Visayan Islands (redirected from Bisayas)

Visayan Islands (vĭsī`ən), large island group (1990 pop. 13,794,991), c.24,000 sq mi (62,160 sq km), in and around the Visayan Sea, central Philippines. The group includes Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, Samar, and hundreds of smaller islands. Samar and Leyte, on the east, act as buffers, protecting the other islands from storms and giving them a mild, Mediterranean-type climate that permits intensive cultivation. The coastal plains of Samar and Leyte are densely populated. Cebu, Negros, and Panay are the commercial heart of the Visayan Islands. Cebu city is one of the region's trade, transportation, industrial, and cultural centers.

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Visayan Islands

 or Visayas

Group of islands, central Philippines. Covering some 23,550 sq mi (61,000 sq km), they are surrounded by the Visayan, Samar, and Camotes seas. The main islands are Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, and Samar. These islands and their smaller neighbours make up the central group of the Philippine archipelago. Agriculture and fishing are important. The major urban centres are Cebu City on Cebu and Iloilo City on Panay.