Visayas

Visayas

Native name: Kabisay-an (Visayan) Kabisayaan (Tagalog)
Location of the Visayas within the Philippines
Geography
Location	Southeast Asia
Archipelago	Philippines
Major islands	Bohol Cebu Leyte Negros Panay Samar
Area	71,503 km2 (27,607 sq mi)
Highest elevation	2,435 m (7,989 ft)
Highest point	Kanlaon Volcano
Administration
Philippines
Regions	Central Visayas Eastern Visayas Negros Island Region Western Visayas
Demographics
Demonym	Visayan Bisayâ
Population	19,373,431 (2015)
Pop. density	292 /km2 (756 /sq mi)
Ethnic groups	Visayans (Aklanon Boholano/Bol-anon Caluyanon Capiznon Cebuano Eskaya Hiligaynon Karay-a Masbateño Porohanon Romblomanon Waray) Negrito (Ati) other ethnic groups

The Visayas /vᵻˈsaɪəz/ və-SY-əz or the Visayan Islands (Visayan: Kabisay-an, local pronunciation: [kabiˈsajʔan]; Tagalog: Kabisayaan, [kabiˈsɐjaʔan]), is one of the three principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao. It consists of several islands, primarily surrounding the Visayan Sea, although the Visayas are considered the northeast extremity of the entire Sulu Sea. Its inhabitants are predominantly the Visayan people.

The major islands of the Visayas are Panay, Negros, Cebu, Bohol, Leyte and Samar. The region may also include the islands of Romblon and Masbate provinces, whose populations identify as Visayan and whose languages are more closely related to Visayan languages than to the major languages of Luzon.