Puerto Princesa

Puerto Princesa, officially City of Puerto Princesa and often referred to as Puerto Princesa City, is a city located in the western province of Palawan, and westernmost city in the Philippines. Though the seat of government and capital for the province, the city itself is one of 38 independent cities within the Philippines not controlled by the province in which it is geographically located and is therefore an independent area located within Palawan.As of, Puerto Princesa had a population of people, making it the least densely populated city in the Philippines. In terms of land area, the city is the second largest geographically after Davao City with an area of. Puerto Princesa is the location of the Philippines' Western Command headquarters.Today, Puerto Princesa is a popular tourist city with many beach resorts and seafood restaurants. It has been acclaimed several times as the cleanest and greenest city in the Philippines.EtymologyHistorically, the place was named after Maria Cristina, one of the princesses born to Isabella II of Spain and her consort, Francis, Duke of Cádiz. When the princess suffered an untimely death, the Queen changed the name to Puerto de la Princesa. Eventually, the name was shortened to Puerto Princesa.HistorySpanish periodSpanish Colonizers founded the settlement on 4 March 1872 in the course of their exploration of the province. As they scanned the Palawan shoreline for a capital site, they came upon a hill with steep declivity. Rowing to shore, they surveyed the hill and discovered an extensive plateau which they decided as ideal for settlement.