Pangasinan Province
is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers (3336.030 sq mi). According to the latest census, it has a population of 2,645,395 people in 477,819 households. The total population is projected to rise to 3,039,500 in 2010. According to the 2007 Philippine general elections, Pangasinan has a voting population of 1,360,807, which is the second highest in the Philippines.

The Pangasinan language is the primary language in Pangasinan. The estimated population of the indigenous speakers of this language is about 1.5 million.

The name Pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place of salt-making"; it is derived from the root word asin, meaning "salt” in the Pangasinan language and other related languages. The province is a major producer of salt in the Philippines.

An ancient kingdom called Luyag na Kaboloan existed in Pangasinan before the Spanish conquest that began in the 15th century. The maritime trade network that once flourished in ancient Southeast Asia connected Pangasinan with other peoples of Southeast Asia, India, China, and the Pacific.

Pangasinan occupies a strategic geo-political position in the central plain of Luzon, known as the rice granary of the Philippines. Pangasinan has been described as a gateway to northern Luzon and as the heartland of the Philippines.

BRIEF PROFILE
Capital:	Lingayen
Land Area:	5,368.82 km²
Population:	2 779 862 (2010)
Cities:	Alaminos, Dagupan, San Carlos, Urdaneta
Munacipalities:	44
Barangays:	1 364
Districts:	1st to 6th districts of Pangasinan
Languages:	Pangasinan, Iloco, Bolinao, Tagalog, English

Hisotry                                                                                       

Ancient history

The Pangasinan people, like most of the people in the Malay Archipelago, are descended from the Austronesian-speakers who settled in Southeast Asia since prehistoric times. Comparative genetics, linguistics, and archaeological studies locate the origin of the Austronesian languages in Sundaland, which was populated as early as 50,000 years ago by modern humans. The Pangasinan language is one of many languages that belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian languages branch of the Austronesian languages family.

Geography                                                                                 

Political

The province of Pangasinan is subdivided into 44 municipalities, 4 cities, 1,364 barangay (which means "villages"), and 6 congressional districts. It's major water supply comes from the Agno River, tourist spots like the hundred islands in Alaminos, Pangasinan are great places to relax especially during summer.

The capital of Pangasinan is Lingayen.

Physical

Pangasinan is located on the west central area of the island of Luzon in the Philippines. Pangasinan borders La Union and Benguet to the north, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija to the east, and Zambales and Tarlac to the south. To the west of Pangasinan is the South China Sea. The province also encloses the Lingayen Gulf.

The land area of Pangasinan is 5,368.82 square kilometers (3336.030 sq mi). The province is 170 kilometers (105.633 mi) north of Manila, 50 kilometers (31.0685 mi.) south of Baguio City, 115 kilometers (71.4576 mi.) north of Subic International Airport and Seaport, and 80 kilometers (49.7096 mi.) north of Clark International Airport.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) reported several inactive volcanoes in Pangasinan: Amorong, Balungao, Cabaluyan, Cahelietan, Candong, and Malabobo. PHIVOLCS reported no active or potentially active volcanoes in Pangasinan. A cataclysmic volcanic eruption in the past appears to have formed a caldera located between the towns of Malasiqui and Villasis with a center at about 15° 55' N and 120° 30' E near the Cabaruan Hills. This area may contain rich ore deposits.

Economy                                                                                     

Pangasinan has export earnings of around $5.5 million.

Energy

The 1200 megawatt Sual Coal-Fired Power Plant, 345 megawatt San Roque Multi-Purpose Dam, and the Northern Cement Corporation are all located in Pangasinan.

Marine

Pangasinan is a major fish supplier in Luzon, and a major producer of salt in the Philippines. It has extensive fishponds, mostly for raising bangus, or "milkfish", along the coasts of the Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea. Pangasinan's aquaculture includes oyster and sea urchin farms.

Agriculture

The major crops in Pangasinan are rice, mangoes, corn, and sugar cane. Pangasinan has a land area of 536,819 hectares, and 44 percent of the total land area of Pangasinan is devoted to agricultural production.

Financial

Pangasinan has 593 banking and financing institutions.

Labor

Pangasinan has a labor force of about 1.52 million, and 87 percent of the labor force are gainfully employed.

Investment

The Department of Trade and Industry in the Philippines has identified the following potential investment areas in Pangasinan:

• Maguey production and handicraft center
• Santiago Island Marine Park
• Oyster processing facility
• Bagoong technology and processing center
• Tannery and leather production center
• Oyster and aquaculture farming
• Seaweed farming
• Bamboo production
• Handicraft and furniture making
• Manufacture of construction bricks
• Tourism development