Central Visayas

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 provinces 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 native speakers of three Visayan languages: Bantayanon, Boholano, and Porohanon. In 2015, Central Visayas was redefined when the province of Negros Oriental was transferred 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, Negros Oriental was transferred again, along with the island province of Siquijor, when the Negros Island Region was re-established in 2024.