan. The province contains 153 barangays. It is part of a single legislative district.

Economy
Historically, agriculture has been the backbone of Kalinga, and the province is known as the rice granary of the Cordillera, producing rice and corn. Rice terraces can be found in Balbalan, Lubuagan, Pasil, Pinukpuk, Tinglayan, and Tanudan. In recent years, the service sector and tourism have grown, including tourism around traditional Kalinga tattoo art in Buscalan. The economy has shown solid growth in recent years, with expanding transportation, storage, and accommodation services.

History and culture
The Kalinga people have many sub-tribes and a strong sense of tribal identity. The region has a long history of resistance and cultural preservation, including protests in the 1970s–1980s against a dam project that would affect ancestral lands. In 1986, Cordillera autonomy efforts led to the Mount Data Peace Accord, and in 1987 Kalinga became part of the Cordillera Administrative Region. Kalinga became a separate province on May 8, 1995. Tabuk’s city status was granted in 2007, challenged in court, and finally upheld in 2011. In 2019, the Digdiga Ni Tupayya courtship dance from Kalinga was proposed for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status.

Demonyms
Residents are called Kalinga or Kalingan.