Aklan Province
occupies the northern third of the island of Panay and is bordered by the provinces of Iloilo from the south, Capiz from the east, and Antique from the southwest. It also faces the Sibuyan Sea from the north. The province includes the island of Boracay which is located at its northwestern tip.

The province boasts high geographic diversity, ranging from white sandy beaches, mangroves, and mountainous lanscapes. It also boasts the river Akean, which appears unique due to its "boiling or frothing" appearance.

BRIEF PROFILE
Capital:	Kalibo
Land Area:	1,817.9 km²
Population:	451,314
Spoken Languages:	Aklanon, Malaynon, Ati, Ilonggo, Kinaray-a, Tagalog

The Land_______________________________

Aklan occupies the northern third of the island of Panay and is bordered by the provinces of Iloilo from the south, Capiz from the east, and Antique from the southwest. It also faces the Sibuyan Sea from the north. The province includes the island of Boracay which is located at its northwestern tip.

The province boasts high geographic diversity, ranging from white sandy beaches, mangroves, and mountainous lanscapes. It also boasts the river Akean, which appears unique due to its "boiling or frothing" appearance.

A Brief History___________________________

Aklan, originally known as "Minuro it Akean", is considered as the oldest province in the country and is believed to have been established as early as 1213 by settlers from Borneo ruled by Datu Dinagandan.

From the time of the Spanish colonial administration until Pilipino was instituted as the Philippine national language, Aklan was spelled "Acean", and its chief town Kalibo was spelled "Calivo".

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces landed in Aklan,

In 1945, landed by the Filipino and American troops with the Filipino guerrillas liberated in Aklan attack from the Japanese troops during the Second World War.

The People______________________________

The main inhabitants of the province are the Aklanon, who fall under the Visayan ethnic group. Other inhabitants include the Negrito, locally known as the Ati, and the Sulod, a lesser known tribal group located at the hinterlands of Panay. Other Visayans are also present such as the Karay-a, the Hiligaynon, and the Capiznon.

Commerce and Industry_____________________

The province of Aklan is designated as a second class province.

Aklan is famous for Boracay, a resort island one kilometer north from the tip of Panay. It is known for its white sandy beaches and is considered as one of the more prominent destinations in the country. Because of this, there is frequent air travel to the province's airports in Kalibo and Caticlan. Kalibo Airport is about ten minutes from the main plaza. Kalibo Airport serve direct flights to and fro Incheon and Taipei, South Korea through international flights served by Asian Spirit, Mandarin Airlines and Pacific Pearl Airways. More air links will soon be offered with Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Beijing direct flights in the pipeline establishing and cementing Kalibo's reputation as the international gateway to the Western Visayas region.

Farming is the basic livelihood in the interior while fishing is the basic livelihood in the coasts. Poorer inhabitants also migrate seasonly to other provinces and islands, particularly Negros, to work mostly in plantations. Some of these migrants include minors.

Despite its vibrant tourism industry and substantial agriculture, the province is still considered as one of the poorer provinces in the country with more than 30% of the population living below the national poverty line.

Festivals_________________________________

A known icon of the province is the annual Ati-Atihan Festival in Kalibo. Originally, The festivity was to celebrate the coexistence between the Ati [ local name for the Aetas]and the Malays who were newcomers to the Island. The Ati lives in the mountain or elevated regions and the Malays in the flatlands or close to the water. The Festivity starts at the onset of the dry season, at which time the Ati comes down from the mountains to trade and celebrate with the Malays. When the Spaniards came and established their own Government and converted the Malays to their Christian Relegion, They asked or possibly coerced the Malays to celebrate this Festivity to coincide with the Feast of "Santo Nino" which is usually held during the third week of January. Accordingly, because of this change [ Ati uses the Moon to tell Seasonal changes]the Ati could not be available to participate in the celebration. The Malays have to paint their faces with soot to simulate the appearance of the Ati.