Central Visayas
Encyclopedia
Central Visayas, designated as Region VII, is a region
of the Philippines
located in the central part of the Visayas
island group
. It consists of four provinces
—Bohol
, Cebu
, Negros Oriental
, and Siquijor
— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City
, Lapu-Lapu City
, and Mandaue City
. The region is dominated by the native speakers of Bisaya
. Cebu City is its regional center.
The land area of the region is 15,875 km². As of the 2007 census, it has a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions.
Although Cebu City
, Mandaue City
and Lapu-Lapu City
are often grouped under the province of Cebu
for statistical purposes by the National Statistics Office, as highly urbanized cities they are administratively independent from the province.
was 403.1 people per square kilometer (6,129.4/mi²). The census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.59% from 2000 to 2007, significantly less than the national average of 2.04%.
Cebuano
is the dominant language of the region. In Bohol, Cebuano is referred to as Boholano
. In the Camotes Islands
, which is part of Cebu, Cebuano language is spoken in the towns of Tudela, Pilar and San Francisco. Except the town of Poro, in which, Porohanon
is spoken (a variation or mixture of Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Masbateño language).
The Port of Cebu
is the region's main gateway. There are also ports in Dumaguete City
in Negros Oriental
, Tagbilaran in Bohol
and Larena in Siquijor
. Inter-island shipping is served by numerous shipping lines, two of them fastcraft companies which serve all the provinces in the region.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport
, located in Lapu-Lapu City, is the country's second busiest airport (after Ninoy Aquino International Airport
in Metro Manila
) and the only airport in the Visayas serving international flights (aside from Kalibo International Airport). It is an airline hub
of Cebu Pacific
, Philippine Airlines
, PAL Express
, and Air Philippines
, with flights to key cities throughout the country. It also serves international flights to other Asian destinations.
Other airports in the region are Sibulan Airport
, serving Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental with flights to Manila and Cebu, and Tagbilaran Airport
, serving Tagbilaran City and Bohol with flights to Manila.
Home to endangered pig species.
Regions of the Philippines
In the Philippines, regions are administrative divisions that serve primarily to organize the provinces of the country for administrative convenience. Currently, the archipelagic republic of the Philippines is divided into 17 regions...
of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
located in the central part of the Visayas
Visayas
The Visayas or Visayan Islands and locally known as Kabisay-an gid, is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Mindanao and Luzon. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast...
island group
Island groups of the Philippines
The Philippines is divided into three island groups of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon and Mindanao are named after their main islands of the same names, while the Visayas is an archipelago.- Divisions :...
. It consists of four provinces
Provinces of the Philippines
The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial...
—Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
, Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
, Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...
, and Siquijor
Siquijor
Siquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
— and the highly urbanized cities of Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
, Lapu-Lapu City
Lapu-Lapu City
The City of Lapu-Lapu is a first class highly urbanized city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. The city occupies most of Mactan Island, a few kilometer off the main island of Cebu and also covers the Olango Island Group further to the southeast, plus a few other islets. It is part of the...
, and Mandaue City
Mandaue City
The City of Mandaue is a city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. It is one of the three urbanized cities in the island and forms a part of the Cebu Metropolitan area. Mandaue City is located on the middle eastern coastal region of Cebu, bordering to its right-side are Mactan Island where...
. The region is dominated by the native speakers of Bisaya
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
. Cebu City is its regional center.
The land area of the region is 15,875 km². As of the 2007 census, it has a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions.
Provinces and independent cities
The Central Visayas region is composed of 4 provinces and 3 independent cities:| Province Provinces of the Philippines The Provinces of the Philippines are the primary political and administrative divisions of the Philippines. There are 80 provinces at present, further subdivided into component cities and municipalities. The National Capital Region, as well as independent cities, are autonomous from any provincial... /City Cities of the Philippines A city is a tier of local government in the Philippines. All Philippine cities are chartered cities, whose existence as corporate and administrative entities is governed by their own specific charters in addition to the Local Government Code of 1991, which specifies the administrative structure... | Capital | Population (2000) | Area (km²) | Pop. density (per km²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bohol Bohol Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines... |
Tagbilaran City Tagbilaran City Tagbilaran City is a 2nd class component city in the island province of Bohol, Philippines and serves as its capital. Tagbilaran lies on the southwestern part of the province, and has a total land area of 32.7 km², with about 13 km of coastline... |
1,137,268 | 4,117.3 | 276.2 |
| Cebu Cebu Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands... |
Cebu City Cebu City The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was... |
2,160,569 | 4,800.11 | 450.1 |
| Negros Oriental Negros Oriental Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists... |
Dumaguete City Dumaguete City The City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"... |
1,126,061 | 5,402.3 | 208.4 |
| Siquijor Siquijor Siquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third... |
Siquijor Siquijor, Siquijor Siquijor is a 4th class municipality in the province of Siquijor, Philippines. It is the capital municipality of Siquijor. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 21,150 people in 4,498 households.-Barangays:... |
81,598 | 343.5 | 237.5 |
| Cebu City Cebu City The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was... ¹ |
— | 718,821 | 280.2 | 2,565.4 |
| Lapu-Lapu City Lapu-Lapu City The City of Lapu-Lapu is a first class highly urbanized city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. The city occupies most of Mactan Island, a few kilometer off the main island of Cebu and also covers the Olango Island Group further to the southeast, plus a few other islets. It is part of the... ¹ |
— | 217,019 | 64.22 | 3,379.3 |
| Mandaue City Mandaue City The City of Mandaue is a city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. It is one of the three urbanized cities in the island and forms a part of the Cebu Metropolitan area. Mandaue City is located on the middle eastern coastal region of Cebu, bordering to its right-side are Mactan Island where... ¹ |
— | 259,728 | 34.87 | 7,448 |
Although Cebu City
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
, Mandaue City
Mandaue City
The City of Mandaue is a city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. It is one of the three urbanized cities in the island and forms a part of the Cebu Metropolitan area. Mandaue City is located on the middle eastern coastal region of Cebu, bordering to its right-side are Mactan Island where...
and Lapu-Lapu City
Lapu-Lapu City
The City of Lapu-Lapu is a first class highly urbanized city in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. The city occupies most of Mactan Island, a few kilometer off the main island of Cebu and also covers the Olango Island Group further to the southeast, plus a few other islets. It is part of the...
are often grouped under the province of Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
for statistical purposes by the National Statistics Office, as highly urbanized cities they are administratively independent from the province.
Component cities
- Bais CityBais CityBais City is a 2nd class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it had a population of 74,702 people in more than 13,199 households...
, Negros Oriental - Bayawan CityBayawan CityBayawan City is a 2nd class component city in the 3rd Congressional District of the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 101,391 people in 19,967 households....
, Negros Oriental - Canlaon CityCanlaon CityCanlaon City is a 4th class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 46,548 people in 9,302 households. Canlaon is located 168 km from the provincial capital Dumaguete...
, Negros Oriental - Dumaguete CityDumaguete CityThe City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"...
, Negros Oriental - Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental
- Tanjay CityTanjay CityTanjay City is a 4th class city in the province of Negros Oriental, Philippines. It was created by virtue of Republic Act 9026 otherwise known as "An act converting the Municipality of Tanjay, province of Negros Oriental into a component city to be known as the City of Tanjay". The Act was approved...
, Negros Oriental - Bogo City, Cebu
- Carcar CityCarcar CityCarcar is a city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 100,632 people.In 2005, Metro Cebu's definition was expanded to include Danao City in the north, and the municipality of San Fernando and the then town of Carcar down south.-Geography:Carcar...
, Cebu - Danao CityDanao CityDanao City is a 3rd class city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2007 census, it has a population of 109,534 people.In 2005, Metro Cebu's definition was expanded to include Danao City, a leader in the gun industry, in the north and the municipalities of San Fernando and Carcar...
, Cebu - Naga City, Cebu
- Talisay City, Cebu
- Toledo CityToledo CityToledo City, formerly known as Pueblo Hinulawan, is a 2nd class city in the province of Cebu, Philippines. Population as of 2007 census: 152,960....
, Cebu - Tagbilaran CityTagbilaran CityTagbilaran City is a 2nd class component city in the island province of Bohol, Philippines and serves as its capital. Tagbilaran lies on the southwestern part of the province, and has a total land area of 32.7 km², with about 13 km of coastline...
, Bohol
Demographics
As of the 2007 census, Central Visayas had a population of 6,398,628, making it the 5th most populous of the country's 17 regions. The population densityPopulation density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 403.1 people per square kilometer (6,129.4/mi²). The census showed an average annual population growth rate of 1.59% from 2000 to 2007, significantly less than the national average of 2.04%.
Cebuano
Cebuano language
Cebuano, referred to by most of its speakers as Bisaya , is an Austronesian language spoken in the Philippines by about 20 million people mostly in the Central Visayas. It is the most widely spoken of the languages within the so-named Bisayan subgroup and is closely related to other Filipino...
is the dominant language of the region. In Bohol, Cebuano is referred to as Boholano
Boholano language
Boholano is a variant of Cebuano spoken in the province of Bohol in the Philippines and eastern parts of Southern Leyte...
. In the Camotes Islands
Camotes Islands
The Camotes Islands are a group of islands that form part of the province of Cebu, in the Philippines. The island group is located east of Cebu Island, southwest of Leyte Island, and north of Bohol Island....
, which is part of Cebu, Cebuano language is spoken in the towns of Tudela, Pilar and San Francisco. Except the town of Poro, in which, Porohanon
Porohanon language
Porohanon is a Visayan language spoken in the Camotes Islands in the province of Cebu in the Philippines. Its closest relatives are Hiligaynon and Masbateño and is barely intelligible with Cebuano though it shares 87% of its vocabulary with it....
is spoken (a variation or mixture of Cebuano, Hiligaynon (Ilonggo) and Masbateño language).
By sea
Cebu City
The City of Cebu is the capital city of Cebu and is the second largest city in the Philippines, the second most significant metropolitan centre in the Philippines and known as the oldest settlement established by the Spaniards in the country.The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu and was...
is the region's main gateway. There are also ports in Dumaguete City
Dumaguete City
The City of Dumaguete is a city in the Philippine province of Negros Oriental. It is the capital, principal seaport, and largest city of the province. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 133,470 people. A person from Dumaguete is called a "Dumagueteño"...
in Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental
Negros Oriental is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. It occupies the south-eastern half of the island of Negros, with Negros Occidental comprising the north-western half. It also includes Apo Island — a popular dive site for both local and foreign tourists...
, Tagbilaran in Bohol
Bohol
Bohol is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, consisting of Bohol Island and 75 minor surrounding islands. Its capital is Tagbilaran City. With a land area of and a coastline long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines...
and Larena in Siquijor
Siquijor
Siquijor is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region. Its capital is the municipality also named Siquijor. To the northwest of Siquijor are Cebu and Negros, to the northeast is Bohol and to the south, across the Bohol Sea, is Mindanao.Siquijor is the third...
. Inter-island shipping is served by numerous shipping lines, two of them fastcraft companies which serve all the provinces in the region.
By air
Mactan-Cebu International Airport
Mactan-Cebu International Airport is a major international airport in the Visayas region of the Philippines. It is located in Lapu-Lapu City, Mactan Island, Metro Cebu and is the country's second primary gateway...
, located in Lapu-Lapu City, is the country's second busiest airport (after Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
The Ninoy Aquino International Airport or NAIA , also known as Manila International Airport , is the airport serving the general area of Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area...
in Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
) and the only airport in the Visayas serving international flights (aside from Kalibo International Airport). It is an airline hub
Airline hub
An airline hub is an airport that an airline uses as a transfer point to get passengers to their intended destination. It is part of a hub and spoke model, where travelers moving between airports not served by direct flights change planes en route to their destinations...
of Cebu Pacific
Cebu Pacific
Cebu Air, Inc., operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is based on the grounds of Ninoy Aquino International Airport , Pasay City, Metro Manila, the Philippines. It offers scheduled flights to both domestic and international destinations...
, Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines, Inc. operating as Philippine Airlines, is a flag carrier of the Philippines. Headquartered in the Philippine National Bank Financial Center in Pasay City, the airline was founded in 1941 and is the first and oldest commercial airline in Asia operating under its original name...
, PAL Express
PAL Express
PAL Express was the low-cost regional airline brand of Philippine Airlines. PAL Express operated from Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu City, with smaller operations from PAL's main hub in Manila, flying primarily intra-regional routes in the Visayas and Mindanao, as well as secondary...
, and Air Philippines
Air Philippines
Air Philippines Corporation, now operating as Airphil Express , is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, in the Philippines. It operates both domestic and international scheduled services from Manila, Cebu, Davao and Zamboanga. The airline was re-branded for a number of times, first as Air...
, with flights to key cities throughout the country. It also serves international flights to other Asian destinations.
Other airports in the region are Sibulan Airport
Sibulan Airport
Sibulan Airport , also known as Dumaguete Airport, is an airport serving the general area of Dumaguete City, located in the province of Negros Oriental in the Philippines...
, serving Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental with flights to Manila and Cebu, and Tagbilaran Airport
Tagbilaran Airport
Tagbilaran Airport is an airport serving the general area of Tagbilaran City, located in the province of Bohol in the Philippines...
, serving Tagbilaran City and Bohol with flights to Manila.
Home to endangered pig species.