Ilocos Sur

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Province of Ilocos Sur
Provincial seal of Ilocos Sur
Map of the Philippines with Ilocos Sur highlighted Region Ilocos Region(Region I) Capital Vigan CityDivisions - Highly urbanized cities0 - Component cities2 - Municipalities32 - Barangays768 - Congressional districts2 Population 41st largest - Total (2007) 594,206 - Density 230/km² (34th highest) Area 27th smallest - Total 2,579.6 km² Founded 1572Spoken languages IlocanoGovernor Deogracias Victor B. Savellano (Lakas-CMD)

Ilocos Sur is a province of the Philippines located in the Ilocos Region in Luzon. Its capital is Vigan City and borders Ilocos Norte and Abra to the north, Mountain Province to the east, and La Union and Benguet to the south. To the west of Ilocos Sur is the South China Sea.

1 Geography
- 1.1 Political
  - 1.1.1 Cities
  - 1.1.2 Municipalities
- 1.2 Physical
2 History
3 Tourist Spots
4 External links

Geography

Political

Ilocos Sur is subdivided into 32 municipalities and 2 cities.

Cities

Municipalities

Physical

Ilocos Sur is located along the western coast of Northern Luzon. It is bounded by Ilocos Norte on the north, Abra on the northeast, Mountain Province on the east, Benguet on the southeast, La Union on the south, and the China Sea on the west. Its area of 2,579.58 square kilometers occupies about 20.11% of the total land area of Region 1.

The topography of Ilocos Sur is undulating to rolling with elevations ranging from 10 to 1,700 meters above sea level.

History

Ilocos Sur was founded by the Spanish conquistador, Juan de Salcedo in 1572. It was formed when the north (now Ilocos Norte) split from the south (Ilocos Sur).

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces occupied in Ilocos Sur.

In 1945, beginning from the liberation in Ilocos sur founded of declaration to the Filipino soldiers and Ilocano guerrillas against the Japanese Imperial forces during the Second World War.

Tourist Spots

Tourism to the province is driven by airlines like Philippine Airlines and passenger coach bus lines like locally owned Farinas Transit Company and Partas.

- Heritage City of Vigan - inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List, because it houses the most intact example of a Spanish colonial town in Asia. Other spots include pottery making and other forms of cottage industries. It also has hotels built in the "bahay na bato" ("stone house") style. Also located in the city is the residence of Father Jose Burgos, which is open to the public; and the Syquia Mansion, which is the Vigan residence of former President Elpidio Quirino.

- Beaches - most notable Ilocos Sur beaches include those in Cabangtalan (in Sinait, also known as Imelda's Cove), Pug-os (in Cabugao); and the towns of Santa, Santa Maria, Santiago, San Esteban, and Candon.

- Churches - most notable of these churches include the Vigan Cathedral (which is the seat of the Archdiocese of Nueva Segovia, and where the remains of the Ilocano poet Leona Florentino is interred), Santa Maria Church (which is inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list), and Sinait Church (which houses the miraculous Statue of the Black Nazarene).

- Nature Spots - Scenic spots include the Banaoang River in Bantay (an extension of the Abra River), Pinsal Falls in Santa Maria, and Pikkang Falls in San Juan.

A beach in Santiago A man fishing just offshore in Santiago