Bataan

This article is about the Philippine province. For other uses, see Bataan (disambiguation).
Bataan
Province
Bataan Capitol

Flag
Seal

Map of the Philippines with Bataan highlighted
Coordinates: 14°40′N 120°25′E / 14.667°N 120.417°ECoordinates: 14°40′N 120°25′E / 14.667°N 120.417°E
Country  Philippines
Region Central Luzon (Region III)
Founded 1754
Capital Balanga City
Government
 • Type Province of the Philippines
 • Governor Albert S. Garcia (NUP)
 • Vice Governor Efren Dominic E. Pascual, Jr. (LP)
Area[1]
 • Total 1,372.98 km2 (530.11 sq mi)
Area rank 72nd out of 80
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 687,482
 • Rank 40th out of 80
 • Density 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
 • Density rank 8th out of 80
Divisions
 • Independent cities 0
 • Component cities 1
 • Municipalities 11
 • Barangays 237
 • Districts 1st and 2nd districts of Bataan
Demographics
 • Ethnic groups Tagalog (88%), Kapampangan (4%), Ilocano (2%), Others (3%)
 • Languages Tagalog, Kapampangan, English
Time zone PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code 2100 - 2114
Dialing code 47
ISO 3166 code PH-BAN
Website bataan.gov.ph

Bataan (/bɑːtɑːˈɑːn/) is a province of the Philippines occupying the whole portion of the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon. The province is part of the Central Luzon region. The capital of Bataan is Balanga City and it is bordered by the provinces of Zambales and Pampanga to the north. The peninsula faces the South China Sea to the west and Subic Bay to the north-west, and encloses Manila Bay to the east.

The Battle of Bataan is famous in history as one of the last stands of American and Filipino soldiers before they were overwhelmed by the Japanese forces in World War II. The Bataan Death March was named for this province, where the infamous march started. This is also the location of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant located in the Municipality of Morong.

Geography

Physical

The Bataan Peninsula is a rocky extension of the Zambales Mountains, on Luzon in the Philippines. It separates the Manila Bay from the South China Sea. The peninsula features Mount Natib (elevation 1,253 metres (4,111 ft)) in the north and the Mariveles Mountains in the south, which includes Mount Samat, the location of the historical marker for the Bataan Death March.

Mariveles, at the southern tip, can be reached via jet ferry plying the Mariveles-to-Manila route that has an approximate travel time of 40 minutes.

Subdivisions

Bataan is politically subdivided into 11 municipalities and 1 component city.

City:

Municipalities:

History

In 1647, Dutch naval forces landed in country in an attempt to seize the islands from Spain. The Dutch massacred the people of Abucay in Bataan.

Historian Cornelio Bascara documents that the province of Bataan was established in January 11, 1757 by Governor-General Pedro Manuel Arandia out of territories belonging to Pampanga and the corregimiento of Mariveles which, at the time, included Maragondon, Cavite across the Manila Bay.[3]

World War II

Main article: Battle of Bataan
March 1942: burning houses after a Japanese bombing raid in Bataan

Bataan featured prominently during World War II. Prior to the 1941 Japanese invasion, the US Army stored nearly 1,000,000 US gallons (3,800 m3) of gasoline there.

Shortly after the Japanese Army invaded the country in December 1941, the combined US and Filipino forces were being gradually overrun and General Douglas MacArthur moved his troops to the Bataan Peninsula in an attempt to hold out until a relief force could be sent from the US. Japanese forces started a siege of the peninsula on January 7, 1942, and launched an all-out assault on April 3, a few months after the Battle of the Points. The majority of the American and Filipino forces surrendered on April 9 and were forced to march more than a 100 kilometres (62 mi) from Bataan to Tarlac, which became known as the Bataan Death March.

Demographics

Population census of Bataan
YearPop.±% p.a.
1990 425,803—    
1995 491,459+2.72%
2000 557,659+2.75%
2007 662,153+2.40%
2010 687,482+1.38%
Source: National Statistics Office[2]

Education

Tourist attractions

Bataan as seen from Manila Bay.

Historical places

Natural places of interest

Schools, Colleges and Universities

Notable people from Bataan

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ "List of Provinces". PSGC Interactive. Makati City, Philippines: National Statistical Coordination Board. Retrieved 12 February 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Population and Annual Growth Rates for The Philippines and Its Regions, Provinces, and Highly Urbanized Cities" (PDF). 2010 Census and Housing Population. National Statistics Office. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  3. ↑ Cornelio R. Bascara. 2010. A History of Bataan (1587-1900). UST Publishing

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bataan.
 Zambales Pampanga
South China Sea Manila Bay / Metro Manila
   Bataan  
Manila Bay
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