MACTAN ISLAND

coral island, central Philippines, located in the Bohol Strait off the eastern shore of the island of Cebu. Rectangular in shape, the low-lying island is part of the province of Cebu and has extensive mangrove swamps. It has an area of 24 square miles (62 square km), and it protects the harbour of Cebu City. On April 7, 1521, Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese navigator, landed there; he was killed by Chief Lapulapu on April 27. The spot in the northeast where he fell is marked with a monument, and Lapulapu, regarded as the first Filipino to defeat a Western conqueror, has become a national hero. Coconut production and fishing are the islanders' primary activities. Mactan Island has an international airport, which serves Cebu City. A 2,822-foot (860-metre) bridge (completed in 1973) connects Mactan and Cebu islands. The city of Lapu-Lapu (formerly Opon) faces Cebu City and has major port facilities, including petroleum piers and a shipyard. Pop. (1980) including adjoining islets, 115,178.