Ligao is one of three cities (along with fifteen (15) municipalities) that comprise the province of Albay in the Bicol Region. The city is politically subdivided into (55) barangays, and is a part of the 3rd Congressional District of Albay.

Ligao City is a newly created city being born only last March 24, 2001 during a plebiscite with an overwhelming Yes vote of 17,754 as against 1,387 No votes. It was created by virtue of R.A. No. 9008, signed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo last February 21, 2001, known as an Act Converting the Municipality of Ligao into a Component City of the Province of Albay, the third city of the province and the sixth city in the Bicol Region.

Ligao City is located 502 kilometers south of Manila. Centrally located in the 3rd District of Albay, it is bounded on the north by the municipality of Oas; on the south by the municipality of Guinobatan, Tabaco on the east and Pioduran on the West. It is 27 kilometers from the Provincial Capitol of Albay and approximately 30 kilometers from Legazpi City.

Ligao has a total land area of 24,640 hectares, 23.05 percent of which are fertile flatlands suitable for high value crops and 76.95 percent are mountainous and hilly terrain with potential for agriculture and traversed by secondary rivers. Tertiary rivers originate from Mt. Masaraga and Mayon Volcano located at the south and eastern side of the city. Ligao's soil is generally fertile giving great flexibility practically to all types of crops. There are six common soil types found in the city: Ligao loam; Guinobatan sandy loam; Mauraro gravelly sandy loam; Libon silt; Tigaon clay and Sevilla clay.