Dumaguete has a land area of about 3,551 hectares. On November 24, 1948, Dumaguete became a chartered city of the Philippines.

Dumaguete is rich with historical sites as well as tourist attractions, both man-made and natural. Dumaguete is the home of the Cathedral Bell Tower that was built in 1811. The Silliman University and its Luce Auditorium and Anthropological Museum as well as the Rizal Boulevard are among the man-made tourist attractions of Dumaguete. Structures like centuries-old churches and historical shrines are abundant in the city.

Rizal Boulevard in Dumaguete is named after the Philippine national hero Jose P. Rizal who made a visit to the city on the way to Dapitan to be exiled. Today, Rizal Boulevard is Dumaguete City's place for nightlife because it has a beachfront promenade and many landmark manors.

Natural tourist attractions are abundant in Dumaguete. There are beaches, forests, caves, mountains, lakes, underground rivers, hot springs, dive sites, and other attractions.

Dumaguete is predominantly an agricultural city. The coconut and sugar cane products are the city's top earners. Products like vegetables, rice, fruits, root crops, corn, poultry, and livestock are produced in Dumaguete and shipped out to other parts of the Philippines.

The construction industry is now growing in Dumaguete with the increase of the cement consumption within the city. The small-scale industries in Dumaguete are mainly focused on the cottage-based products.

The climate in Dumaguete City is great. The seasons are wet and dry seasons. June to November are the rainy months and December to May are the sunny months of the city. Dumaguete is seldom affected by strong typhoons.

Dumaguete has a seaport located on the eastern coast of Barangay Looc. The seaport has about 13,231 sq. meters of land area for operations. The seaport of Dumaguete has two lighthouses. The lighthouse that is operational is located at the top of the building of the Philippine Coast Guard. The other lighthouse is non-operational and is located at the Pier 1 entrance.

Dumaguete may be a small city but the city has many interesting sites that the people are proud of. To visit Dumaguete City is to be around people who are warm and friendly.