Mandaue, chartered city of the central Philippines, in Cebu Province, on the Camotes Sea and the east central coast of Cebu Island. Mandaue is located opposite Mactan Island, at the northern entrance of Cebu Harbor, about 6.5 km (about 4 mi) northeast of downtown Cebu. Mandaue is part of the larger Cebu metropolitan area. Founded by Jesuits in the 1600s, Mandaue is today an industrial and residential suburb. Among the industries are food processing and beverages, rattan factories, shell crafts and other handicrafts, and boat-building. A large food-processing plant produces beer, soft drinks, ice cream, and other products, which it supplies to the central and southern Philippines. Mandaue is connected to nearby Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island by the Mactan-Mandaue Bridge. Mandaue's population has more than tripled since 1970, and its average annual growth rate was 5 percent during the 1980s, more than double the national average. Population (1999 estimate) 210,157.
