Cebu

Cebu
Sugbo (Cebuano)
Nickname: 
The Gateway to a Thousand Journeys
Anthem: Sugbo (Cebu)
Location in the Philippines
Interactive map of Cebu
Coordinates: 10°19′N 123°45′E / 10.32°N 123.75°E / 10.32; 123.75
CountryPhilippines
Island GroupVisayas
RegionCentral Visayas
Founded6 August 1569
Capital
and largest city
Cebu City*
Government
 • TypeSangguniang Panlalawigan
 • GovernorPamela S. Baricuatro (PDP)
 • Vice GovernorGlenn Anthony O. Soco (1Cebu)
 • LegislatureCebu Provincial Board
Members
  • 1st ProvDist
  • Antonio Bacaltos Jr.
  • Lakambini Reluya
  • 2nd ProvDist
  • Stanley Caminero
  • Raymond Calderon
  • 3rd ProvDist
  • Julius Anthony Corominas
  • Dason Lorenz Lagon
  • 4th ProvDist
  • Kerrie Shimura
  • Nelson Mondigo
  • 5th ProvDist
  • Mike Villamor
  • Andrei Duterte
  • 6th ProvDist
  • Dason Larenz Lagon
  • Alfred Francis Ouano
  • 7th ProvDist
  • Cesar Baricuatro
  • Paz Rozgoni
  • Mandaue City ProvDist
  • Malcolm Sanchez
  • Nilo Seno
Area
 • Total (province)
4,943.72 km2 (1,908.78 sq mi)
 • Rank20th out of 82
 excludes independent cities
Highest elevation1,072 m (3,517 ft)
Population
 (2024 census)
 • Total (province)
3,400,522
 • Rank5th out of 82
 • Density687.847/km2 (1,781.52/sq mi)
  • Rank7th out of 82
 • Voter (2025) 
3,407,780
 • Language
Cebuano
Forohanon
Bantayanon
 Population data excludes independent cities
Divisions
 • Independent cities
3
 • Component cities
 • Municipalities
 • Barangay
1,066
+  137 including independent cities
1,203
 • Districts
Time zoneUTC+8 (PST)
IDD:area code+63 (0)32
ISO 3166 codePH-CEB
Income class1st class
PSGC072200000
PatronSanto Niño de Cebu
Websitewww.cebu.gov.ph
* Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue are highly-urbanized cities, politically independent from Cebu Province.

Cebu (/sɛˈb/ seb-OO; Cebuano: Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Sugbo; Filipino: Lalawigan ng Cebu), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas (Region VII) region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a site of highest marine biodiversity importance in the Coral Triangle.

Its capital and largest city is Cebu City, nicknamed "the Queen City of the South", is the oldest city and first capital of the Philippines, which is politically independent from the provincial government along with Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu City. The Cebu Metropolitan Area or Metro Cebu is the third largest metropolitan area in the Philippines (after Metro Manila and Metro Davao) with Cebu City as the main center of commerce, trade, education and industry in the Visayas as well as the regional center of Central Visayas. Being one of the most developed provinces in the Philippines, in a decade it has transformed into a global hub for business processing services, tourism, shipping, furniture-making, and heavy industry. Mactan–Cebu International Airport, located on Mactan Island, is the second busiest airport in the Philippines.

Cebu has the most combined cities and municipalities of any province in the Philippines, with 53 in total. With 9 cities in total, it has the second highest number of cities after its neighboring province of Negros Occidental.