[5][6] The name "Mankayan" is derived from Nancayan, the Hispanic term of the native name of the place, Nangkayang (which means "high up in the mountain").

The natives of the surrounding settlements of Panat and Bag-ongan mined gold through the labon system, after its reported discovery in a river.

On February 3, 1850, an expedition led by engineer Don Antonio Hernandez confirmed the presence of copper in Mankayan.

[10][11] In 2018, in order to preserve the highly artistic gangsa-making intangible heritage of the Mankayan elders, the cultural masters of the town converged and began teaching the younger generations the process and importance of gangsa-making to their way of life, effectively preserving indigenous gong culture in the town.

It is bordered by Bakun on the west, Buguias on the southeast, Tadian and Bauko on the east, and Cervantes on the north-west.

Poverty incidence of Mankayan Source: Philippine Statistics Authority[20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27] Mankayan, belonging to the lone congressional district of the province of Benguet, is governed by a mayor designated as its local chief executive and by a municipal council as its legislative body in accordance with the Local Government Code.