Cebu (island)

Infobox Islands
name = Cebu


image caption = Map of the Philippines showing Cebu
locator
Location map|Philippines|lat=10.522919|long=123.84613|width=175|float=center
map_custom = yes
native name = Sugbo
native name link = Cebuano language
location = South East Asia
coordinates=
archipelago = Visayas
area = convert|4468|km2|sqmi|abbr=on
length = convert|250|km|mi|abbr=on
width = convert|45|km|mi|abbr=on
highest mount = unnamed
elevation = convert|1000|m|ft|abbr=on
country = Philippines
country admin divisions title = Cities/municipalities
country admin divisions = 17
country largest city = Metro Cebu ("excluding" Cordoba and Lapu-Lapu)
country largest city population = 1,679,045
population = 3,350,000
population as of = 2000
density = 749.8
ethnic groups = Visayans (Cebuano)

Cebu is an island of the Philippines. It is the main island of Cebu Province in Visayas.

It lies to the east of Negros Island; to the east is Leyte and to the southeast is Bohol Island. It is flanked on both sides by the straits of Cebu (between Cebu and Bohol) and Tañon (between Cebu and Negros). Cebu is located between 9°25'N and 11°15'N latitude and between 123°13'E and 124°5'E longitude in the center of the archipelago.

Cebu Island is a long narrow island stretching 225 km (140 mi) from north to south, surrounded by 167 neighboring smaller islands, that includes Mactan, Bantayan, Malapascua, Olango and the Camotes Islands. Of the hundreds of small islands some are uninhabited which make them the targets of adventure-seeking tourists.

Cebu City is the capital of Cebu Island Province. The province is a long narrow island at the center of the Visayan Islands, 365 miles south of Manila. Cebu City is centrally located in the widest portion of the island at the east coast harbor.

Cebu was under Spanish rule for three centuries. After discovery of the Philippines by Magellan in 1521, the first Spanish settlement was built in Cebu in 1565 by Mexico's Spanish government to colonize the country. Cebu also has the oldest school, San Carlos University, and the oldest street, Colon Street, built by the Spaniards.

Cebu is known for its narrow coastlines, limestone plateaus, and coastal plains, all characteristics of a typical tropical island. Cebu also has predominant rolling hills and rugged mountain ranges traversing the northern and southern lengths of the island. Cebu's steep mountains reach over 1,000 meters. Flat tracts of land can be found in towns of Bogo, San Remigio, Medellin, and Daanbantayan at the northern tip of the island.

The island is also infamously known as the site of Ferdinand Magellan's death in the Battle of Mactan. Magellan had joined forces with Spanish soldiers and was leading them against Lapu-Lapu, a Visayan cheiftan. There are memorials to both men on the island in Lapu-Lapu City.

Cebu is a commercial center whose main industries include copper mining, fishing and aquaculture, farming and agriculture, shipbuilding, steel and cement. In addition to San Carlos University, major universities in Cebu City include Southwestern University, the University of the Visayas, the University of the Southern Philippines, and the University of San Jose - Recoletos.

The harbor of Cebu City is an international port with ocean-going vessels and domestic ships and five inter-island shipping companies. Cebu's international airport has daily flights to Manila and an inter-island system of passenger vessels.

History

Cebu has the most historical significance. At the time of the global scramble for exotic spices in the East,a Portuguese navigator sailing for Spain, Fernando de Magallanes, came upon Zubu (Cebu). On April 7, 1521. The island then was already a flourishing village with "many sailing vessels from Siam (Thailand), China and Arabia docked at the port" as described by Antonio Pigafetta, Magellan's chronicler. Then begun the Spanish era in the Philippines. However, it deteriorated upon the death of Magellan in the hands of the brave local warrior, Lapulapu, only to resurrect with the arrival 44 years later, in 1565, of Miguel Lopez di Legazpi.

Its rich and colorful metamorphosis can be traced from 1521 as Zubu, the fishing village and busy trading port, to Villa San Miguel, later to Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus in 1575, then as the municipality of Cebu in 1905 up to its being a chartered city on February 24, 1937.

In the 19th century, Cebu started to exercise a dominant role in Southern Philippines' economic limelight. Agriculture, especially sugar cane cultivation and sugar manufacturing, pushed Cebu into playing an important role in this part of the country. But even more crucial than the agricultural products was her participation in trade and commerce. Proudly, Cebu has been given the honor as having many 'firsts' in the nation's history. Established by Legazpi in 1571, it became the first city in the Philippines, ante-dating Manila by seven (7) years. In point of fact, it is the oldest city in the country, having the oldest and smallest fort (Fort San Pedro), with the oldest church (Basilica of Sto. Niño), the oldest school (San Carlos) and the oldest street (Colon). Referred to as the Queen City of the South and the seat of early Filipino Christianization, Cebu is also famous for its musical stringed instruments like banduria, guitar and piccolo.

Geography

Cebu is an elongated island some 250 kilometers from North to South and 45 kilometers across at its widest point. It is central to the Philippine archipelago and some 600 kilometers south of Manila.

This location combined with a sheltered deep water harbor has made Cebu the base for most of the country's domestic shipping and the gateway to the central and southern Philippines.

The island's area of 4,468 square kilometers supports over 3.6 million people, of which 2.3 million live in Metro Cebu.

The east and west coasts are separated by a mountainous spine which rises to 1,000 metres. The climate is warm, generally 23 to 33 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year, except for the summer months from March to May which are dry.

Beaches, coral atolls, islands and rich fishing grounds surround Cebu.

Cebu's central location, proximity to unusually exotic tourist destination, ready access to a diversity of plant, animal and geological wonders within the island, and remoteness from earthquake and typhoon activity are some of the special attributes which help maintain Cebu's track record.

Dialect

Bisaya (or visaya) is the dialect in the province, which is also widely spoken in the Visayas and Mindanao. Tagalog and English are also spoken and understood.

Transport and communications

Today, nearly 8 km. of shipping berths line Cebu's deep water port area, now the largest outside Manila. Efficient container handling, trucking and storage is available. The modern Mactan-Cebu International Airport is a major international gateway with direct flights to many countries. B747-400 aircraft at maximum takeoff weight can use the airport in all weathers.

Cebu's modern communications links utilize satellites, cellular telephone networks and routine land based telephone services. High quality broad band links and IDD services are available and compatible with systems worldwide. Direct links are maintained with over 116 countries. Cebu has a very high density of computer installations, and full access to the internet

Radio and television broadcast services are popular advertising mediums. Cable and satellite television installation among homes is common. The government postal services is efficient and is supplemented by established courier companies. The Philippines major cargo and logistics companies, LBC and 2Go have dozens of outlets in Metro Cebu. FedEx, UPS, and DHL, three of the largest cargo and logistics companies in the world, also have minor operations around Metro Cebu.

ports and Leisure

The island of Cebu is, basically, a tourist-friendly one.

The southern town of Moal-boal is famous for its diving spots. Small vacation houses-cum-resort are the accommodation norm around here.

There currently nine (9) golf-courses, around the island, to choose from.

One of the island's limited array of sporting venues is the Cebu City Sports Complex. The complex was constructed when Cebu City hosted the 'Palarong Pambansa' (National Olympics). The main feature of the complex is its track and field oval, along with a 10,000-seater 'main' grandstand. An Olympic-sized swimming pool, along with a 1,000-seater grandstand, sits next to the 'main' grandstand.

Industries

Copper and dolomite mining, industrial parts assembly, food processing, footwear, handicraft, rattancraft, woodcraft, metalcraft, garments, shellcraft, ceramics, basketware, rattan and wicker furniture, cement, costume jewelry, giftware, fertilizer, stonecraft, food products and preserves, electronic devices, transistors and diodes, vehicle assembly, agricultural products.

Also, bone fishing is now one of the new fly-fishing adventures that draw thousands each year.