Among the 33 highly urbanized cities of the Philippines, Iligan is the third-least dense, with a population density of 421 inhabitants per square kilometer, just behind Butuan and Puerto Princesa.

[10] Iligan was first settled by Higaonon Manobos on Bayug island, now in Barangay Hinaplanon, four kilometres north of the present city centre.

[citation needed] Being the oldest town in Northern Mindanao, Iligan was already a part of the once undivided Misamis Province by the year 1832.

[citation needed] The liberation of Iligan by the Philippine Commonwealth forces attacked by the Japanese held sway in the city until 1944 to 1945 when the war ended.

[16] After NASSCO applied for a $62.3 million loan from the United States–based Eximbank to fund projects, the latter suggested a transfer of the facilities' management to the private entity.

The election of Ferdinand Marcos as President of the Philippines saw a large influx of Christian groups settling in Mindanao, displacing many locals and resulting in numerous land ownership conflicts.

[28] The proclamation of Martial law also helped escalate the moro secessionist situation by banning political parties and organizations.

[29] The 14 years of the Marcos dictatorship saw the killings of many Mindanao journalists,[30] with prominent examples being Bulletin Today Lanao provincial correspondent Demosthenes Dingcong, [31][32] Philippine Post Iligan correspondent and radio commentator Geoffrey Siao,[33][34] and DXWG Iligan commentator Charlie Aberilla.

These included Iligan natives such as prominent Nurse empowerment advocate Minda Luz Quesada (who would later be invited to the Philippines' 1987 Constitutional Convention);[36] Electrical workers' union leader David S. Borja;[37] religious youth organizer Edwin Laguerder;[38] activist professor and writer Ester Kintanar of the MSU Iligan Institute of Technology;[39] and even activist politicians such as Masiding Alonto Sr. who was a prominent supporter of opposition leader Ninoy Aquino.

[40] Some of these activists were eventually killed in the pursuit of their beliefs, including farm workers organizers James Orbe[41] and Herbert Cayunda.

[42] Dingcong, Quezada, Borja, Kintanar, Laguerder, Alonto Sr., Orbe, and Cayunda were all later recognized by having their names inscribed on the Wall of Remembrance of the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors those who fought for the restoration of democracy and against the authoritarian regime of the time.

[44] The city began to see some economic recovery with the reopening of the National Steel Corporation, which was renamed Global Steelworks Infrastructures, Inc. (GSII) in 2004.

[45] This reopening marked a critical turning point for Iligan, as it restored a significant number of jobs and revitalized the local economy.

The re-establishment of steel production brought renewed hope and stability to the community, encouraging further investments and business activities in the region.

The transition signified not only a change in name but also a commitment to modernizing the plant's facilities and improving production processes to compete effectively in the global market.

9724, an Act separating the City of Iligan from the First Legislative District of the Province of Lanao del Norte was approved, by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo on October 20, 2009.

This legislative change elevated Iligan to the status of a lone congressional district, providing it with greater political autonomy and representation.

The creation of a separate legislative district allowed Iligan to have its own representative in the Philippine Congress, ensuring that the city's specific needs and interests were more effectively addressed at the national level.

It enabled the city to receive more focused attention and resources from the national government, which in turn could help drive further economic recovery and growth.

By having its own legislative district, Iligan could better advocate for policies and programs tailored to its unique economic and social landscape, promoting sustainable development and improved quality of life for its residents.

East of the city, flat cultivated coastal land gives way to steep volcanic hills and mountains providing the waterfalls and cold springs for which the area is well known.

Neither does it experience strong weather disturbances due to its geographical location (being outside the typhoon belt) And also because of the mountains that are surrounding the city.

It is not only rich in natural resources and industries but it is also the home of a mix of cultures: the Maranaos of Lanao, the Higaonon of Bukidnon, and many settlers and migrants from other parts of the country.

[citation needed] After the construction of Maria Cristina (Agus VI) Hydroelectric Plant by National Power Corporation (NPC, NAPOCOR) in 1950, the city experienced rapid industrialization and continued until the late 1980s.

[67] The city saw its economic revival with the reopening of the National Steel Corporation, renamed Global Steelworks Infrastructures, Inc. (GSII) in 2004.

[45] In October 2005, GSII officially took a new corporate name: Global Steel Philippines (SPV-AMC), Inc.[46] Aside from heavy industries, Iligan is also a major exporter and producer of various plants and crops.

[citation needed] Iligan's seat of government, the city hall, is located at Buhanginan Hills in Barangay Pala-o.

These private seaports can be found in Barangays Maria Cristina, Suarez, Tomas L. Cabili, Santa Filomena, and Kiwalan.

Aerolift Philippines, a now-defunct regional airline, ceased its services when its passenger plane crashed into some structures at the end of the runway of the Manila Domestic Airport in 1990 which resulted to its bankruptcy.

Rural Transit (RTMI) and Super 5 Land Transport and Services Inc. are the dominant public bus companies with daily trips from and to Iligan.