Pamplona is one of twenty-eight (28) municipalities (along with one city) that comprise the province of Cagayan in the Cagayan Valley. The town is politically subdivided into thirty (30) barangays, and is a part of the 2nd Congressional District of Cagayan.

Perhaps the town’s most historical spot is the mouth of the Pamplona River, for it was the starting point of Juan de Salcedo and his conquistadores when they explored Cagayan in 1572.

The town is also noted for its Malagabavi Cave, located at the foot of a mountain and virtually shaped like a pig. Legend has it that this cave was used by a giant as an entrance to his abode. It is said that he was a normal being like a human until his tranformation to a giant by a goddess who fell in love with him.