Central Luzon
Gitnang Luzon Tengnga ti Luzon Kalibudtarang Luzon Pegley na Luzon Region III | |
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Nickname: Rice Granary of the Philippines[1] | |
![]() Location in the Philippines | |
Coordinates: 15°28′N 120°45′E / 15.47°N 120.75°E | |
Country | ![]() |
Island group | Luzon |
Regional center | San Fernando (Pampanga)[2] |
Largest city | San Jose del Monte |
Area | |
• Total | 22,014.63 km2 (8,499.90 sq mi) |
Highest elevation | 2,037 m (6,683 ft) |
Population (2020 census)[4] | |
• Total | 12,422,172 |
• Density | 560/km2 (1,500/sq mi) |
Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
ISO 3166 code | PH-03 |
Provinces | |
Independent cities | |
Component cities | |
Municipalities | 115 |
Barangays | 3,102 |
Cong. districts | 20 |
Languages | |
GDP (2023) | ₱2.65 trillion $47.65 billion[5] |
Growth rate | ![]() |
HDI | ![]() |
HDI rank | 4th in the Philippines (2019) |
Central Luzon (Filipino: Gitnang Luzon; Kapampangan: Kalibudtarang Luzon; Pangasinan: Pegley na Luzon; Ilocano: Tengnga ti Luzon), designated as Region III, is an administrative region in the Philippines. The region comprises seven provinces: Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga (with its capital, San Fernando City serving as the regional center), Tarlac, and Zambales; and two highly urbanized cities, Angeles and Olongapo. San Jose del Monte is the most populous city in the region. The region contains the largest plain in the country and produces most of the country's rice supply, earning itself the nickname "Rice Granary of the Philippines". It is also the region to have the most number of provinces.[1]
Pangasinan was formerly a province of Central Luzon before President Marcos signed Presidential Decree No. 1 of 1972, incorporating it into the Ilocos Region. Additionally, the province of Aurora was part of the defunct Southern Tagalog region when it was divided into Calabarzon and Mimaropa, upon the issuance of Executive Order No. 103, dated May 17, 2002, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, which transferred Aurora to Central Luzon.