Central Visayas
Central Visayas
Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an Gitnang Visayas | |
|---|---|
| Nicknames: Center of Christianity Rehiyon sa mga Sugboanon (Region of the Cebuanos) | |
Location in the Philippines | |
Interactive map of Central Visayas | |
| Coordinates: 10°00′N 123°30′E / 10°N 123.5°E | |
| Country | Philippines |
| Island group | Visayas |
| Regional center and largest city | Cebu City |
| Area | |
• Total | 10,114.52 km2 (3,905.24 sq mi) |
| Highest elevation (Osmeña Peak) | 1,072 m (3,517 ft) |
| Population (2024 census) | |
• Total | 6,545,603 |
| • Density | 647.1491/km2 (1,676.109/sq mi) |
| GDP (Nominal, 2024) | |
| • Total | US$26.1 billion |
| • Per capita | US$3,834 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (PST) |
| ISO 3166 code | PH-07 |
| Provinces | |
| Independent cities | |
| Component cities | |
| Municipalities | 91 |
| Barangays | 2,312 |
| Cong. districts | 11 |
| Languages | |
| HDI | 0.704 (High) |
| HDI rank | 8th in the Philippines (2019) |
Central Visayas (Cebuano: Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an; Tagalog: Gitnang Kabisayaan; Filipino: Gitnang Visayas), designated as Region VII, is an administrative region in the Philippines. With only two provinces: Cebu and Bohol, as well as three highly urbanized cities: Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu, and Mandaue, it has the fewest number of provinces out of any region in the country. Despite this, it is the most populous region in the Visayas, with a population of 6,545,603.
The regional center, as well as its largest city, is Cebu City. The Cebuano language is the region's lingua franca. The region is also dominated by the native speakers of three Visayan languages: Bantayanon, Boholano and Porohanon.
In 2015, Central Visayas was redefined when it lost the province of Negros Oriental to the newly formed Negros Island Region. However, the Negros Island Region was dissolved in 2017, returning Negros Oriental to Central Visayas. After seven years, it lost Negros Oriental again, as well as the island province of Siquijor, after the Negros Island Region was re-established in 2024.