The island group is located approximately 162 kilometers (101 mi) north of the Luzon mainland and about 190 kilometers (120 mi) south of Taiwan (Pingtung County), separated from the Babuyan Islands of Cagayan Province by the Balintang Channel, and from Taiwan by the Bashi Channel.

[citation needed] The ancestors of today's Ivatans descended from Austronesians who migrated to the islands 4,000 years ago during the Neolithic period.

Batanes was a major site for the Maritime Jade Road, one of the most extensive sea-based trade networks of a single geological material in the prehistoric world, operating for 3,000 years from 2000 BCE to 1000 CE.

During his stay in August and September 1687, Dampier made valuable observations about settlement types and subsistence of the inhabitants of the Batanes.

The Bashi Channel was increasingly used by English East India Company ships and the Spanish authorities brought the islands under their direct administration to prevent them falling under British control.

In 1790, Governor Guerrero [clarification needed] decreed that Ivatans were to live in the lowlands and leave their remote idjang.

[10][verification needed] Using guns, the Spanish ended the revolution, killing Aman Dangat and several other Ivatan leaders.

Due to historical reasons from that time, some segments of Taiwan society argue that the islands should not belong to the Philippines.

[14] During the American colonial period, additional public schools were constructed and more Ivatan became aware of their place in the Philippines.

[citation needed] Because of their strategic location, the islands were one of the first points occupied by the invading Japanese imperial forces at the outbreak of the Pacific War.

Over the next several days, the success of the Japanese bombing of Clark Field rendered a base at Basco unnecessary, and on December 10, 1941, the naval combat force was withdrawn to participate in the invasion of Camiguin.

[16][17] Upon its restoration, Victor de Padua, an Ilocano who was one of the first School Superintendents on Batan, was made Provincial Governor.

Batanes was briefly marred by political violence during the 1969 presidential elections, when the Philippine Constabulary's Special Forces allowed motorcycle-riding goons dubbed the "Suzuki boys" to secure the victory of Rufino Antonio Jr., an ally of President Ferdinand Marcos, as representative of the Lone District of Batanes in the House of Representatives of the Philippines through a campaign of terror and intimidation.

The resulting outcry led to the Supreme Court decrying the "rape of democracy" in the province, and annulled Antonio's victory in 1970 in favor of his rival, Jorge Abad.

[23] The province has a total area of 219.01 square kilometers (84.56 sq mi)[24] comprising ten islands situated within the Luzon Strait between the Balintang Channel and Taiwan.

Other islands in the chain are Misanga (or North), Ditarem, Siayan, Diogo (or Dinem), Ivuhos, and Dequey.

Itbayat Island slopes gradually to the west, being mountainous and hilly along its northern, eastern coast.

Sabtang has its small flat areas spread sporadically on its coasts, while its interior is dominated by steep mountains and deep canyons.

The northern half of the Ivatan homeland, Formosa and Orchid Island were part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

Although it is reportedly growing in some other places such as coasts of Luzon, Catanduanes and even Taiwan, full blossoming and fruiting are observed only in Batanes.

The Batanes archipelago, along with the nearby Babuyan Islands, have been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because they support significant populations of resident Taiwan green pigeons, Ryukyu scops-owls and short-crested monarchs, Chinese egrets on passage, and wintering yellow buntings.

[31] Poverty Incidence of Batanes Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39] About 75% of the Ivatans are farmers and fishermen.

Ivatans plant camote (sweet potato), cassava, gabi or tuber and a unique variety of white uvi.

There are daily flights from Manila by Philippine Airlines bound to Basco Airport at Batan Island.

The other local airlines previously serving Basco Airport have stopped their transport services after the COVID 19 Pandemic.

The prime motivator of the cultural values of the Ivatans are imbibed in their pre-colonial belief systems of respecting nature and all people.

The Ivatans, both the older and younger generations, have one of the highest incidences of social acceptance to minority groups in the country.

The Ivatans have a high respect for the elderly and the prowess of natural phenomena such as waves, sea breeze, lightning, thunders, earthquakes, and wildlife congregations.

Discriminating someone based on skin color, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, and traditions on nature is unacceptable in Ivatan values.

The local government of Batanes, in cooperation with the NCCA, is given the right to nominate the 7 distinct elements into the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists.