Bohol (Tagalog pronunciation:[buˈhol]), officially the Province of Bohol (Cebuano: Lalawigan sa Bohol; Tagalog: Lalawigan ng Bohol), is an island province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayasregion, consisting of the island itself and 75 minor surrounding islands.[6] It is home to Boholano people. Its capital is Tagbilaran, the largest city of the province. With a land area of 4,821 km2 (1,861 sq mi) and a coastline 261 km (162 mi) long, Bohol is the tenth largest island of the Philippines.[7]
The province is a popular tourist destination with its beaches and resorts.[10] The Chocolate Hills, numerous mounds of brown-colored limestone formations, are the most popular attraction. The formations can be seen by land (climbing the highest point) or by air via ultralight air tours. Panglao Island, located just southwest of Tagbilaran, is famous for its diving locations and is routinely listed as one of the top ten diving locations in the world. Numerous tourist resorts and dive centers dot the southern beaches. The Philippine tarsier, among the world's smallest primates, is indigenous to the island.
On October 15, 2013, Bohol was devastated by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake whose epicenter was 6 km (3.7 mi) south of Sagbayan. The earthquake, which also hit southern Cebu, claimed 222 lives altogether and injured 374 people. It also destroyed or damaged a number of Bohol's heritage churches.[12][13]