The (new) Mountain Province is a former sub-province-Bontoc- of the (old) Mountain Province. A landlocked province, it is situated in the central portion in the Cordillera Region. It is bounded by Kalinga on the north, Ifugao on the south, Benguet on the Southwest, Abra and Ilocos Sur on the west, and Isabela on the east. The Province, smallest in the region, is principally composed of high mountain ranges with limited terraces and flood plains.
During the Spanish occupation, as early as 1663, the Spanish tried but failed to conquer the mountain region because of the ruggedness of the terrain as well as the hostility of the Igorot tribes. However, the Spaniards were able to place different parts of the mountain region into Commandacia Military – Politicos. The unrelenting tribes of Bontoc, wectern Ifugao and southern Kalinga were placed in one Commandancia.
Under the Americans, the (old) Mt. Province became a province in 1908. It was made up of the sub-provinces of Lepanto, Bontoc, Amburayan, Ifugao, Kalinga, Banguet, and Apayao.Later Amburayan and Lepanto were integrated with the sub-provinces known as BIBAK- Benguet, Ifugao, Bontoc, Apayao,Kalinga.
Republic Act No. 4695 of June 18, 1966 divided the (old) Mt. Province into four provinces namely: Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga- Apayao and (new) Mt. Province – formerly the sub-province of Bontoc. With the Executive Order 220, issued by President Corazon Aquino, Cordillera Administrative Region was created with Mt. Province as one of its six provinces.
