Pangasinan’s area of 5,368.82 square kilometers occupies the northern portion of the Central Plains of Luzon with a east-west configuration that extends into a peninsular form juttling into the China Sea. Its boundaries are Lingayen Gulf, La Union and Benguet on the north, Nueva Vizcaya on the northeast, Nueva Ecija on the east, Tarlac on the south and Zambales and China Sea on the west.
Political Subdivisions
Pangasinan has 44 municipalities and 4 cities which are in turn sub-divided into 1,355 barangays. The municipalities are: Agno, Alcala, Aguilar, Anda, Asingan, Balungao, Bani, Basista, Bautista, Bayambang, Binalonan, Binmaley, Bolinao, Bugallon, Burgos, Calasiao, Dasol, Infanta, Labrador, Laoac, Lingayen, Mabini, Malasiqui, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Natividad, Pozorrubio, Rosales, San Fabian, San Jacinto, San Manuel, San Quintin, Sta. Barbara, Sta. Maria, San Nicolas, Sto. Tomas, Sison, Sual, Tayug, Umingan, Urbiztondo and Villasis. The cities are Dagupan, San Carlos, Alaminos and Urdaneta.
Climate
The province experiences two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet during the rest of the year. Maximum rainfall is observed in August. Average monthly temperature is 27.91ºC with the highest occurring in May and the lowest in January.
Population
In the 2000 census, Pangasinan including its 3 cities had a population of 2,434,086. The 2000 population count by the National Statistics Office showed a 2.41% increase in the population of Pangasinan from the 1995 records. Dagupan City’s population reached 130,328, San Carlos City has a population of 154,264 while Urdaneta City has 111,582. The capital town of Lingayen has a population of 88,891.
Language / Dialect
English and Filipino are widely spoken and the basic tools of instruction in schools. Pangasinense is spoken in the central part of the province while Ilocano is spoken mostly by the people in the western and eastern towns. Bolinao has a dialect of its own.
Major Industries
Agriculture based industries remain to be the source of income of many. Prominent industries are bagoong making, handicrafts and gifts, toys and houseware making.