Cebu City
From Freepedia
2000 census—718,821
Density—2565.4 per km²
Cebu City (Spanish: Ciudad de Cebú) is the capital of the province of Cebu in the Philippines and is the second most important metropolitan center in the country. The city lies on the eastern shore of the island of Cebu and is the oldest city in the country, even older than the nation's capital, Manila. Cebu is one of the main hubs of international flights into the country and is the most important center of commerce, trade, and industry in the Visayas and Mindanao parts of the country. It is because of this and other important aspects that Cebu City was given the monicker Queen City of the South. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 718,821 people in 147,600 households.
Cebu City is part of an informal metropolitan area which includes the cities of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay. The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, located in Lapu-Lapu City is only a twenty-minute drive away from Cebu City. To the northeast of the city are Mandaue City and the town of Consolacion, to the west are Toledo City and Balamban, to the south are Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla. Across Mactan Strait to the east is Mactan Island where Lapu-Lapu City is located.
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Culture
The city is an important cultural center in the Philippines. The city's most famous landmark is Magellan's Cross. This cross, now housed in a chapel, was supposedly planted by Ferdinand Magellan when he arrived in the Philippine Islands in 1521.
Cebu City is also host to the popular Sinulog festival, held every third Sunday of January in honor of Santo Niño, the "Holy Child".
History
Cebu, or Sugbu, was already a prosperous settlement before it was colonized by Spain. It had trade relations with China and the other countries of Southeast Asia.
On April 7, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah Humabon, who, together with his wife and about 800 natives, were baptized by the Spaniards on April 14, 1521 and are considered to be the first Filipino Christians. Magellan, however, failed to successfully claim the Philippines for the crown of Spain, having been slain in neighboring Mactan Island on April 27, 1521 by its chieftain Lapu-lapu.
On April 27, 1565, Miguel López de Legazpi, with Augustinian Fr. Andres de Urdaneta, landed in Cebu. Legazpi renamed the city on January 1, 1571, from San Miguel to Villa del Santissimo Nombre de Jesus. During this six year period, Cebu City was the capital of the newly established Spanish colony.
Barangays (Barrios)
- See main article: Barangays in Cebu City
Cebu City is politically subdivided into 80 barangays (barrios). It should be 81 since Banawa has been approved by the City Council to be a new barangay.
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Highlights
The University of San Carlos, the oldest institution of higher education in country is also in the city. The University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City is considered as the oldest school in the country, in Asia and the Pacific. Formerly known as the Colegio de San Ildefonso, it was founded by the Spanish Jesuits on August 1, 1595and presently administered by the missionaries of the Society of Divine Word (SVD). This makes the university older than the University of Santo Tomas (1611) in Manila and Harvard University (1636) in the United States of America, though it was elevated into the rank of a university only in 1948.
Related articles
External links
- Philippine Standard Geographic Code
- 2000 Philippine Census Information
- Official City Government Website
- Sun.Star Cebu News
- Make it Cebu!
- Cebu Artists Gallery
- The Freeman News
- Dazzling Cebu! - What it is now..!
- Cebu Real Estate
| Cities and Municipalities of Cebu | |
| Cities: | Cebu City | Danao City | Lapu-Lapu City | Mandaue City | Talisay City | Toledo City |
| Municipalities: | Alcantara | Alcoy | Alegria | Aloguinsan | Argao | Asturias | Badian | Balamban | Bantayan | Barili | Bogo | Boljoon | Borbon | Carcar | Carmen | Catmon | Compostela | Consolacion | Cordoba | Daanbantayan | Dalaguete | Dumanjug | Ginatilan | Liloan | Madridejos | Malabuyoc | Medellin | Minglanilla | Moalboal | Naga | Oslob | Pilar | Pinamungahan | Poro | Ronda | Samboan | San Fernando | San Francisco | San Remigio | Santa Fe | Santander | Sibonga | Sogod | Tabogon | Tabuelan | Tuburan | Tudela |
