Cordillera Mountains

The northern Cordillera rises in a tangle of ridges and river valleys on Luzon. The Saltan and other tributaries flow through Kalinga toward the Chico and the Cagayan, cutting deep courses through the mountains. Pine forests grow on high slopes alongside mountain rainforest, while communities occupy valleys between the ridges. The rugged terrain helped mountain peoples retain considerable independence during the long period of Spanish rule in the surrounding lowlands.