Balaoan
| Balaoan | ||
|---|---|---|
| Municipality | ||
Balaoan town center
|
||
|
||
| Nickname(s): The Sea Urchin Capital off the North | ||
 Map of La Union showing the location of Balaoan |
||
.svg)
 Balaoan
|
||
| Coordinates: 16°49′N 120°24′E / 16.82°N 120.4°ECoordinates: 16°49′N 120°24′E / 16.82°N 120.4°E | ||
| Country |
 Philippines
|
|
| Region | Ilocos (Region I) | |
| Province | La Union | |
| District | 1st District | |
| Barangays | 36 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Concepcion O. Al-Fred | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 68.70 km2 (26.53 sq mi) | |
| Population (2015 census) | ||
| • Total | 39,188 | |
| • Density | 570/km2 (1,500/sq mi) | |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+8) | |
| ZIP code | 2517 | |
| IDD : area code | +63 (0)72 | |
| Income class | 1st class | |
| Website | www |
|
Balaoan is a first class municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2015 census, it has a population of 39,188 people.
The dominant language spoken in Balaoan is Ilocano.
Balaoan is situated north of Bacnotan, south of Bangar, east of Luna and west of Santol. Located 30 kilometres (19 mi) north of San Fernando City, the provincial capital of La Union and the regional capital of Region I. Balaoan is 299 kilometres (186 mi) north of Metro Manila. Barangay Paraoir is Balaoan's pristine coastal community on the South China Sea.
Balaoan can be reached from Manila using the MacArthur Highway, or by airplane via Canaoay Airport in San Fernando City.
Its land area of 6,870 hectares (17,000 acres) consists mostly of agricultural lands. It occupies 4.3% of the total area of the province.
Balaoan is politically subdivided into 36 barangays.
Balaoan, formerly "Puraw" (meaning "white') was originally part of Ilocos Sur. The town's present name originated during the Spanish colonial era. A group of Spanish soldiers were on patrol and went on to rest on a sitio. The villagers were curious about the soldiers because of their unusual descent and fair skin color. They flocked the soldiers touching their guns, too afraid that the guns might explode accidentally, one villager asked the soldier in a local vernacular.. "Aoan bala?" (meaning "No bullets?"). The soldier did not understand what the villager meant, he uttered the last word first, and remembering the last, he said "Bala-aoan".
...
Wikipedia