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Map of the Philippines with Cavite highlighted
Coordinates: 120°52′1″E / 14.26694°N 120.86694°E / 14.26694; 120.86694Coordinates: 120°52′1″E / 14.26694°N 120.86694°E / 14.26694; 120.86694
Country  Philippines
Region CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
Founded March 10, 1917
Capital Imus†
Trece Martires City (seat of government)
Government
 - Governor Erineo Maliksi (Liberal)
Area
 - Total 1,512.41 km2 (583.9 sq mi)
Area rank 69th out of 80
Population (2007)
 - Total 2,856,765
 - Density 1,888.9/km2 (4,892.2/sq mi)
Population rank 1st out of 80
Population density rank 2nd out of 80
Divisions
 - Independent cities 0
 - Component cities 4
 - Municipalities 19
 - Barangays 829
 - Districts 1st to 7th districts of Cavite
Time zone PHT (UTC+8)
ZIP Code
Spoken languages Tagalog, English, Chabacano
† Although Imus, Cavite is the officially-designated capital and seat of government by P.D. 1163, de facto the provincial government functions from, and remains in, Trece Martires City.
This article is about the province of Cavite. For information about Cavite City, see Cavite City.

Cavite (Filipino: Kabite) is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south. To the west lies the South China Sea.

Geography

Cavite is located at the intermediate zone of the metropolitan Manila area. The urban influence of the metropolis together with easy accessibility, adequate infrastructure and fresh natural setting makes the picturesque province an ideal refuge.

History

Cavite is named as the Historical Capital of the Philippines. It is the cradle of Philippine Revolution, and the birthplace of Philippine Independence.

Cavite got its name from a Tagalog word kawit (which means hook) owing to the hook-shaped land on the Old Spanish map. The land was formerly known as "Tangway" where Spanish authorities constructed a fort from which the city of Cavite rose. Archeological evidence in coastal areas show prehistorical settlements. According to local folklore, the earliest settlers of Cavite came from Borneo. In the 1600s, encomiendas or Spanish Royal land grants were given in Cavite and Maragondon. Jesuit priests brought in settlers from Mollucas. These settlers, known as "Mardicas," settled in Ternate and Maragondon.

Other settlements grew and by the turn of the century, Cavite towns were already trading with one another. Traditional industries began to thrive as Manila's commerce grew. In 1872, Filipinos launched their revolt against Spain. Three Filipino priests—Jose Burgos, Mariano Gomez,and Jacinto Zamora—were implicated in the Cavite mutiny when 200 Filipinos staged a rebellion within Spanish garrisons. In August 28, 1896, when the revolution against Spain broke out, Cavite became a bloody theater of war. Led by Emilio Aguinaldo, Caviteños made lightning raids on Spanish headquarters, and soon liberated the entire province. Aguinaldo commanded the Revolution to its successful end: the proclamation of the Republic of the Philippines, on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, the first constitutional republic in Asia, and third established overall, after the Lanfang Republic in 1777, and the Republic of Formosa in 1895.

Cavite proudly stands as a place with a glorious past. Its warm and friendly people, whose ancestors came down with a noble cause, manifest industry and patience in various skills and professions, openly receptive to the entry and exchange of culture and technology that are of value to the province.

In 1942, the Japanese Imperial forces entered Cavite.

Government

Governors of Cavite

Revolutionary Period

First Republic

American Regime
First Commonwealth
Japanese Occupation

Second Republic

Second Commonwealth

Third Republic

Fourth Republic

People and culture

Population

Cavite has a total population of 2,856,765 within an area of 1,512.4 km² making it the most populous (if independent cities are excluded from Cebu and Negros Occidental), and the second most densely-populated province in the country. The tremendous increase can be observed in the year 1990 when industrialization was introduced in the province. Investors established their businesses in different industrial estates that magnetized people to migrate to Cavite due to job opportunities the province offers. Another factor attributed to the increase of population is the mushrooming of housing subdivisions. Since Cavite is proximate to Metro Manila, people working in the metropolitan area choose to live in the province together with their families. Natural increase also contributes to the increase in population.

Among the cities and municipalities in Cavite, the city of Dasmariñas has the biggest population with 556,330 people while the municipality of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo has registered the smallest population with 17,818 people.

Cavite is a highly urbanized growth center of the country. It is classified as predominantly urban having 90.69 percent of the population are concentrated in the urban areas, while 9.21 percent of the population reside in rural areas.

Since year 2000, urban population increased which can be attributed to in-migration due to expansion of residential areas as well as influx of commercial establishments, services and facilities.

Languages

The main languages spoken are Tagalog, Chabacano and English. Chabacano, sometimes spelled as Chavacano, is a creole originally spoken by majority of the Caviteños that lived in Cavite City and Ternate after the arrival of the Spaniards three centuries ago. Around 30000 Caviteños speak Chabacano.

Due to Cavite's proximity to Manila a large number of people have moved from farther provinces, resulting in a significant usage of Bikol, Cebuano and Ilokano.

Religion

In line with national statistics, the majority (80%) of the population are Roman Catholic while adherents of the Aglipayan Church account for 11% and the Iglesia ni Cristo account for 4% of the population. Other Christian sects and Muslims comprise the remainder. However, the strong presence of the Christian Churches such as the mainline Evangelical Churches (UNIDA, IEMELIF, Methodist, UCCP, Baptist and Assemblies Of God), Christian Fellowships (Jesus Is Lord, Bread of Life), and other Christian Churches have increased the population of the other Christian Churches. This may now account for about 5% of the total Cavite population.

Economy

The Cavite brand was launched in February 2009 to distinguish food and other products made from the province of Cavite.

Cavite is one of the fastest growing provinces in the country due to its close proximity to Metro Manila. Many companies, such as Intel, have established manufacturing plants in numerous industrial parks in the province.

As of 2003, there are thirty-one (31) industrial estates in the province. A total of 973 investors have poured their investments in the 718 existing industrial establishments. Most of the investors have established partnership with their Filipino counterparts in varying levels of equity participation.

Since the 1990s when the provincial government launched the Second Revolution with industrialization as one of its priority thrusts, Cavite has become a preferred destination of both local and foreign investors. Rapid urbanization has transformed Cavite into an industrial and commercial in CALABARZON.


Four SM Supermalls and three Robinsons malls are located in Cavite. These are the SM City Bacoor, SM City Dasmariñas, SM Supercenter Molino, SM City Rosario, Robinsons Place Imus, Robinsons Place Dasmariñas, and Robinsons Summit Ridge Tagaytay.

Colleges & Universities

Tourism

Aguinaldo Shrine, the birthplace of Philippine Independence.

Cavite is a historic, picturesque and scenic province providing a place conducive to both business and leisure. Tagaytay City serves as the main tourist center. Historical attraction and sites are Fort San Felipe and Sangley Point, both in Cavite City; Corregidor Island; General Trias; Calero Bridge, Noveleta; Battle of Alapan Marker and Flag in Imus; Zapote Bridge in Bacoor; Battle of Binakayan Monument in Kawit; Tejeros Convention Site in Rosario; and Aguinaldo Shrine, the site of the declaration of Philippine Independence in Kawit. Several old churches stand as glorious reminders of how the Catholic faith has blossomed in the Province of Cavite. Existing museums include Geronimo de los Reyes Museum, General Trias; Museo De La Salle, Dasmariñas; Philippine Navy Museum, Cavite City; Baldomero Aguinaldo Museum, Kawit; and Cavite City Library Museum, Cavite City. There are eight (8) world-class golf courses in the province. Natural wonders are mostly found in the upland areas such as Tagaytay Ridge, Macabag Cave in Maragondon, Balite Falls in Amadeo, Malibiclibic Falls in General Aguinaldo-Magallanes border, Mts. Palay-Palay and Mataas na Gulod National Park in Ternate and Maragondon, Sitio Buhay Unclassified Forest in Magallanes and flowers, vegetables and coffee farms.

The Aguinaldo Shrine and Museum in Kawit is where the independence of the Philippines was proclaimed on June 12, 1898 by General Aguinaldo, the Philippines’ first president.

The Andres Bonifacio House in General Trias is the former home of the country's revolutionary leader The site of his court martial in Maragondon is also preserved. Other historical sites include the Battle of Alapan and Battle of Julian Bridge Markers, the House of Tirona, and Fort San Felipe.

   
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