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Province of Ilocos Norte
Provincial seal of Ilocos Norte
Map of the Philippines with Ilocos Norte highlighted
Region	Ilocos Region (Region I)
Capital	Laoag City
Divisions
- Independent cities	0
- Component cities	2
- Municipalities	21
- Barangays	557
- Congressional     districts	1st and 2nd districts of Ilocos Norte
Population
- Total (2007)	547,284 (45th out of 80) including independent cities: 547,284 (49th out of 80)
- Density	156.2/km² (47th out of 80) including independent cities: 156.2/km² (50th out of 80)
Area
- Total	3,504.3 km² (39th out of 80) including independent cities: 3,504.3 km² (42nd out of 80)
Founded	1818
Spoken languages	Ilokano, Tagalog, English
Governor	Michael Marcos Keon (Kampi)

Ilocos Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Laoag City and is located at the northwest corner of Luzon Island, bordering Cagayan and Apayao to the east, and Abra and Ilocos Sur to the south. Ilocos Norte faces the South China Sea to the west and the Luzon Strait to the north.

Ilocos Norte is noted for being the birthplace of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, who led an authoritarian rule over the country during the latter half of his incumbency. The Marcoses enjoy a modicum of popularity in the province. Ilocos Norte is also known as a northern tourist destination, being the location of Fort Ilocandia, an upper class beach resort famous among expatriates, and Pagudpud.

The Provincial Capitol Building of Ilocos Norte.

[edit] People and culture

In the 330-page The Ilocos Heritage (the 27th book written by Visitacion de la Torre), the Ilocano legacy and the life of the Ilocano – are described as - "the browbeaten, industrious, cheerful, simple soul who has shown a remarkable strain of bravery and a bit of wanderlust." The Ilocano history reveals his struggles and victories – in battles for colonial independence from Spain and America, to Philippine leadership. The new Ilocano searched for greener pastures towards new lands local and foreign - Palawan, Mindanao, Hawaii, the United States and Greece. The Ilocano material culture and spirituality can be seen in the past - images of Spanish santo (saints), antique but intricate wooden furniture and quality local fiber. The native Ilocano is a weaver, wood carver and pottery expert. The Ilocano cuisine – ranges from the exotic "abu-os" (ant eggs) to vegetable broth "dinengdeng," the sticky "tinubong" to the "poqui-poqui" (eggplant salad). Ilocandia is filled with colonial churches, the legacy of Spanish Catholicism.^[1]

[edit] Religion

The Sinking Bell Tower of Saint William's Cathedral of the Diocese of Laoag. This monument is Laoag City's version of the Eiffel Tower.

Although Ilocos Norte inhabitants are majority Roman Catholic, several other religious sects have a strong following in this area. Of these, the most notable is the Aglipayan Church, founded by Batac City native Gregorio Aglipay.

Ilocos Norte is home to several famous Roman Catholic churches:

• Paoay Church (St. Augustine Church) - named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993.
• St. William's Cathedral in Laoag - famous for its Sinking Bell Tower
• St. Monica Church in Sarrat - biggest church in the Ilocos Region.
• Bacarra Church - destroyed during an intensity 7.8 earthquake in 1983, reconstructed and reinaugurated in 1984.
• Immaculate Conception Parish in Batac-Built in 1587

[edit] Economy

Bagoong fermenting in burnay jars in the province of Ilocos Norte, Philippines

The province specializes in the following products and industries:

• Agriculture - rice, corn, garlic, legumes, root crops, tobacco, and other fruits and vegetables
• Fishery - tilapia and assorted fishes
• Livestock - swine and cattle
• Cottage industries - loom weaving, furniture, ceramics, iron works
• Manufacturing and food processing - salt, bagoong, patis, basi (native Ilocano wine), vinegar, longganisa, chicharon, bagnet, chichacorn (cornick), jewelry, garments, cereal processing, packaging, mechanized processing equipment
• Wind Power Ilocos Norte's position on the northwest corner of Luzon makes it ideal for wind power generation. There is currently a 25 Megawatt wind farm in Ilocos Norte, and several more wind energy projects are being planned^[2].
• Tourism
• Pottery

[edit] Political Divisions

Ilocos Norte is subdivided into 557 barangays, 21 municipalities, and 2 cities.

[edit] History

View of Cape Bojeador in Ilocos Norte from the historic Burgos Lighthouse.

Please help improve this article by expanding it. Further information might be found on the talk page. (May 2009)

Before the coming of the Spaniards in 1571, Ilocos Norte was known to trade with nearby Chinese and Japanese merchants. The region was plenty of gold, so that merchants from Japan and China would often visit the area to trade gold with beads, ceramics and silk. The inhabitants of the region believed to be of Malay origin, called their place samtoy, from "sao mi toy, which literally meant "our language".

[edit] People from Ilocos Norte

• Gregorio Aglipay
• Rodolfo Biazon
• Josefa Llanes Escoda
• Pedro Flores
• Juan Luna
• Ferdinand E. Marcos
• Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
• Imee R. Marcos
• Severino Montano
• Leo Najorda
• Julio Nalundasan
• Rodolfo B. Puyaoan
• Artemio Ricarte
• Fabian Ver
• Teofilo Yldefonso
• Roque R. Ablan

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Ilocos Norte Official Website
• Ilocos Times Online
• Ilocos Norte In Images
• karitoon.com - Northern Luzon Online Community

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Coordinates: 18°10′N 120°45′E / 18.167°N 120.75°E / 18.167; 120.75