Cebu Province is situated in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, consisting of 167 islands. It boasts a total landmass of 5,088 square kilometers and faces the Visayan Sea in the north, the Camotes Sea in the northeast, the Mindanao Sea in the south and the Bohol Strait in the southeast. It enjoys subtropical climate and a monthly average temperature of 22.6-33.1 degrees centigrade, while its monthly mean rainfall stands at 132 mm. November marks the height of the rainy season. The main mineral resources in Cebu are gold, copper and limestone, etc..

Cebu is divided into 6 cities, 47 municipalities and 1202 brangays. Cebu City, the capital of the province, is a city under the direct jurisdiction of the Philippine central government, and is also nicknamed "Queen City of the Southern Philippines", with a landmass of 340 square kilometers and a population of 800,000. The city, its neighboring city of Mandaue and Lapulapu City on Mactan Island form the Metro Cebu with a population of 1.9 million people. Metro Cebu is the second largest city in the country and is an economic, trade, education and financial center second only to Manila. The province has a population of 3.7 million. Cebuano is the major language spoken in Cebu Province whilst Tagalog is also a common language.

The major business sectors are agriculture, fishery, industry and tourism. The largest coconut oil plant in Southeast Asia, whose output accounts for one third of the national total, and the second largest active charcoal plant in the Philippines are located in the Greater Cebu Area. In addition, Cebu is the distribution center for coconut products, mangoes, tobacco and timber. In order to attract foreign investment and encourage exports, special economic zones have been established in Cebu, housing more than 100 foreign companies specializing in electronic parts, fashion clothing, watches and high-grade furniture. As Cebu was ruled in the 15th century by Spain and later by the United States, the local colonist cultures have become an important tourist attraction. The clear sea water and rich marine life make Cebu a haven for scuba diving. In terms of international tourism, Cebu is particularly popular among Koreans. The throughput of Cebu Port accounts for about 80% of the national total and has a capacity much larger than that of Manila Port. In addition, the University of San Carlos with a history of more than 400 years and the prestigious Cebu Normal University are located in Cebu. In January 2007, the Tenth ASEAN Plus Three (10+3) Summit was held in Cebu, which further promoted local development.