Borneo << BAWR nee `oh` >> is the third largest island in the world. Only Greenland and New Guinea are larger. Borneo is about 400 miles (640 kilometers) east of Singapore in the East Indies. About one-fourth of Borneo consists of Brunei and part of Malaysia. About three-fourths is part of the Republic of Indonesia.
The land and its resources.
Borneo covers about 287,000 square miles (743,330 square kilometers). Indonesian Borneo covers about 210,000 square miles (543,900 square kilometers). Sabah (formerly North Borneo) and Sarawak cover about 75,000 square miles (194,250 square kilometers). Brunei’s area is about 2,000 square miles (5,180 square kilometers). They lie along the northern and northwestern coasts of Borneo. Two connecting mountain ranges cut through Borneo. The Kapuas Range lies in the center, and the Schwaner Range in the south. Mount Kinabalu, 13,431 feet (4,094 meters) high, is the highest peak.
Swamps cover much of the coastal area. Tidal silt obstructs the entrances to many rivers and ports. Brunei Bay, on the north coast, has the best harbor. It served as an important Japanese naval base in World War II. Major rivers include the Rajang in Sarawak, the Kapuas in western Indonesian Borneo, the Barito in the south, and the Mahakam in the east. Shallow-draft vessels can navigate these rivers up to 100 miles (160 kilometers) inland. There are many waterfalls in the mountain regions. A hilly plateau circles the mountains in many areas, before dropping to the coastal lowlands.
Borneo has a tropical monsoon climate. Its rainy season lasts from November to April each year. Rainfall ranges from 100 to 210 inches (250 to 533 centimeters). Average rainfall is 120 inches (305 centimeters). The temperature ranges from 70 to 95 °F (21 to 35 °C) with an average annual temperature of 80 °F (27 °C).
Borneo has some of the world’s richest deposits of petroleum. Diamonds have been discovered in many places. The Indonesians call Borneo Kalimantan, meaning River of Diamonds. However, Borneo’s diamonds have a yellow tint, and are not as valuable as the diamonds of Africa. Copper, gold, iron, manganese, and tin have also been found in Borneo. The thick forests contain more than 50 kinds of lumber. Teakwood is the most valuable forest product from Borneo. Benzoin, camphor, rattan, and cutch, a gumlike mangrove-bark product used in tanning, are also gathered in Borneo.
The west coast of the island produces about 8 percent of Indonesia’s rubber exports. Other exports include cinnamon, cloves, coffee, cotton, nutmeg, pepper, rice, sugar, and tobacco.
Rice, the chief food in Borneo, is cultivated almost everywhere on the island. Fruits, sago, sugar cane, and yams also are grown for local consumption.
The people and their work.
Borneo has about 12 million people. About 73 percent of the people live in Indonesian Borneo. The Malaysian areas have about 25 percent, and Brunei has about 2 percent. Most of Borneo’s inhabitants are Dayaks. They live along the coast and in the mountains of Borneo. The coastal Dayaks have mixed heavily with Chinese and other Asian peoples. Most Dayaks follow traditional local religions. Some Dayaks have preserved ancient handicraft skills, and carve beautiful articles out of wood. See Dayaks.
Most of the people of Indonesian Borneo are Muslims. Large numbers of Chinese live in such cities as Banjarmasin, Kuching, and Pontianak. Some Europeans live in Brunei, Sarawak, and Sabah.
Industries in Borneo center chiefly around the production and export of oil and rubber. The largest oil installations are at Balikpapan and Tarakan on the east coast. Borneo produces chicle, a natural latex that was once widely used in making chewing gum. The women of Borneo weave cotton cloth and beautiful mats.
Transportation.
Borneo has about 110 miles (177 kilometers) of railroads and less than 2,500 miles (4,020 kilometers) of highways. Rivers provide transport for most goods. The people use water buffaloes as beasts of burden and for transportation.
Government.
Indonesian Borneo is divided into four provinces—West, South, Central, and East Kalimantan. Governors appointed by the Indonesian Cabinet head the provinces. There is a 40- to 60-member council in each province, appointed by the government. Sabah and Sarawak are part of Malaysia. Brunei is an independent country headed by a sultan.
History.
The west coast of Borneo was dotted by Asian trading stations long before the first Europeans arrived in Asia. The Sultanate of Brunei dates from the 1200’s. Remains of Hindu–Javanese settlements in the 1300’s can still be seen in Borneo. European explorers first reached Borneo in the early 1500’s. Dutch, Portuguese, and Spanish traders arrived on the island around 1600.
In the 1800’s, the Netherlands took over most of Borneo, often by force. British interests gained control of the northwestern area in the mid-1800’s. In 1841, the sultan of Brunei ceded the southern part of his territories, called Sarawak, to an Englishman, James Brooke. He had helped the sultan quiet a local rebellion. In 1846, the British government annexed the island of Labuan. The British declared North Borneo, Sarawak, and Brunei protectorates in 1888. Residents raised few objections to the British administration. Brooke and his descendants, called white rajahs, ruled Sarawak as a self-governing, British-protected state until after World War II. In 1891, the Dutch and British governments officially set up the boundaries of the territories in Borneo.
During World War II, the Japanese occupied most of the coastal sections of the island. In 1946, North Borneo and Sarawak became British crown colonies. Brunei retained its status as a protectorate. Between 1946 and 1949, Indonesian Borneo was divided into self-governing units, sponsored by the Dutch. Dutch control ended in 1949, when Indonesian Borneo became part of the Republic of Indonesia. In 1963, Sabah (North Borneo) and Sarawak joined Malaysia. Brunei remained under British protection until 1984, when it became an independent nation.
See also Banjarmasin; Brunei; Indonesia; Malaysia.
