Cebu was founded on August 6, 1569; the first and oldest provincial government of the Philippines with Cebu City, the oldest city, as its capital. It is part of the Central Visayas region along with its neighboring provinces – Bohol (east), Siquijor (south) and Negros Oriental (west).

It consists of the main Island of Cebu and nearby 167 surrounding islands and islets including Cordova, Mactan, as well as the Olango, Bantayan, and Camotes group of islands. Its total land area is 5,342 sq. km and its highest elevation, at 1,097 m, with Mount Manunggal.

Mainland Cebu is a long and narrow land mass and stretches 196 km from north to south; 32 km across at its widest point in the central portion of this island. Its area is 4,468 sq. km and is considered the 9th largest island in the Philippines. Its coast totaled to 514 km facing the Camotes Sea, Cebu Strait, Tañon Strait and the Visayan Sea as well.

Cebu has a tropical climate with only two seasons – the dry and wet seasons. Rains, around the middle to latter periods of the year, occasionally occur but the climate is mostly dry and sunny all throughout. The northern Cebu areas receive most rainfall as compared with southern Cebu.

(Map of Cebu Province–by Roel Balingit)

Division: 44 municipalities, 6 component cities, 3 independent cities; then grouped into 11 congressional districts

The Cebu Metropolitan Area (also known as Metro Cebu) on the east-coast consists of adjacent cities and municipalities from Danao in the north to Carcar in the south plus Lapu-Lapu and Cordova as linked to Cebu Island by bridges. It is the country’s second biggest metropolitan area ranking next to Metro Manila in Luzon.

Cebu Province is predominantly occupied by the ethnic Cebuano-Visayan. Cebuano language is widely spoken in the province at about 9 out of 10 people. This language is likewise widely spoken in most areas of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Over 90% of Cebuanos follow the Roman Catholic religion. The island is the capital of the Catholic faith by virtue of being the first Christian City, and also as birthplace of Christianity in the Philippines. Sinulog Festival of Cebu is the largest fiesta in the country held yearly every third Sunday of January. The fiesta event commemorates the Santo Niño or Child Jesus. It lasts for nine straight days then culminates on the final day with the Sinulog Grand Parade.