Central Visayas

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Negros Island Region has been revived by Pres. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. via Republic Act No. 12000 on June 13, 2024. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information. (June 2024)

Central Visayas Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an Gitnang Kabisayaan
Region
Clockwise from the top: Magellan's Cross, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape, Panglao Island, Chocolate Hills, Moalboal Reef
Nickname(s):  Center of Christianity Rehiyon sa mga Sugboanon (Region of the Cebuanos)
Location in the Philippines
OpenStreetMap
Coordinates: 10°0′N 123°30′E / 10.000°N 123.500°E / 10.000; 123.500
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  (2020 census)[1]
• Total	6,545,603
• Density	650/km2 (1,700/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+8 (PST)
ISO 3166 code	PH-07
Provinces	2 Bohol Cebu
Independent cities	3 Cebu City Lapu-Lapu City Mandaue
Component cities	7 Bogo Carcar Danao Naga Tagbilaran Talisay Toledo
Municipalities	91
Barangays	2,312
Cong. districts	11
Languages	Cebuano Boholano Porohanon Bantayanon Tagalog English
GDP (2022)	₱1.20 trillion $20.5 billion[2]
Growth rate	(7.3%)[2]
HDI	0.704 (High)
HDI rank	8th in the Philippines (2019)

Central Visayas (Cebuano: Tunga-tungang Kabisay-an; Tagalog: Gitnang Kabisayaan or Gitnang Visayas) is an administrative region in the Philippines, numerically designated as Region VII. 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.