Provincial Government of Ilocos Norte 5.39

Long before the coming of the Spaniards, there already existed an extensive region consisting of the present provinces of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra and La Union renowned for its gold mines. On February 2, 1818, a Spanish Royal Decree was promulgated dividing the Province of Ilocos Norte from Ilocos Sur. Laoag City, which was then the biggest center of population, was made the capital of Ilocos Norte.

Ilocos Norte is located in the northwestern part of Luzon and is geographically situated between 170-43’ and 180-29’ north latitudes abd 1200-25’ and 1200-58’ east longitudes. It is bounded in the east by Cagayab and Apayao, in the southeast by Abra, in the south by Ilocos Sur and in the west by the South China Sea. Laoag City is the seat of the Provincial Government and is about 487 kilometers north-northwest of Manila.

Ilocos Norte has a total land area of 3,622.91 sq.kms. It is rugged and rocky and has mountains which run northwest in the Cordilleras in the east. There are 13 mountains in the area, most of which are located in the southeastern portion.

Ilocos Norte has two (2) congressional districts comprising twenty-one (21) municipalities and two (2) component cities. The province has a total of five hundred fifty-seven (557) barangays. This is to include the eighty (80) barangays of Laoag City and the forty-three (43) barangays of Batac City.