The city is located on the eastern shore of Cebu island. It is the first Spanish settlement and the oldest city in the Philippines.[3] Cebu is the Philippines' main domestic shipping port and is home to about 80% of the country's domestic shipping companies.[citation needed]
It is the center of a metropolitan area called Metro Cebu, which includes the cities of Carcar, Danao, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, Naga, Talisay and the municipalities of Compostela, Consolacion, Cordova, Liloan, Minglanilla and San Fernando . Metro Cebu has a total population of about 2.55 million people (2010 Census). Cebu City is bordered to the northeast by Mandaue City and the town of Consolacion, to the west are Toledo City, and the towns of Balamban and Asturias, to the south are Talisay City and the town of Minglanilla. Across Mactan Strait to the east is Mactan Island.Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Cebu city was part of the small rajahnate and trade center of Pulua Kang Dayang or Kangdaya (literally "[the islands] which belong to Daya"), now better known as the Rajahnate of Cebu. It was founded by a minor prince of the Hindu Chola dynasty of Sumatra, Sri Lumay. The name Sugbo (shortened form of Kang Sri Lumayng Sugbo, literally "that of Sri Lumay's great fire") refers to Sri Lumay's scorched earth tactics against Moro raiders (Magalos).[4][5]
On April 7, 1521, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan landed in Cebu. He was welcomed by Rajah Humabon (also known as Sri Humabon or Rajah Humabara), the