VISAYAN (ve-* sii'y'an) ISLANDS, or VISAYAS, the central and largest group of the Philippine Archipelago, lying between lat.
9° 5' and 13° N., and between long. 121° 49' and 125° 51' E.• south of Luzon, and north of Mindanao; land area, 23,502 square miles; total area, 77,840 square miles. It consists of the islands of Bohol, Cebl, Leyte, Masbate, Negros, Panay, Romblon and Samar and their dependent islands, numbering in all 490. Many of the dependent islands are of geographical and conunercial importance; chief among them are Lapenin, Grande and Panglai (belonging to Bohol), Mactan (Cebti), Bilanan and Panann (Leyte) and Guunaras (Panay). The staple products, hemp, sugar, tobac.co, coffee, rice, cotton, corn and cocoa, of the archipelago are cultivated, the production of hemp being especially important in Cebu, Leyte and Samar. All the islands are well wooded; the best varieties of hardwoods grow in abundance, and many resin and gum trees. The mineral wealth
is 'also of importance, the first coal discovered in the Philippines having been found in Ceba. Gold, silver, iron and copper are also found; though these are mined to some extent, the mineral resources are by no means fully ex ploited. The mechanical industries of these islands include sugar manufacture, weaving, the making of sugar sacks and cheese-making (in Ce136). Stock-raising and the trepang, pearl shell and pearl fisheries are also im portant industries. There is a large export trade in the products of agriculture, the manu factures and the fisheries. The land transpor tation facilities are especially good in Bohol, Cebti, Leyte, Negros, and the province of Iloilo, Panay.