Visayan Islands

Visayan Islands, island group in the central Philippines, one of the four main groups of the Philippines, lying in the Visayan Sea, between the islands of Mindanao and Luzon. A scattered constellation of land masses separating the Sulu Sea on the west from the Philippine Sea on the east, the Visayans consist of seven major islands—Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, and Samar—plus hundreds of islets. The islands are generally mountainous, with densely populated coastal areas. They are inhabited mainly by the Visayan (also spelled Bisayan) people, an ethnolinguistic group with several different dialects.

Leyte and Samar—the largest of the Visayans—form the eastern edge of the group, shielding the remaining islands from Pacific storms. The mostly benign climate and rich volcanic soil create ideal conditions for growing coconuts, cotton, hemp, rice, sugarcane, and tobacco. Islanders also engage in fishing, forestry, the production of woven goods, and the mining of coal and sulfur. Major urban areas include Iloilo, located on the coast of Panay, and Cebu City, the region’s chief seaport, on the island of Cebu. The diverse economies of the islands’ coastal settlements contrast markedly with impoverished rural districts found in the interior areas. Revenues from tourism have boosted the Visayan economy as visitors flock to the islands’ beaches. Islanders are renowned for their musical prowess and produce handcrafted guitars.

The region was originally inhabited by Visayans, who carried on a flourishing sea trade with other Southeast Asian peoples. In the 16th century the islands were colonized by the Spanish, who established their first Philippine settlement on Cebu. During World War II (1939-1945) the Japanese occupied the Visayan Islands, along with the rest of the Philippines, in 1942. United States forces began the liberation of the Philippines with a landing on Leyte in October 1944.