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This article is about the province in the Philippines. For its capital independent chartered city, see Cebu City. For other uses, see Cebu (disambiguation). Cebu Lalawigan ng Cebu Lalawigan sa Sugbu Province Map of the Philippines with Cebu highlighted Coordinates: 101917N 1234517E / 10.32139N 123.75472E / 10.32139; 123.75472Coordinates: 101917N 1234517E / 10.32139N 123.75472E / 10.32139; 123.75472 Country Philippines Region Central Visayas (Region VII) Founded April 27, 1565 Capital Cebu City Government Type Province of the Philippines Governor Gwendolyn Garcia (NUP) Vice Governor Agnes Magpale (NUP) Area Total 4,932.79km2 (1,904.56sqmi) Area rank 22nd out of 80 Population (2010) Total 2,619,362 Rank 5th out of 80 Density 530/km2 (1,400/sqmi) Densityrank 7th out of 80 Divisions Independentcities 3 Component cities 6 Municipalities 44 Barangays 1,066 including independent cities: 1,203 Districts 1st to 6th districts of Cebu (shared with Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities) including independent cities: 1st and 2nd districts of Cebu City Time zone PHT (UTC+8) ZIP Code Spoken languages Cebuano, Tagalog, English Website http://www.cebu.gov.ph

Cebu (Cebuano: Sugbo) 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 is a long narrow island stretching 225 kilometers from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighbouring, smaller islands, which include Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. Cebu has narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus and coastal plains. It also has rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's highest mountains are over 1000 meters high. Flat tracts of land can be found in the city of Bogo and in the towns of San Remigio, Medellin and Daanbantayan at the northern region of the province. Its capital is Cebu City, the oldest city in the Philippines, which forms part of the Cebu Metropolitan Area together with four neighboring cities which include Danao City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Talisay City and eight other municipalities. Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in Mactan island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines.

Cebu is one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, with Cebu City as the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the Visayas. Cond Nast Traveler Magazine named Cebu the seventh best island destination in the Indian Ocean-Asia region in 2007,[1] eighth best Asian-Pacific island destination in 2005, seventh in 2004 and in 2009.

The population of Cebu in 2007 was 2,440,120, with its largest city accounting for 799,762 people, or more than a third of the entire provincial population.[2]Cebuano is the official language spoken in Cebu and it is also spoken in most areas of the Visayas, including Bohol, western Leyte, Negros Oriental and some provinces of Mindanao (Bukidnon, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao City, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Compostela Valley, South Cotabato and Sarangani. The population of Central Visayas is predominantly young with about 37 percent of its population below 10 years old. This is very evident in the very broad base of the population pyramid in the region which has prevailed since 1970 but at a declining rate. A decline of 2.29 percentage points in the proportion of household population below 15 years old was noted from 1980 to 1995. Conversely, an increase of 3.06 percentage points was observed in the 15-64 age group during the same period. The population of the region is evenly distributed between male and female. However, the male population in the region has been increasing at a faster rate compared to the female population.[3]

The majority of its population are Roman Catholic,[4] there are also some followers of Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism.

The image of Santo Nio de Ceb (Holy Child of Cebu), the oldest Christian image in the Philippines, is enshrined and venerated at the Basilica of Santo Nio. According to Philippine historical documents, the statue of the Santo Nio (Holy Child) was given to the wife of the Rajah of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan. The friendship is depicted in Cebu's cultural event, the Sinulog where street parades and loud drum beats preceded by a Christian mass is celebrated every third Sunday of January. Cebu has a Roman Catholic Archdiocese and has several major churches, including the Basilica Minor del Santo Nio de Cebu, Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral, Santo Rosario Parish Church, San Jos-Recoletos Church, Sacred Heart Church, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rule, National Shrine of Saint Joseph, Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe of Cebu and other Christian churches, as well as several other non-Catholic churches, mosques and temples.

Though Cebu has two official seasons, Dry and Wet, rainfall is usually not particularly high, with average rainfall hitting around 100 millimeters per month. The wet season usually comes from June to December, while the dry season comes from January until May. Rainfall is highest in June and July. Cebu's temperatures can reach a high of 36 degree celsius from March to May, to as low as 18 degrees at the mountains during the cooler season from October to January. The average temperature in Cebu is around 24 to 32 degree celsius, and does not fluctuate much except for the month of May, which is the hottest month. Cebu averages 70-80 percent humidity.[5]

Between the 13th and 16th century Cebu then known as Zubu[6] (or Sugbo) was an island inhabited by Hindu, animist and Muslim[7] ruled by Rajahs and Datus.[8] It was a kingdom of the defunct Rajahnate of Cebu.

The Rajahnate of Cebu was a native kingdom which used to exist in Cebu prior to the arrival of the Spaniards. It was founded by Sri 'Lumay' otherwise known as 'Rajamuda Lumaya', a native prince of the Chola dynasty which had invaded Sumatra in Indonesia. He was sent by the Maharajah to establish a base for expeditionary forces to subdue the local kingdoms, but he rebelled and established his own independent Rajahnate instead. [9]

The arrival of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 established a period of Spanish exploration and colonization.[10][11]

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