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• Negros (Buglas) was discovered on April 1565 by Esteban de Rodriguez de Figueroa and Juan de Aguirre when they sought shelter from a storm.  Three months later they took possession of the island. 
  
• On September 6, 1571, it was divided into eight encomiendas and was administered from Iloilo until the whole island became a separate military district in 1734. 
  
• Ilog was made the first capital in 1743. 
  
• The capital was later transferred to Himamaylan, and then to Bacolod in 1849. 
• The sugar industry began to expand rapidly in the 1850s with the opening of Iloilo and Cebu ports in 1855 and the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869.
  
• In 1890, the island was divided into Negros Oriental in the east and Negros Occidental in the west. 
• On November 5, 1898, during the revolution, the “Cantonal Republic of Negros” was established by Filipino rebels led by Gens. Aniceto Lacson and Juan Araneta in Bago.  
• The revolt first broke out on November 4 in Manapla under Custudio Duyugan, followed by Silay on November under Nicolas Golez. The Spanish troops in Bacolod under Isidro de Castro surrendered without a fight. 
  
• On January 1, 1899, a transitional government was proclaimed and the two provinces were again reunited into one. 
• On March 4, 1899, during the Philippine-American War, an American expedition (California Volunteer Infantry) led by Brig.-Gen. James F. Smith captured Bacolod without a fight.  He helped the Negrenses to frame a constitution which was submitted to and disapproved by Pres. William McKinley.
  
• A civil government was established on April 20, 1901.
• Negros Occidental was created into a province on March 10, 1917 by virtue of Philippine Legislative Act No. 2711. 
  
• The first sugar central in Bacolod was opened in 1914 and soon many others followed suit including the Bacolod-Murcia Milling Co. which began operations in 1920. 
• The Japanese landed on the province on May 21, 1942. 
  
• Bacolod was the headquarters of the Japanese 4th Air Army under Gen. Tagaishi Kono.  
  
• Guerrillas under Gov. Alfredo Montelibano were active against the Japanese and most of the island was under their control when the U.S. 40th Infantry Division landed in Pulupandan on March 29, 1945.
• In 1985, the world market price of sugar fell drastically causing a quarter of a million sacadas (plantation workers) to lose their jobs.  Many joined the anti-government New People's Army. In 1986, the province was split into two (the northern half to be called Negros del Norte) after a plebiscite held on January 3, 1986 in Cadiz.  It was opposed by the Negros Anti-Partition Movement and was nullified by the Supreme Court on July 11, 1986.

The province has two pronounced seasons.  In the north, it is dry from late December to early May, and wet the rest of the year.  At the south, it is dry from November to May and wet the rest of the year.  April and May are the warmest months and December to February are the coolest months.

This  boot-shaped province, the third largest in the country, occupies the northern and western part of Negros Island and is bounded on the north by the Visayan Sea, on the east by Tanon Strait, on the southeast by Negros Oriental, on the west by Panay Gulf and Guimaras Strait and on the south by Talong Bay. All towns and cities, except Candoni, Isabela, La Carlota City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Murcia and Salvador Benedicto, are located along the coast.

The province is approximately 372 kms. long from north to south and has a more irregular coastline than Negros Oriental.  The terrain of the northern and western portions of the province are mostly level plains and gently rolling slopes while the rest are mountain ranges of varying elevations. The active 8,086-ft. (2,465-m.) Mt. Kanlaon volcano is the highest peak in Central Philippines

• Area (sq. kms.): 7,926.07
• Population (2000): 2,434,186
• No. of Barangays: 661
• Income Class: First
• No. of Districts: 7
• No. of Towns: 19
• No. of Cities: 13 (the most for any province in the country)
• Area Code: 034
• First District: Calatrava, Escalante City, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City and Toboso 
• Second District: Cadiz City, Manapla and Sagay City
• Third District: Enrique B. Magalona, Murcia, Silay City, Talisay City  and Victorias City
  
• Fourth District: Bago City, La Carlota City, Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique and Valladolid
• Fifth District: Binalbagan, Himamaylan City, Hinigaran, Isabela, Las Castellana and Moises Padilla
• Sixth District: Candoni, Cauayan, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Kabankalan City and Sipalay City  
  
• Lone District: Bacolod City

Ilonggo or Hiligaynon is spoken by 78.31% of the populace. Cebuano, spoken by 21.01% of the populace, is predominant in Sagay City, San Carlos City and the towns of Calatrava, Escalante and Toboso.  Tagalog is spoken by 0.18%. 

• Office of the Governor - Provincial Capitol (tel: 2-7542, 2-4230, 2-5564, 2-1225 & 8-1734, fax: 434-6442)
• Panaad Publicity and Documentation Committee - Provincial capitol (tel: 434-9039 & 433-3076)
  
• Tourism Promotion and Development Office - Provincial Capitol (tel: 433-2515, 709-8775 & 433-2517, e-mail: tourism_negooccy@yahoo.com, website: www.negrosocc.gov.ph).