Ilocos Region in the context of "Ilocos Norte"

The Manila galleon (Spanish: Galeón de Manila; Tagalog: Galeon ng Maynila) are the Spanish trading ships that linked the Philippines in the Spanish East Indies to Mexico (New Spain), across the Pacific Ocean. The ships made one or two round-trip voyages per year between the ports of Manila and Acapulco from the late 16th to early 19th century. The term "Manila galleon" can also mean the trade route itself between Manila and Acapulco that was operational from 1565 to 1815.

The Manila galleon trade route was inaugurated in 1565 after the Augustinian friar and navigator Andrés de Urdaneta pioneered the tornaviaje or return route from the Philippines to Mexico. Urdaneta and Alonso de Arellano made the first successful round trips that year, by taking advantage of the Kuroshio Current. The galleons set sail from Cavite, in Manila Bay, at the end of June or the first week of July, sailing through the northern Pacific and reaching Acapulco in March to April of the next calendar year. The return route from Acapulco passes through lower latitudes closer to the equator, stopping over in the Marianas, then sailing onwards through the San Bernardino Strait off Cape Espiritu Santo in Samar and then to Manila Bay and anchoring again off Cavite by June or July. The trade using "Urdaneta's route" lasted until 1815, when the Mexican War of Independence broke out. The majority of these galleons were built and loaded in shipyards in Cavite, utilizing native hardwoods like the Philippine teak, with sails produced in Ilocos, and with the rigging and cordage made from salt-resistant Manila hemp. The vast majority of the galleon's crew consisted of Filipino natives; many of whom were farmers, street children, or vagrants press-ganged into service as sailors. The officers and other skilled crew were usually Spaniards (a high percentage of whom were of Basque descent). The galleons were state vessels and thus the cost of their construction and upkeep was borne by the Spanish Crown.

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR; Ilocano: Rehion/Deppaar Administratibo ti Kordiliera; Filipino: Rehiyong Administratibo ng Cordillera), also known as the Cordillera Region and Cordillera (IPA: [kɔrdiljɛra]), is an administrative region in the Philippines, situated within the island of Luzon. It is the only landlocked region in the archipelago, bordered by the Ilocos Region to the west and southwest, and by the Cagayan Valley Region to the north, east, and southeast.

The region comprises six provinces: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province. The regional center is the highly urbanized city of Baguio, which is the largest city in the region.

Ilocos Sur (lit. 'South Ilocos'), officially the Province of Ilocos Sur (Ilocano: Probinsia ti Ilocos Sur; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Ilocos Sur), is a province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Located on the mouth of the Mestizo River is the capital of Vigan, while Candon is the most-populous city. Ilocos Sur is bordered by Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain Province to the east, La Union and Benguet to the south and the South China Sea to the west.

Ilocos Sur was established in 1818 when the province of Ilocos was split into two: the north (now Ilocos Norte) and the south (Ilocos Sur). At that time, it included parts of Abra and the upper half of present-day La Unión. The current boundaries of the province set in March 1917 by virtue of Act No. 2683.

La Union (Tagalog pronunciation: [lɐ ʔʊˈɲon]), officially the Province of La Union (Ilocano: Probinsia ti La Unión; Pangasinan: Luyag na La Unión; Kankanaey: Probinsya di La Unión; Ibaloi: Probinsya ni La Unión; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng La Unión; Spanish: Provincia de La Unión), is a coastal province in the Philippines situated in the Ilocos Region on the island of Luzon. The province's capital, the City of San Fernando, is the most populous city in La Union and serves as the regional center of the Ilocos Region.

Bordered by Ilocos Sur to its north, Benguet to its east, and Pangasinan to its south, with the South China Sea to the west, La Union is located 273 kilometers (170 miles) north of Metro Manila and 57 kilometers (35 miles) northwest of Baguio City. The province spans an area of 1,497.70 square kilometers (578.27 square miles). As of the 2020 census, La Union had a population of 822,352, resulting in a density of 550 inhabitants per square kilometer or 1,400 persons per square mile. The province had 538,730 registered voters as of 2022. The province official language is Iloco (Ilocano), as declared by the provincial government of La Union.

Pangasinan, officially the Province of Pangasinan (Pangasinan: Luyag/Probinsia na Pangasinan, [paŋɡasiˈnan]; Ilocano: Probinsia ti Pangasinan; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Pangasinan), is a coastal province in the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region of Luzon. Its capital is Lingayen while San Carlos City is the most populous. Pangasinan is in the western area of Luzon along Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea. It has a total land area of 5,451.01 square kilometres (2,104.65 sq mi). According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 3,188,540. The official number of registered voters in Pangasinan is 2,156,306. The western portion of the province is part of the homeland of the Sambal people, while the central and eastern portions are the homeland of the Pangasinan people. Due to ethnic migration, the Ilocano people settled in the province.

Pangasinan is the name of the province, the people and the spoken language. Indigenous Pangasinan speakers are estimated to number at least 2 million. The Pangasinan language, which is official in the province, is one of the officially recognized regional languages in the Philippines. Several ethnic groups enrich the cultural fabric of the province. Almost all of the people are Pangasinans and the rest are descendants of the Bolinao and Ilocano who settled the eastern and western parts of the province. Pangasinan is spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities in Pangasinan. The minority ethnic groups are the Bolinao-speaking Zambals, and Ilocanos.

Dagupan [dɐˈgupan], officially the City of Dagupan (Pangasinan: Siyudad na Dagupan, Ilocano: Siudad ti Dagupan, Filipino: Lungsod ng Dagupan), is a 2nd class independent component city in the Ilocos Region, Philippines. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 174,777 people.

Located on Lingayen Gulf on the northwest-central part of Luzon, Dagupan is the primary commercial and financial center of Pangasinan. The city is also one of the centers of modern medical services, education, media and communication in North-Central Luzon. The NEDA-Regional Development Council officially recognized Dagupan as a regional center. The city is situated within the fertile Agno River Valley and is in turn a part of the larger Central Luzon plain.

San Fernando, officially the City of San Fernando (Ilocano: Siudad ti San Fernando; Filipino: Lungsod ng San Fernando), is a component city and the capital of the province of La Union, Philippines. It serves as the regional and administrative center of the Ilocos Region. The city also functions as a hub for trade and commerce in northern Luzon and as a center for the culture and heritage of Ilocandia. According to the 2024 census, it has a population of 124,809 people with 77,490 registered voters as of 2025.

The City of San Fernando is a coastal city facing the South China Sea to the west and bordered by the Cordillera Central mountain range to the east. It consists of 59 barangays and has a total land area of 105.26 square kilometers. The city's majority ethnolinguistic group are the Ilocano people who speak Iloco language, as the city has historically been an Ilocano stronghold. It is one of two capital cities in the Philippines named San Fernando, the other being San Fernando, Pampanga.