', officially the ', is a of the Philippines| in the province of,. According to the, it has a population of people.
History
Paracale was founded as a mission post by Franciscan friars in 1581. It was established as a town in 1611. However, the mission was abandoned in 1634, reestablished by the Franciscans in 1638 but was abandoned again in 1662. In 1687, the Franciscan missionaries returned to their mission. It was later ceded to the secular clergy. In 1863, Paracale was then formally established as a town. Seventeen years later, the Franciscans returned to Paracale to take charge the spiritual administration of the faithful. A large gold mine was discovered here in 1626 and Spaniards worked the gold-bearing gravel in its rivers and streams. The Americans set up huge dredges and mined primary lode deposits. The town’s name was derived from para cale, meaning “canal digger.” Small gold mining operations persist in this old gold mining center and locals still pan for gold.
Barangays
Paracale is politically subdivided into 27 barangays.
Demographics
In the, the population of Paracale, Camarines Norte, was people, with a density of.
;Transportation: Land transportation is the primary means of transporting people, goods and services from the barangay to the town proper of Paracale. The municipality is connected to its different barangays by the municipality’s major roads, namely the Maharlika Highway. ; Water supply: The barangays of the municipality are being served by levels I, II and IIIwater supply. Other barangays are being served by shallow wells, deep wells or dug wells. ;Power supply: Paracale is being served by electric power, formerly by the defunct Hidalgo Electric Enterprise, now by the National Power Corporation through the Camarines Norte Electric Cooperative. After the establishment of this cooperative, there was a great improvement in terms of power supply condition in the municipality. ;Communication: Paracale has a telecommunication system that is being run by the Department of Transportation and Communication. There are two satellites of Smart, Globe. There is postal office and has a staff of one mail carriers serving all barangays in the municipality. These personnel cannot adequately serve the entire from the lack of personnel; another problem is the difficulty in the delivery of mails in the remote and far-flung barangays. ;Mining companies:
United Paragon Mining Corporation
Unidragon Mining and Development Corporation
Baotong Mining Corporation
Konka Fulim Mining and Development Corp.
Media
Paracale and its surrounding area is being served by a local community radio, Radyo Natin 102.5
