Pampanga
is located in the hearth of Central Luson. It is bounded on
the north by Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, on the east by Bulacan,
on hte west by Zambales and on the south by Bataan and Manila
Bay. Angeles City is a highly urbanized city.
The province
has to distinct seasons: dry from November to April and wet
for the rest of the year, In summer, the climate is very hot
due to the humid temperature of Mt. Pinatubo while during the
rainy season, residents and guests are advised to take precautionary
measures due to lahar flows and flood which occasionally visit
some lower portion of the city.
Pampanga
was already the site of thriving settlements along river banks
or "Pampang" before the Spaniards came. The inhabitants
were refereed to as "Kapampagas" or the people by
the river bank". Martin de Goiti explored Pampanga.
The province
was established in 1571, comprised of most of what is now Central
Luzon. In
1754, a strip from Dinalupihan to Orion, was ceded to Bataan.
In 1848, the province lost five towns to Nueva Ecija, and San
Miguel to Bulacan. By
1860, its northern district was made into a separate comandancia.
The district was made a part of Pangasinan in 1874, and the
towns of Mabalacat, Magalang, Porac and Floridablanca were returned
to Pampanga.
