BRIEF DESCRIPTION
Steeped in history and blessed with natural and man-made scenery, Pampanga offers several sightseeing options for visitors. Pampanga has always enjoyed the title, The Culinary Center of the Philippines. Kapampangan cuisine is widely thought to be among the most evolved and refined of Philippine cuisines. Some of the menus that said to have been originated from Pampanga are kare-kare, sisig, and kilawin.

The capital city of San Fernando is world-famous for its annual Easter re-enactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It is also famous for the Pampanga Christmas lanterns.

The province has remnants of a long and colorful history. It houses a booming night life and tourist destinations. It is the site of world-class resorts, casinos, duty free shopping, and golf courses.

Pampanga is served by the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, which is located in Clark Field some 16 kilometers north of the provincial capital.

Geography
Pampanga is located in the central part of Central Luzon. It is bounded on the north by Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, Bulacan on the east, on the south by Bataan, and on the west by Zambales. The province’s total land area is 218, 068 hectares or 2, 180.68 square kilometers.

Political Subdivision
Pampanga is composed of 20 municipalities and two cities, namely: Angeles City and San Fernando City. It is subdivided into four political districts.

Population
The province has an estimated population of 1, 529.246.

Language/Dialect
Kapampangan, English, and Tagalog are spoken and understood anywhere in the province.

Climate
The province of Pampanga has two distinct climates, rainy and dry. The rainy or wet season normally begins in May and runs through October, while the rest of the year is the dry season. The warmest period of the year occurs between March and April, while the coolest period is from December through February.

Major Industries
Farming and fishing are the two main industries of the province. Major products include rice, corn, sugar cane, and tilapia. In addition to farming and fishing, the province also supports a thriving cottage industries that specializes in wood carving, furniture-making, guitars, and handicrafts. Every year during the Christmas season, the province of Pampanga becomes the center of a thriving industry centered on handcrafted lighted lanterns called “parols” that displays a kaleidoscope of light and color. Other industries include its indigenous casket industry and the manufacturing of all Purpose Vehicles present in the Municipality of Sto. Tomas.

The province is famous for its culinary industry. Kapampangans are well known for their culinary expertise. Well known food products range from the ordinary to the exotic. Pampanga's Best and Mekeni Food are among the better known meat brands of the country producing Kapampangan favorites such as pork and chicken tocinos, beef tapa, hot dogs, and longanizas (Philippines-style sausages and cured meats.)

Specialty foods such as the murcon (ground meat stuffed in fish), embutido (ground pork roll), kare-kare (pork or beef cooked in peanut butter), sisig baboy (a spicy pork dish best served with beer), lechon (roasted pig) and its sarsa (sauce), are popular specialty foods in the region. The more exotic betute tugak (stuffed frog), kamaru (mole crickets) cooked ala adobo, bulanglang (pork cooked in guava juice), lechon kawali, and bringhe (a green sticky rice dish like paella) are a mainstay in Kapampangan feasts. Native sweets and delicacies like pastillas, turonnes de casoy, buro, are the most sought after by Filipinos including a growing number of tourists who enjoy authentic Kapampangan cuisine.

Tourism is a growing industry in the province of Pampanga. Clark Field, in Angeles City, is home to Diosdado Macapagal International Airport, Luzon's second International Airport and designated as the Philippines future premier gateway site. Within the Clark Special Economic Zone are well established hotels and resorts. Popular tourist destinations in the province include: St. Peter Shrine in Apalit, Mt. Arayat National Park in San Juan Bano, Arayat, the Paskuhan Village in the City of San Fernando, and the Casino Filipino in Angeles City. Well known annual events include the Giant Lantern Festival in December, the annual hot air balloon festival in Clarkfield during the month of February, and the San Pedro Cutud Lenten Rites celebrated two days before Easter.

Other developing economies include a semiconductor industry involved in the manufacturing of electronics and computers mostly located within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Angeles City.