Tuguegarao City is a  peninsula  nestled  in the  verdant  Cagayan Valley. It is protected  by  the  Sierra   Madres   in  the  east,  the  Cordilleras  in  the  west and by the far-off Caraballo Mountain in the south. It grew on the banks of the mighty Cagayan River and swift Pinacanauan River.

          Founded   on   May   9,  1604,  the  4 century-old center is now the hub of socio-economic growth in Region 02 and the oldest  major trade, education and government center in Northeast Luzon. Tuguegarao  City  is  the  capital  of  the  Province  of Cagayan and the Regional Center of the Cagayan Valley Region. 

          As a Primary Growth Center of the Region, Tuguegarao's capabilities include higher-level facilities, services,  and  amenities.  It  is an emerging metropolis, the Regional Trading Center, and the Regional support Service Center for Tourism and Industrial Development and Agricultural Modernization. It is also      a  backbone  support  to  the  Cauayan  Regional  Agro-Industrial  Center  in  Isabela  and  the  Cagayan Special Economic Zone and Free Port in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

          Of  its  11,395 hectares, Tuguegarao uses 1,320 as residential areas for its 120,645 population in 22,311  households  (2000 Census).  Some  170  hectares  are utilized for institutions, less than 160 for utilities,  120  for  commercial  activities,  30  for  industries  and  4,520 hectares for agriculture. About 80 hectares  for  light  industries  and  6  hectares  for  agro-industry  are  reserved  in the 3,980 hectares of development-opportunity lands. (View Tuguegarao City Land Use Map).

          Public  and  private  investments  collaborate  and   induce   massive  and  rapid  modernization  in Tuguegarao, making it a responsive service center for the vast production areas and a support center to   the  secondary  and  tertiary  growth  centers  of   the  Region.  Tuguegarao's  service  area  includes  the Provinces of Kalinga and Apayao of the Cordilleras.