San Carlos (Pangasinan), chartered city in the northwestern Philippines in the west central portion of the island of Luzon. San Carlos is located in Pangasinan Province 16 km (10 mi) south of Lingayen Gulf. Rice and sugarcane are the major crops of the surrounding region; Pangasinan Province and the nearby Central Plain make up the Philippines' most important rice-producing region. San Carlos is also noted for its pottery industry and bamboo products. The city lies on the Philippine National Railways' Mainline North and a major north-south highway. Both the railway and the highway run between Manila, 160 km (100 mi) to the south, and Dagupan, 16 km (10 mi) to the north. As with many Philippine chartered cities, the total area of San Carlos (166 sq km/64 sq mi) includes a large portion of farmland. Between 1980 and 1990 the population grew by 23 percent, less than the national growth rate of 26 percent. The city was founded in 1587 by Dominican priests and chartered in 1966. Population (1999) 144,293.
