CLIMATE
Dry season is from November to April while the rainy season is from May – October.

LAND USE
The region has prime agricultural land inspite of the scarcity of arable land due to its rough terrain. Its most important crops are tobacco, rice, and vegetables. 810,062 hectares of land are classified as alienable and disposable and 473,957 hectares are forestland.

NATURAL RESOURCES
The region is a producer of food surplus – rice, corn, vegetables, rootcrops and fruits such as mangoes. It has abundant natural resources such as limestone for cement, feldspar for ceramics, fruits, vegetables, fish, poultry, and forest products such as bamboo and rattan. Other mineral resources include copper, gold, chromite, iron, manganese and silica.

It has one of the longest coastlines, aside from numerous rivers and streams. It has extensive fishing grounds and excellent prospects for fishpond cultivation.

ECONOMY
As part of the Northwestern Luzon Growth Quadrangle (NWLGQ) and Northern Luzon-South China growth area, it has good potential for export-oriented agri-industrial development and tourism activities. The major industries in the region are agriculture, mining, fishing, tourism, and small cottage industries. It is a leading producer of tobacco and mango for export.

URBAN CENTERS
Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, Vigan in Ilocos Sur, San Fernando in La Union and the capital town of Lingayen and the cities of Dagupan and San Carlos in Pangasinan are the centers of trade, business, and education.

FACILITIES
The region has fairly a developed intra-regional and inter-regional road network. Approximately 99% of all municipalities or 96% of all barangays have access to electricity. Private and government telecommunication services area available in most areas of the region especially in urban centers.

The region is a net energy provider, with two more power plants to be built.

Only one – seventh of the total local road network is paved, rural roads become impassable during the rainy season. While 90% of households have access to water facilities, these become scarce during summer and turbid during the wet season. At present, irrigation facilities cover only 52% of the total potential area for irrigation.