Directions: Read on to find out why the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras is considered to be a wonder of the world. Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras – Outstanding Universal Value a The Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras are an outstanding example of a developed, living cultural landscape. They can be traced as far as two millennia ago in the precolonial Philippines. They are found in the remote areas of the Philippines Cordillera mountain range on the northern island of Luzon, Philippine archipelago. These historic terraces cover an extensive area. The property consists of five clusters of the most intact and impressive terraces located in four municipalities. They are all products of the Ifugao ethnic group, a minority community that has lived on these mountains for thousands of years. The five clusters are: (1) the Nagacadan terrace clusters in the municipality of Kiangan, in two distinctive rows of terraces divided by a river; (2) the Hungduan terrace cluster shaped like a spider web; (3) the central Mayoyao terrace cluster characterized by terraces in intervals with the traditional bale (houses) and alang (granaries); (4) the Bangaan terrace cluster in Banaue, the background of a typical Ifugao village; and (5) the Batad terrace cluster of Banaue that lies in semicircular terraces with a village at its base. The Ifugao Rice Terraces are an ideal example of a living cultural landscape of beauty beyond compare. The Ifugao Rice Terraces are valuable contributions of our ancestors to mankind. They were built 2,000 years ago and passed on through generations and an example of an ancient civilization that overcame challenges passed by modernization. Built on steeper slopes of high mountains and the careful carving of the natural shapes of the hills, the Ifugao Rice Terraces have complex irrigation systems. Water comes from the forests of the mountain tops.​