A view from a resort in Mactan where the Sun is directly overhead at noon. |
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| Geography | |
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| Location | South East Asia |
| Archipelago | Visayas |
| Major islands | Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay and Samar. |
| Country | |
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Philippines
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| City and Municipality | Lapu-Lapu and Cordova |
| Largest city | Lapu-Lapu (pop. 217,019) |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 251,051 (as of 2000) |
| Ethnic groups | Visayan (Cebuano) and other ethnic groups. |
Mactan is an island located a few kilometres from Cebu Island in the Philippines. The island is part of Cebu Province and it is divided into Lapu-Lapu City and the municipality of Cordova. The island is separated from Cebu by the Mactan Channel which is crossed by two bridges: the Marcelo Fernan Bridge and the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge.
The Mactan-Cebu International Airport, the country's second busiest airport is located on Mactan island.
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The island was a Muslim settlement before it was colonized by Spain in the 16th century. Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived on the island in 1521 and became involved in tribal warfare among the tribal groups, only to be killed in battle by the warriors of Datu Lapu-Lapu, one of the chieftains in the island.
By 1730, Augustinian friars established the town of Opon, that was later renamed as the city of Lapu-Lapu by means of the Republic Act 3134, signed by Pres. Carlos P. Garcia on June 17, 1961.
Apart from the airport, today the island is known for its industrial factories, which are some of the most successful industrial ventures in the Philippines. Many of them are located at the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ), an industrial tax-free zone opened in 1979 that includes over 35 business ventures, about 50 percent of which are Japanese-owned.
Also important to the island is its high-class tourism industry and the production of furniture, as well as guitars, ukuleles and other musical instruments.
Being one of the major tourist Islands of Cebu, Mactan Island boasts of a diverse collection of tourist spots and attractions. Being a coral island, Mactan offers some of the best diving, snorkeling, island hopping, jet ski, sailing and cultural activities of any island in the Philippines.
The only aquarium attraction in the Visayas is also located on the island.