125-491: The Belayan River is a river of Borneo , Indonesia, 1300 km northeast of the capital Jakarta . It is a tributary of the Mahakam River . The river traverses three districts in the upstream area of Kutai Kartanegara Regency , namely Kenohan, Kembang Janggut, and Tabang. The high flow rate during flooding constantly eroded the land on the river banks, causing damage to the houses built next to it. Belayan flows into
250-659: A British protected state (which continued until 1984). But, when the Raj of Sarawak annexed Brunei's Pandaruan District in 1890, the British did not take any action to stop it. They did not regard either Brunei or the Raj of Sarawak as 'foreign' (per the Treaty of Protection). This final annexation by Sarawak left Brunei with its current small land mass and separation into two parts. British residents were introduced in Brunei under
375-934: A Currency Interchangeability Agreement . According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Brunei is ranked ninth in the world by gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity . Brunei is a member of the United Nations , the World Trade Organization , the East Asia Summit , the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation , the Non-Aligned Movement , the Commonwealth of Nations , and ASEAN . According to local historiography, Brunei
500-730: A civil war from 1660 to 1673. The British have intervened in the affairs of Brunei on several occasions. Britain attacked Brunei in July 1846 due to internal conflicts over who was the rightful Sultan. In the 1880s, the decline of the Bruneian Empire continued. The sultan granted land (now Sarawak) to James Brooke , who had helped him quell a rebellion, and allowed him to establish the Raj of Sarawak . Over time, Brooke and his nephews (who succeeded him) leased or annexed more land. Brunei lost much of its territory to him and his dynasty, known as
625-429: A geophysicist , who conducted a survey there. In 1927, gas seepages were reported in the area. Seria Well Number One (S-1) was drilled on 12 July 1928. Oil was struck at 297 metres (974 ft) on 5 April 1929. Seria Well Number 2 was drilled on 19 August 1929, and, as of 2009 , continues to produce oil. Oil production was increased considerably in the 1930s with the development of more oil fields. In 1940, oil production
750-464: A karst areas contains thousands of smaller caves. The Borneo rainforest is estimated to be around 140 million years old, making it one of the oldest rainforests in the world. The current dominant tree group, the dipterocarps , has dominated the Borneo lowland rain forests for millions of years. It is the centre of the evolution and distribution of many endemic species of plants and animals, and
875-689: A colony named "Ellena" in the Kimanis area. The colony failed and was abandoned, due to denials of financial backing, especially by the US government, and to diseases and riots among the workers. Before Torrey left, he managed to sell the land to the German businessman, Overbeck. Meanwhile, the Germans under William Frederick Schuck were awarded a parcel of land in northeastern Borneo of the Sandakan Bay from
1000-541: A consequence of Australia -Southeast Asia collision. Large volumes of sediment were shed into basins, which scattered offshore to the west, north and east of Borneo as well into a Neogene basin which is currently exposed in large areas of eastern and southern Sabah . In southeast Sabah, the Miocene to recent island arc terranes of the Sulu Archipelago extend onshore into Borneo with the older volcanic arc
1125-618: A fee to the sultanate. He established a monarchy, and the Brooke dynasty (through his nephew and great-nephew) ruled Sarawak for 100 years; the leaders were known as the White Rajahs . Brooke also acquired the island of Labuan for Great Britain in 1846 through the Treaty of Labuan with the sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddin II on 18 December 1846. The region of northern Borneo came under
1250-676: A former Secretary to the British Resident, Ernest Edgar Pengilly, was appointed chief administrative officer under the Japanese Governor. The Japanese had proposed that Pengilly retain his position under their administration, but he declined. Both he and other British nationals still in Brunei were interned by the Japanese at Batu Lintang camp in Sarawak. While the British officials were under Japanese guard, Ibrahim made
1375-648: A new constitution was written declaring Brunei a self-governing state, while its foreign affairs, security, and defence remained the responsibility of the United Kingdom. A small rebellion erupted against the monarchy in 1962, which was suppressed with help of the UK. Known as the Brunei Revolt , the rebellion contributed to the Sultan's decision to opt out of joining the emerging state now called Malaysia under
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#17327762267561500-624: A point of personally shaking each one by the hand and wishing him well. The Sultan retained his throne and was given a pension and honours by the Japanese. During the later part of the occupation, he resided at Tantuya, Limbang and had little to do with the Japanese. Most of the Malay government officers were retained by the Japanese. Brunei's administration was reorganised into five prefectures, which included British North Borneo . The Prefectures included Baram , Labuan , Lawas , and Limbang . Ibrahim hid numerous significant government documents from
1625-546: A population density of 30.8 inhabitants per square kilometre (80 inhabitants per square mile). Most of the population lives in coastal cities, although the hinterland has small towns and villages along the rivers. May includes the offshore islands and its populations Due to its size, Brunei is further subdivided into 4 districts ( mukim ), which is similar to the size of smaller administrative units in Indonesia ( kecamatan ) and Malaysia ( daerah ) Data based on
1750-678: A territorial conflict between Hindu Tondo and Muslim Manila in the Philippines by appointing the Bruneian descended Rajah Ache of Manila as admiral of the Bruneian navy in a rivalry against Tondo and as the enforcer of Bruneian interests in the Philippines. He subsequently encountered the Magellan expedition wherein Antonio Pigafetta noted that under orders from his grandfather the Sultan of Brunei, Ache had previously sacked
1875-452: Is Malay and Islam is the state religion of the country, although other religions are nominally tolerated . The government of Brunei is a constitutional absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan , and it implements a fusion of English common law and jurisprudence inspired by Islam , including sharia . At the Bruneian Empire 's peak during the reign of Sultan Bolkiah (1485–1528),
2000-1041: Is Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, Malaysia, with an elevation of 4,095 m (13,435 ft). The largest river system is the Kapuas in West Kalimantan , with a length of 1,143 km (710 mi). Other major rivers include the Mahakam in East Kalimantan (980 km (610 mi) long), the Barito , Kahayan , and Mendawai in South Kalimantan (1,090 km (680 mi), 658 km (409 mi), and 616 km (383 mi) long respectively), Rajang in Sarawak (565 km (351 mi) long) and Kinabatangan in Sabah (560 km (350 mi) long). Borneo has significant cave systems. In Sarawak,
2125-502: Is 2780 mm. The wettest month is December, with an average of 351 mm of rainfall, and the driest is August, with 138 mm of rainfall. Average, minimum, and maximum discharge of the Belayan River at Tabang ( 0°34′10.9092″N 116°1′9.0732″E / 0.569697000°N 116.019187000°E / 0.569697000; 116.019187000 ). The period from 1990 to 2008. (m) (m) (m) (m) The Belayan River
2250-581: Is a statistic of combined indicators that takes into account life expectancy , health , education and per-capita income. Brunei in the ASEAN (dark grey) – [ Legend ] Brunei , officially Brunei Darussalam , is a country in Southeast Asia , situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo . Apart from its coastline on the South China Sea , it
2375-525: Is completely surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak , with its territory bifurcated by the Sarawak district of Limbang . Brunei is the only sovereign state entirely on Borneo; the remainder of the island is divided between its multi-landmass neighbours of Malaysia and Indonesia . As of 2023 , the country had a population of 455,858, of whom approximately 180,000 resided in the capital and largest city of Bandar Seri Begawan . Its official language
2500-631: Is highly dependent on the oil and gas production sector, and the country has become one of the largest oil producers in Southeast Asia. The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak are both top exporters of timber . Sabah is also known as the agricultural producer of rubber , cacao , and vegetables, and for its fisheries, while Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan export liquefied natural gas (LNG) and petroleum. The Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan are mostly dependent on mining sectors despite also being involved in logging and oil and gas explorations. HDI
2625-531: Is known for wood sculptures and other handicrafts. Along the river, there are many ports to transport coals from the mines in Kutai Kartanegara for export. Due to sedimentation, the Belayan River needs to be dredged regularly, so that it flows steadily downstream and doesn't cause much flooding. The Belayan River is a habitat of the Mahakam or Irrawaddy dolphin ( Orcaella brevirostris ), one of
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#17327762267562750-541: Is now Cambodia. This alternative Srivijaya known as Vijayapura referring to Brunei, was known to Arabic sources as "Sribuza". One of the earliest Chinese records of an independent kingdom in Borneo is the 977 AD letter to the Chinese emperor from the ruler of Boni, which some scholars believe to refer to Borneo. The Bruneians regained their independence from Srivijaya due to the onset of a Javanese-Sumatran war. In 1225,
2875-702: Is vital for the population along its banks for transportation, water source for daily life, and also for occupation for some inhabitants, such as fish and gold. The river is important for the people of three districts, Kenohan, Kembang Janggut, and Tabang, even for centuries was the only access route to those three districts. Upstream of Belayan, there are some villages of the Dayak Kenyak tribe, such as Ritan Baru, Tabang District, which can be reached in about one or two days by boat or ferry from Samarinda . It took about two days and one night to travel from Tabang to Tenggarong using river transportation. The local Dayak tribe
3000-615: The Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1824 to exchange trading ports in Malay Peninsula and Sumatra that were under their controls and assert spheres of influence. This resulted in indirectly establishing British- and Dutch-controlled areas in the north (Malay Peninsula) and south (Sumatra and Riau Islands) respectively. In 1895, Marcus Samuel received a concession in the Kutei area of east Borneo, and based on oil seepages in
3125-712: The Brunei kingdom in the 16th century during the Age of Exploration . On a map from around 1601, Brunei city is referred to as Borneo, and the whole island is also labelled Borneo. The name Borneo may derive from the Sanskrit word váruṇa ( वरुण ), meaning either "water" or Varuna , the Hindu god of rain. Another source said it was from the Sanskrit word Kalamanthana , meaning "burning weather" possibly to describe its hot and humid tropical weather. In Indianized Malay era
3250-607: The Bruneian Empire under the Muslim Bolkiah dynasty, Brunei is believed to have been under Buddhist rulers. It was renamed "Barunai" in the 14th century, possibly influenced by the Sanskrit word " varuṇ " ( वरुण ), meaning "seafarers". The word " Borneo " is of the same origin. In the country's full name, Negara Brunei Darussalam , darussalam ( Arabic : دار السلام ) means "abode of peace", while negara means "country" in Malay . A shortened version of
3375-790: The Conspiracy of the Maharlikas , an attempt by Filipinos to link up with the Brunei Sultanate and Japanese Shogunate to expel the Spaniards from the Philippines. However, upon the Spanish suppression of the conspiracy, the Bruneian descended aristocracy of precolonial Manila were exiled to Guerrero, Mexico which consequently later became a center of the Mexican war of independence against Spain . The local Brunei accounts of
3500-646: The Kawaguchi Detachment from Cam Ranh Bay at Kuala Belait . After six days' fighting, they occupied the entire country. The only Allied troops in the area were the 2nd Battalion of the 15th Punjab Regiment based at Kuching , Sarawak. Once the Japanese occupied Brunei, they made an agreement with Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin over governing the country. Inche Ibrahim (known later as Pehin Datu Perdana Menteri Dato Laila Utama Awang Haji Ibrahim),
3625-1026: The Mahakam River delta , Mark Abrahams struck oil in February 1897. This was the discovery of the Sanga Sanga Oil Field, a refinery was built in Balikpapan , and discovery of the Samboja Oil Field followed in 1909. In 1901, the Pamusian Oil Field was discovered on Tarakan , and the Bunyu Oil Field in 1929. Royal Dutch Shell discovered the Miri Oil Field in 1910, and the Seria oil field in 1929. During World War II, Japanese forces gained control and occupied most areas of Borneo from 1941 to 1945. In
3750-511: The Mahakam River near Muhuran, Kotabangun, and Bukit Tinjawang. The river flows in the eastern area of Borneo island with a predominantly tropical rainforest climate (designated as Af in the Köppen-Geiger climate classification). The annual average temperature in the area is 23 °C. The warmest month is March, when the average temperature is around 24 °C, and the coldest is January, at 22 °C. The average annual rainfall
3875-641: The Maritime Jade Road , as ascertained by archeological research. The trading network existed for 3,000 years, between 2000 BC to 1000 AD. The settlement known as Vijayapura was a vassal-state to the Buddhist Srivijaya empire and was thought to be located in Borneo's Northwest which flourished in the 7th Century. Vijayapura itself upon earlier in its history, was a rump state of the fallen multi-ethnic: Austronesian, Austroasiatic and Indian, Funan Civilization ; previously located in what
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4000-558: The Sandakan Death March . In addition, of the total of 17,488 Javanese labourers brought in by the Japanese during the occupation, only 1,500 survived mainly due to starvation, harsh working conditions and maltreatment. The Dayak and other indigenous people played a role in guerrilla warfare against the occupying forces, particularly in the Kapit Division . They temporarily revived headhunting of Japanese toward
4125-487: The White Rajahs . Sultan Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin appealed to the British to stop further encroachment by the Brookes. The "Treaty of Protection" was negotiated by Sir Hugh Low and signed into effect on 17 September 1888. The treaty said that the sultan "could not cede or lease any territory to foreign powers without British consent"; it provided Britain effective control over Brunei's external affairs, making it
4250-455: The sultan of Brunei would be the head of state for the federation—though Azahari had his own intention to abolish the Brunei monarchy, to make Brunei more democratic, and to integrate the territory and other former British colonies in Borneo into Indonesia, with the support from the latter government. This directly led to the Brunei Revolt , which thwarted Azahari's attempt and forced him to escape to Indonesia. Brunei withdrew from being part of
4375-604: The 14th century, Borneo became a vassal state of Majapahit (in present-day Indonesia), later changing its allegiance to the Ming dynasty of China. Pre-Islamic Sulu, then known locally as Lupah Sug , stretched from Palawan and the Sulu archipelago at the Philippines; to Sabah , Eastern , and Northern Kalimantan in Borneo. The Sulu empire rose as a rebellion and reaction against former Majapahit Imperialism against Sulu which Majapahit briefly occupied. The religion of Islam entered
4500-625: The 1990s and 2000s has transformed Brunei into an industrialised country, with its GDP increasing 56% between 1999 and 2008. Political stability is maintained by the House of Bolkiah by providing a welfare state for its citizens, with free or significant subsidies in regards to housing, healthcare and education. It ranks "very high" on the Human Development Index (HDI)—the second-highest among Southeast Asian states after Singapore , which it maintains close relations with including
4625-601: The Allied forces, the meeting was shelved. Sukarno and Hatta continued the plan by unilaterally declaring independence, although the Dutch tried to retake their colonial possession in Borneo. The southern part of the island achieved its independence through the Proclamation of Indonesian Independence on 17 August 1945. The southern part saw guerrilla conflicts followed by Dutch blockade to cut supplies for nationalist within
4750-603: The British to halt such efforts, and as a result a Treaty of Protection was signed in 1888, rendering Brunei a British protectorate. Before the acquisition by the British, the Americans also managed to establish their temporary presence in northwestern Borneo after acquiring a parcel of land from the Sultanate of Brunei. A company known as American Trading Company of Borneo was formed by Joseph William Torrey , Thomas Bradley Harris and several Chinese investors, establishing
4875-426: The British trying to maintain their presence in northern Borneo and the Malay Peninsula, decided to launch a military infiltration, later known as the confrontation , from 1962 to 1969. As a response to the growing opposition, the British deployed their armed forces to guard their colonies against Indonesian and communist revolts, which was also participated by Australia and New Zealand . The Philippines opposed
5000-402: The Buddhist city of Loue in Southwest Borneo for being faithful to the old religion and rebelling against the authority of Sultanate. However, European influence gradually brought an end to Brunei's regional power , as Brunei entered a period of decline compounded by internal strife over royal succession. In the face of these invasions by European Christian powers, the Ottoman Caliphate aided
5125-452: The Castilian War differ greatly from the generally accepted view of events. What was called the Castilian War was seen as a heroic episode, with the Spaniards being driven out by Bendahara Sakam , purportedly a brother of the ruling sultan, and a thousand native warriors. Most historians consider this to be a folk-hero account, which probably developed decades or centuries after. Brunei eventually descended into anarchy. The country suffered
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5250-411: The Central Advisory Council, an advisory council for south Borneo, Celebes , and Lesser Sunda , set up in February 1945. After the fall of Singapore , the Japanese sent several thousand of British and Australian prisoners of war to camps in Borneo such as Batu Lintang camp . From the Sandakan camp site, only six of some 2,500 prisoners survived after they were forced to march in an event known as
5375-513: The Chinese admiral Zheng He visited the Brunei in the early 15th century, he founded a major trading port which included Chinese people who were actively trading with China. During the 15th century, Boni had seceded from Majapahit and then converted to Islam. Thus transforming into the independent Sultanate of Brunei. Brunei became a Hashemite state when she allowed the Arab Emir of Mecca, Sharif Ali , to become her third sultan. As customary for close affiliation and alliances in Southeast Asia,
5500-543: The Chinese official Zhao Rukuo reported that Boni had 100 warships to protect its trade, and that there was great wealth in the kingdom. Marco Polo suggested in his memoirs that the Great Khan or the ruler of the Mongol Empire, attempted and failed many times in invading "Great Java" which was the European name for Bruneian controlled Borneo. According to Wang Zhenping, in the 1300s, the Yuan Dade nanhai zhi or "Yuan dynasty Dade period southern sea records" reported that Brunei or administered Sarawak and Sabah as well as
5625-445: The Clearwater Cave has one of the world's longest underground rivers while Deer Cave is home to over three million bats , with guano accumulated to over 100 metres (330 ft) deep. The Gomantong Caves in Sabah has been dubbed as the "Cockroach Cave" due to the presence of millions of cockroaches inside the cave. The Gunung Mulu National Park in Sarawak and Sangkulirang-Mangkalihat Karst in East Kalimantan which particularly
5750-433: The Constitution Agreement was signed in Brunei Town . The agreement was signed by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III and Sir Robert Scott, the Commissioner-General for Southeast Asia. It included the following provisions: Five councils were established: A series of National Development Plans was initiated by the 28th Sultan of Brunei, Omar Ali Saifuddien III . The first was introduced in 1953. A total sum of B$ 100 million
5875-434: The Dutch followed suit to increase their economic production. By 1888, North Borneo, Sarawak and Brunei in northern Borneo had become British protectorate . The area in southern Borneo was made Dutch protectorate in 1891. The Dutch who already claimed the whole Borneo were asked by Britain to delimit their boundaries between the two colonial territories to avoid further conflicts. The British and Dutch governments had signed
6000-457: The Dutch only began their trade in 1644: to Banjar and Martapura, also in the southern Borneo. The Dutch tried to settle the island of Balambangan , north of Borneo, in the second half of the 18th century, but withdrew by 1797. In 1812, the sultan in southern Borneo ceded his forts to the British East India Company . The British, led by Stamford Raffles , then tried to establish an intervention in Sambas but failed. Although they managed to defeat
6125-442: The Indonesian portion of Borneo lost 10.7 million hectares (26 million acres) of tree cover between 2002 and 2019, of which 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) was primary forest , compared with Malaysian Borneo's 4.4 million hectares (11 million acres) of tree cover loss and 1.9 million hectares (4.7 million acres) of primary forest cover loss. As of 2020, Indonesian Borneo accounts for 72% of
6250-419: The Indonesian portion spans the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The Native people of Borneo referred to their island as Pulu K'lemantang but not as an ethnic name, when the sixteenth century Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes made contact with the natives which became the name for modern-day Indonesian Borneo. The term kelamantan is used in Sarawak to refer to a group of people who consume sago in
6375-410: The Japanese and remained until July 1946. After World War II , a new government was formed in Brunei under the British Military Administration (BMA). It consisted mainly of Australian officers and servicemen. The administration of Brunei was passed to the Civil Administration on 6 July 1945. The Brunei State Council was also revived that year. The BMA was tasked to revive the Bruneian economy, which
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#17327762267566500-414: The Japanese during the occupation. Pengiran Yusuf (later YAM Pengiran Setia Negara Pengiran Haji Mohd Yusuf ), along with other Bruneians, was sent to Japan for training. Although in the area the day of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima , Yusuf survived. The British had anticipated a Japanese attack, but lacked the resources to defend the area because of their engagement in the war in Europe. The troops from
6625-436: The Malay official name, "Brunei Darussalam", has also entered common usage, particularly in official contexts, and is present in the United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names geographical database, as well as the official ASEAN and Commonwealth listings. The earliest recorded documentation by the West about Brunei is by an Italian known as Ludovico di Varthema . On his documentation back to 1550; We arrived at
6750-488: The Philippine kingdoms of Butuan , Sulu , Ma-i (Mindoro), Malilu 麻裏蘆 ( Manila ), Shahuchong 沙胡重 (Siocon or Zamboanga ), Yachen 啞陳 Oton , and 文杜陵 Wenduling ( Mindanao ), which would regain their independence at a later date. In the 14th century, the Javanese manuscript Nagarakretagama , written by Prapanca in 1365, mentioned Barune as the constituent state of Hindu Majapahit , which had to make an annual tribute of 40 katis of camphor . In 1369, Sulu which
6875-466: The Portuguese described the place as surrounded by a stone wall . While Borneo was seen as rich, the Portuguese did not make any attempts to conquer it. The Spanish had sailed from Latin America and conquered the Brunei's provinces in the Philippines and incorporated it into the Mexico-Centered Viceroyalty of New Spain . The Spanish visit to Brunei led to the Castilian War in 1578. The British began to trade with Sambas of southern Borneo in 1609, while
7000-426: The Punjab Regiment filled in the Seria oilfield oilwells with concrete in September 1941 to deny the Japanese their use. The remaining equipment and installations were destroyed when the Japanese invaded Malaya . By the end of the war, 16 wells at Miri and Seria had been restarted, with production reaching about half the pre-war level. Coal production at Muara was also recommenced, but with little success. During
7125-405: The Sarawak river delta reveal that the area was a thriving centre of trade between India and China from the 6th century until about 1300. Stone pillars bearing inscriptions in the Pallava script , found in Kutai along the Mahakam River in East Kalimantan and dating to around the second half of the 4th century, constitute some of the oldest evidence of Hindu influence in Southeast Asia. By
7250-541: The Spanish captured the capital on 16 April 1578, with the help of Pengiran Seri Lela and Pengiran Seri Ratna. The Sultan Saiful Rijal and Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Abdul Kahar were forced to flee to Meragang then to Jerudong . In Jerudong, they made plans to chase the conquering army away from Brunei. Suffering high fatalities due to a cholera or dysentery outbreak, the Spanish decided to abandon Brunei and returned to Manila on 26 June 1578, after 72 days. Pengiran Seri Lela died in August or September 1578, probably from
7375-499: The Sultan's decision not to join the Malaysian Federation while it was being formed . Britain's protectorate over Brunei would eventually end on 1 January 1984, becoming a fully sovereign state . Brunei has been led by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah since 1967, and the country's unicameral legislature , the Legislative Council , is simply consultative and are all appointed by the Sultan. The country's wealth derives from its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields. Economic growth during
7500-438: The Sultan, Resident and High Commissioner met to discuss the findings of the committee. They agreed to authorise the drafting of a constitution. In March 1959, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III led a delegation to London to discuss the proposed Constitution. The British delegation was led by Sir Alan Lennox-Boyd , Secretary of State for the Colonies. The British Government later accepted the draft constitution. On 29 September 1959,
7625-471: The Sultanate of Sulu where he conducted business and exported large quantities of arms, opium , textiles and tobacco to Sulu before the land was also passed to Overbeck by the sultanate. Prior to the recognition of Spanish presence in the Philippine archipelago, a protocol known as the Madrid Protocol of 1885 was signed between the governments of the United Kingdom, Germany and Spain in Madrid to cement Spanish influence and recognise their sovereignty over
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#17327762267567750-412: The Sultanate of Sulu—in return for Spain's relinquishing its claim to the former possessions of the sultanate in northern Borneo. The British administration then established the first railway network in northern Borneo, known as the North Borneo Railway . During this time, the British sponsored a large number of Chinese workers to migrate to northern Borneo to work in European plantation and mines, and
7875-473: The Sulu former territories. The Philippine government also claimed that the heirs of the sultanate had ceded all their territorial rights to the republic. The Sultanate of Brunei at the first welcomed the proposal of a new larger federation. Meanwhile, the Brunei People's Party led by A.M. Azahari desired to reunify Brunei, Sarawak and North Borneo into one federation known as the North Borneo Federation ( Malay : Kesatuan Negara Kalimantan Utara ), where
8000-413: The Supplementary Protectorate Agreement in 1906. The residents were to advise the sultan on all matters of administration. Over time, the resident assumed more executive control than the sultan. The residential system ended in 1959. Petroleum was discovered in 1929 after several fruitless attempts. Two men, F. F. Marriot and T. G. Cochrane, smelled oil near the Seria river in late 1926. They informed
8125-443: The administration of North Borneo Chartered Company following the acquisition of territory from the Sultanates of Brunei and Sulu by a German businessman and adventurer named Baron von Overbeck , before it was passed to the British Dent brothers (comprising Alfred Dent and Edward Dent). Further expansion by the British continued into the Borneo interior. This led the 26th sultan of Brunei, Hashim Jalilul Alam Aqamaddin to appeal
8250-453: The annual global tropical timber acquisition comes from Borneo. Palm oil plantations have been widely developed and are rapidly encroaching on the last remnants of primary rainforest. Forest fires since 1997, started by the locals to clear the forests for plantations were exacerbated by an exceptionally dry El Niño season, worsening the annual shrinkage of the rainforest. During these fires, hotspots were visible on satellite images and
8375-508: The beleaguered Southeast Asian Sultanates by making Aceh a protectorate and sending expeditions to reinforce, train and equip the local mujahideen . Turks were routinely migrating to Brunei as evidenced by the complaints of Manila Oidor Melchor Davalos who in his 1585 report, say that Turks were coming to Sumatra, Borneo and Ternate every year, including defeated veterans from the Battle of Lepanto . Spain declared war in 1578, planning to attack and capture Kota Batu , Brunei's capital at
8500-425: The desires of its indigenous people and following the disposition of Malaya . Sukarno and Mohammad Yamin meanwhile continuously advocated for a Greater Indonesian republic. Towards the end of the war, Japan decided to give an early independence to a new proposed country of Indonesia on 17 July 1945, with an Independence Committee meeting scheduled for 19 August 1945. However, following the surrender of Japan to
8625-490: The discovery of the oldest known figurative art painting , over 40,000 (perhaps as old as 52,000) years old, of an unknown animal, in the cave of Lubang Jeriji Saléh on the island of Borneo. It has been proposed, based on house construction styles, linguistic and genetic evidence, that Madagascar may have been first populated from southern Borneo. According to ancient Chinese (977), Indian and Japanese manuscripts, western coastal cities of Borneo had become trading ports by
8750-452: The east, and the Java Sea and Karimata Strait to the south. To the west of Borneo are the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra . To the south and east are islands of Indonesia: Java and Sulawesi , respectively. To the northeast are the Philippine Islands . With an area of 743,330 square kilometres (287,000 sq mi), it is the third-largest island in the world, and is the largest island of Asia (the largest continent). Its highest point
8875-473: The end of the war, with Allied Z Special Unit provided assistance to them. Australia contributed significantly to the liberation of Borneo. The Australian Imperial Force was sent to Borneo to fight off the Japanese. Together with other Allies, the island was completely liberated in 1945. In May 1945, officials in Tokyo suggested that whether northern Borneo should be included in the proposed new country of Indonesia should be separately determined based on
9000-562: The first millennium AD. In Chinese manuscripts, gold, camphor , tortoise shells, hornbill ivory , rhinoceros horn, crane crest , beeswax , lakawood (a scented heartwood and root wood of a thick liana , Dalbergia parviflora ), dragon's blood , rattan , edible bird's nests and various spices were described as among the most valuable items from Borneo. The Indians named Borneo Suvarnabhumi (the land of gold) and also Karpuradvipa (Camphor Island). The Javanese named Borneo Puradvipa , or Diamond Island. Archaeological findings in
9125-550: The first stage of the war, the British saw the Japanese advance to Borneo as motivated by political and territorial ambitions rather than economic factors. The occupation drove many people in the coastal towns to the interior, searching for food and escaping the Japanese. The Chinese residents in Borneo, especially with the Sino-Japanese War in Mainland China mostly resisted the Japanese occupation. Following
9250-619: The formation of resistance movements in northern Borneo such as the Jesselton Revolt , many innocent indigenous and Chinese people were executed by the Japanese for their alleged involvement. In Kalimantan, the Japanese also killed many Malay intellectuals, executing all the Malay sultans of West Kalimantan in the Pontianak incidents , together with Chinese people who were already against the Japanese for suspecting them to be threats. Sultan Muhammad Ibrahim Shafi ud-din II of Sambas
9375-599: The former low-lying areas of the peninsula. Deeper waters separating Borneo from neighbouring Sulawesi prevented a land connection to that island, creating the divide known as Wallace's Line between Asian and Australia- New Guinea biological regions. The island today is surrounded by the South China Sea to the north and northwest, the Sulu Sea to the northeast, the Celebes Sea and the Makassar Strait to
9500-571: The geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia , it is one of the Greater Sunda Islands , located north of Java , west of Sulawesi , and east of Sumatra . The island is politically divided among three countries: Malaysia and Brunei in the north, and Indonesia to the south. Approximately 73% of the island is Indonesian territory. In the north, the East Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak make up about 26% of
9625-415: The independent Federation of Malaya desired to unite Malaya, the British colonies of Sarawak , North Borneo , Singapore and the protectorate of Brunei under the proposed Federation of Malaysia . The idea was heavily opposed by the governments in both Indonesia and the Philippines as well from communist sympathisers and nationalists in Borneo. Sukarno, as the president of the new republic, perceiving
9750-559: The island as Nusa Tanjungnagara , which means the island of the Tanjungpura Kingdom . Borneo was formed through Mesozoic accretion of microcontinental fragments, ophiolite terranes and island arc crust onto a Paleozoic continental core. At the beginning of the Cenozoic Borneo formed a promontory of Sundaland which partly separated from Asian mainland by the proto-South China Sea . The oceanic part of
9875-540: The island due to its influence in the region) and several islands in the Philippines. During the 1450s, Shari'ful Hashem Syed Abu Bakr , an Arab born in Johor , arrived in Sulu from Malacca. In 1457, he founded the Sultanate of Sulu ; he titled himself as "Paduka Maulana Mahasari Sharif Sultan Hashem Abu Bakr". Following its independence in 1578 from Brunei's influence, Sulu began to expand its thalassocracy to parts of
10000-493: The island in the 10th century, following the arrival of Muslim traders who later converted many indigenous peoples in the coastal areas. The Sultanate of Brunei declared independence from Majapahit following the death of the Majapahit emperor in the mid-14th century. During its golden age under Bolkiah from the 15th to the 17th century, the Bruneian sultanate ruled almost the entire coastal area of Borneo (lending its name to
10125-471: The island of Bornei (Brunei or Borneo) , which is distant from the Maluch about two hundred miles [three hundred kilometres], and we found that it was somewhat larger than the aforesaid and much lower. The people are pagans and are men of goodwill. Their colour is whiter than that of the other sort ... in this island justice is well administered ... Areas comprising what is now Brunei participated in
10250-520: The island's tree cover, Malaysian Borneo 27%, and Brunei 1%. Primary forest in Indonesia accounts for 44% of Borneo's overall tree cover. The island historically had extensive rainforest cover, but the area was reduced due to heavy logging by the Indonesian and Malaysian wood industry, especially with the large demands of raw materials from industrial countries along with the conversion of forest lands for large-scale agricultural purposes. Half of
10375-550: The island. The population in Borneo is 23,053,723 (2020 national censuses). Additionally, the Malaysian federal territory of Labuan is situated on a small island just off the coast of Borneo. The sovereign state of Brunei , located on the north coast, comprises about 1% of Borneo's land area. A little more than half of the island is in the Northern Hemisphere , including Brunei and the Malaysian portion, while
10500-465: The name Kalamanthana was derived from Sanskrit terms kala (time or season) and manthana (churning, kindling or creating fire by friction), which possibly describes the heat of the weather. In 977, Chinese records began to use the term Bo-ni to refer to Borneo. In 1225, it was also mentioned by the Chinese official Chau Ju-Kua (趙汝适). The Javanese manuscript Nagarakretagama , written by Majapahit court poet Mpu Prapanca in 1365, mentioned
10625-524: The new Federation of Malaysia due to some disagreements on other issues while political leaders in Sarawak and North Borneo continued to favour inclusion in a larger federation. With the continuous opposition from Indonesia and the Philippines, the Cobbold Commission was established to discover the feeling of the native populations in northern Borneo; it found the people greatly in favour of federation, with various stipulations. The federation
10750-597: The newly proposed federation, claiming the eastern part of North Borneo (today the Malaysian state of Sabah) as part of its territory as a former possession of the Sultanate of Sulu . The Philippine government mostly based their claim on the Sultanate of Sulu's cession agreement with the British North Borneo Company, as by now the sultanate had come under the jurisdiction of the Philippine republican administration, which therefore should inherit
10875-447: The northern Borneo. Both the sultanates who ruled northern Borneo had traditionally engaged in trade with China by means of the frequently-arriving Chinese junks . Despite the thalassocracy of the sultanates, Borneo's interior region remained free from the rule of any kingdoms. After the fall of Malacca in 1511, Portuguese merchants traded regularly with Borneo, and especially with Brunei from 1530. Having visited Brunei's capital,
11000-498: The northern part of the island. According to Crowfurd, the word kelamantan is the name of a type of mango (Mangifera) so the island of Borneo is called a mango island by the native. But he adds that the word is fanciful and unpopular. The local mango, called klemantan, is still widely found in rural areas in Ketapang and surrounding areas of West Kalimantan. Internationally it is known as Borneo , derived from European contact with
11125-439: The occupation, the Japanese had their language taught in schools, and Government officers were required to learn Japanese. The local currency was replaced by what was to become known as duit pisang (banana money) . From 1943 hyper-inflation destroyed the currency's value and, at the end of the war, this currency was worthless. Allied attacks on shipping eventually caused trade to cease. Food and medicine fell into short supply, and
11250-438: The peat swamp is comparatively infertile, while it is known to be the home of various bird species such as the hook-billed bulbul , helmeted hornbill and rhinoceros hornbill . There are about 15,000 species of flowering plants with 3,000 species of trees (267 species are dipterocarps ), 221 species of terrestrial mammals and 420 species of resident birds in Borneo. There are about 440 freshwater fish species in Borneo (about
11375-633: The plan. The deepwater port at Muara was also constructed during this period. Power requirements were met, and studies were made to provide electricity to rural areas. Efforts were made to eradicate malaria , an endemic disease in the region, with the help of the World Health Organization . Malaria cases were reduced from 300 cases in 1953 to only 66 cases in 1959. The death rate was reduced from 20 per thousand in 1947 to 11.3 per thousand in 1953. Infectious disease has been prevented by public sanitation and improvement of drainage, and
11500-538: The population suffered from famine and disease. The airport runway was constructed by the Japanese during the occupation, and in 1943 Japanese naval units were based in Brunei Bay and Labuan. The naval base was destroyed by Allied bombing, but the airport runway survived. The facility was developed as a public airport. In 1944 the Allies began a bombing campaign against the occupying Japanese, which destroyed much of
11625-676: The projection in the former territories in East Kalimantan Province (prior to the separation of North Kalimantan in 2012) Based on alphabetical order Religion in Brunei (2016) Religion in Malaysian Borneo (2020) Religion in Indonesian Borneo (December 2023) The island of Borneo is divided administratively by three countries. Borneo's economy depends mainly on agriculture, logging and mining, oil and gas, and ecotourism . Brunei's economy
11750-495: The proto-South China Sea was subducted during the Paleogene period and a large accretionary complex formed along the northwestern of the island of Borneo. In the early Miocene uplift of the accretionary complex occurred as a result of underthrusting of thinned continental crust in northwest. The uplift may have also resulted from shortening due to the counter-clockwise rotation of Borneo between 20 and 10 mega-annum (Ma) as
11875-466: The rainforest is one of the few remaining natural habitats for the endangered Bornean orangutan . It is an important refuge for many endemic forest species, including the Borneo elephant , the eastern Sumatran rhinoceros , the Bornean clouded leopard , the Bornean rock frog , the hose's palm civet and the dayak fruit bat . Peat swamp forests occupy the entire coastline of Borneo. The soil of
12000-650: The region. While nationalist guerrillas supporting the inclusion of southern Borneo in the new Indonesian republic were active in Ketapang, and to lesser extent in Sambas where they rallied with the red-white flag which became the flag of Indonesia , most of the Chinese residents in southern Borneo expected to be liberated by Chinese Nationalist troops from mainland China and to integrate their districts as an overseas province of China . Meanwhile, Sarawak and Sabah in northern Borneo became separate British crown colonies in 1946. In 1961, Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman of
12125-504: The resulting haze frequently affected Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia. The haze could also reach southern Thailand , Cambodia , Vietnam and the Philippines as evidenced on the 2015 Southeast Asian haze . A 2018 study found that Bornean orangutans declined by 148,500 individuals from 1999 to 2015. List of highest peaks in Borneo by elevation. List of longest river in Borneo by length. In November 2018, scientists reported
12250-577: The river animals in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , and also of little egret ( Egretta garzetta ). 0°14′00″S 116°36′00″E / 0.23333°S 116.6°E / -0.23333; 116.6 Borneo Borneo ( / ˈ b ɔːr n i oʊ / ; also known as Kalimantan in the Indonesian language ) is the third-largest island in the world , with an area of 748,168 km (288,869 sq mi). Situated at
12375-417: The royal family of Luzon intermarried with the ruling houses of the Sultanate of Brunei . Intermarriage was a common strategy for Southeast Asian states to extend their influence. However, Islamic Brunei's power was not uncontested in Borneo since it had a Hindu rival in a state founded by Indians called Kutai in the south which they overpowered but didn't destroy. Nevertheless, by the 16th century, Islam
12500-566: The same as Sumatra and Java combined). The Borneo river shark is known only from the Kinabatangan River . In 2010, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) stated that 123 species have been discovered in Borneo since the " Heart of Borneo " agreement was signed in 2007. The WWF has classified the island into seven distinct ecoregions . Most are lowland regions: According to analysis of data from Global Forest Watch ,
12625-422: The same illness suffered by his Spanish allies. There was suspicion that the legitimist sultan could have been poisoned by the ruling sultan. Seri Lela's daughter, a Bruneian princess, "Putri", had left with the Spanish, she abandoned her claim to the crown and then she married a Christian Tagalog , named Agustín de Legazpi de Tondo. Agustin de Legaspi along with his family and associates were soon implicated in
12750-426: The southern part of the island upon resuming contact in 1815, posting residents to Banjarmasin, Pontianak and Sambas and assistant-residents to Landak and Mampawa. The Sultanate of Brunei in 1842 granted large parts of land in Sarawak to the British adventurer James Brooke , as a reward for his help in quelling a local rebellion. Brooke established the Raj of Sarawak and was recognised as its rajah after paying
12875-525: The state is claimed to have had control over the most of Borneo , including modern-day Sarawak and Sabah , as well as the Sulu archipelago and the islands off the northwestern tip of Borneo. There are also claims to its historical control over Seludong , the site of the modern Philippine capital of Manila, but Southeast Asian scholars believe the name of the location in question is actually in reference to Mount Selurong, in Indonesia. The maritime state of Brunei
13000-492: The state of Sabah, although his plan failed and resulted in the Jabidah massacre and later the insurgency in the southern Philippines . In August 2019, Indonesian president Joko Widodo announced a plan to move the capital of Indonesia from Jakarta to a newly established location in the East Kalimantan province in Borneo. The demonym for Borneo is Bornean . Borneo had 23,053,723 inhabitants (in 2020 Censuses),
13125-473: The sultanate the next year and declared a blockade on all ports in Borneo except Brunei, Banjarmasin and Pontianak , the project was cancelled by the British governor-general Lord Minto in India as it was too expensive. At the beginning of British and Dutch exploration on the island, they described the island of Borneo as full of head hunters , with the indigenous in the interior practising cannibalism , and
13250-526: The throne usurped by his brother, Saiful Rijal. The Spanish agreed that if they succeeded in conquering Brunei, Pengiran Seri Lela would be appointed as the sultan, while Pengiran Seri Ratna would be the new Bendahara . In March 1578, a fresh Spanish fleet had arrived from Mexico and settled at the Philippines. They were led by De Sande , acting as Capitán-General . He organized an expedition from Manila for Brunei, consisting of 400 Spaniards and Mexicans, 1,500 Filipino natives, and 300 Borneans. The campaign
13375-548: The time. This was based in part on the assistance of two Bruneian noblemen , Pengiran Seri Lela and Pengiran Seri Ratna. The former had travelled to Manila , then the centre of the Spanish colony. Manila itself was captured from Brunei, Christianised and made a territory of the Viceroyalty of New Spain which was centered in Mexico City. Pengiran Seri Lela came to offer Brunei as a tributary to Spain for help to recover
13500-681: The town and Kuala Belait, but missed Kampong Ayer . On 10 June 1945, the Australian 9th Division landed at Muara under Operation Oboe Six to recapture Borneo from the Japanese. They were supported by American air and naval units. Brunei town was bombed extensively and recaptured after three days of heavy fighting. Many buildings were destroyed, including the Mosque. The Japanese forces in Brunei, Borneo, and Sarawak, under Lieutenant-General Masao Baba, formally surrendered at Labuan on 10 September 1945. The British Military Administration took over from
13625-428: The umbrella of North Borneo Federation . Brunei gained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. The official National Day, which celebrates the country's independence, is held by tradition on 23 February. In July 1953, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III formed a seven-member committee named Tujuh Serangkai , to determine the citizens' views regarding a written constitution for Brunei. In May 1954,
13750-530: The waters around the island infested with pirates , especially between the north eastern Borneo and the southern Philippines. The Malay and Sea Dayak pirates preyed on maritime shipping in the waters between Singapore and Hong Kong from their haven in Borneo, along with the attacks by Illanuns of the Moro pirates from the southern Philippines, such as in the Battle off Mukah . The Dutch began to intervene in
13875-505: Was also equally racially diverse. In addition to the native Malay warriors, the Ottomans had repeatedly sent military expeditions to nearby Aceh . The expeditions were composed mainly of Turks , Egyptians , Swahilis , Somalis , Sindhis , Gujaratis and Malabars . These expeditionary forces had also spread to other nearby Sultanates such as Brunei and had taught new fighting tactics and techniques on how to forge cannons. Eventually,
14000-547: Was also formerly part of Majapahit, had successfully rebelled and then attacked Boni, and had invaded the Northeast Coast of Borneo and afterwards had looted the capital of its treasure and gold including sacking two sacred pearls. A fleet from Majapahit succeeded in driving away the Sulus, but Boni was left weaker after the attack. A Chinese report from 1371 described Boni as poor and totally controlled by Majapahit. When
14125-826: Was approved by the Brunei State Council for the plan. E.R. Bevington, from the Colonial Office in Fiji , was appointed to implement it. A US$ 14 million Gas Plant was built under the plan. In 1954, survey and exploration work were undertaken by the Brunei Shell Petroleum on both offshore and onshore fields. By 1956, production reached 114,700 bpd . The plan also aided the development of public education. By 1958, expenditure on education totalled at $ 4 million. Communications were improved, as new roads were built and reconstruction at Berakas Airport
14250-474: Was assigned a British resident as colonial manager in 1906. After the Japanese occupation during World War II , a new constitution was written in 1959. In 1962, a small armed rebellion against the monarchy which was indirectly related to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation was ended with British assistance and led to the ban of the pro-independent Brunei People's Party . The revolt had also influenced
14375-519: Was at more than six million barrels. The British Malayan Petroleum Company (now Brunei Shell Petroleum Company) was formed on 22 July 1922. The first offshore well was drilled in 1957. Oil and natural gas have been the basis of Brunei's development and wealth since the late 20th century. The Japanese invaded Brunei on 16 December 1941, eight days after their attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States Navy. They landed 10,000 troops of
14500-403: Was completed in 1954. The second National Development Plan was launched in 1962. A major oil and gas field was discovered in 1963. Developments in the oil and gas sector have continued, and oil production has steadily increased since then. The plan also promoted the production of meat and eggs for consumption by citizens. The fishing industry increased its output by 25% throughout the course of
14625-463: Was executed in 1944. The sultanate was thereafter suspended and replaced by a Japanese council. The Japanese also set-up Pusat Tenaga Rakjat (PUTERA) in the Indonesian archipelago in 1943, although it was abolished the following year when it became too nationalistic. Some of the Indonesian nationalist like Sukarno and Hatta who had returned from Dutch exile began to co-operate with the Japanese. Shortly after his release, Sukarno became president of
14750-608: Was extensively damaged by the Japanese during their occupation. They also had to put out the fires on the wells of Seria, which had been set by the Japanese prior to their defeat. Before 1941, the Governor of the Straits Settlements, based in Singapore, was responsible for the duties of British High Commissioner for Brunei, Sarawak , and North Borneo (now Sabah ). The first British High Commissioner for Brunei
14875-514: Was firmly rooted in Brunei, and the country had built one of its biggest mosques. In 1578, Alonso Beltrán, a Spanish traveller, described it as being five stories tall and built on the water. Brunei briefly rose to prominence in Southeast Asia when the Portuguese occupied Malacca and thereby forced the wealthy and powerful but displaced Muslim refugees there to relocate to nearby Sultanates such as Brunei. The Bruneian Sultan then intervened in
15000-536: Was founded by Awang Alak Betatar, later to be Sultan Muhammad Shah , reigning around AD 1400. He moved from Garang in the Temburong District to the Brunei River estuary, discovering Brunei. According to legend, upon landing he exclaimed, Baru nah (loosely translated as "that's it!" or "there"), from which the name "Brunei" was derived. He was the first Muslim ruler of Brunei. Before the rise of
15125-527: Was one of many, which also included action in Mindanao and Sulu . The racial make-up of the Christian side was diverse since it were usually made up of Mestizos , Mulattoes and Amerindians ( Aztecs , Mayans and Incans ) who were gathered and sent from Mexico and were led by Spanish officers who had worked together with native Filipinos in military campaigns across the Southeast Asia. The Muslim side
15250-505: Was successfully achieved with the inclusion of northern Borneo through the Malaysia Agreement on 16 September 1963. To this day, the area in northern Borneo is still subjected to attacks by Moro pirates since the 18th century and militant from groups such as Abu Sayyaf since 2000 in the frequent cross border attacks . During the administration of Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos , Marcos made some attempts to destabilise
15375-498: Was the Governor of Sarawak, Sir Charles Ardon Clarke. The Barisan Pemuda ("Youth Front"; abbreviated as BARIP) was the first political party to be formed in Brunei, on 12 April 1946. The party intended to "preserve the sovereignty of the Sultan and the country, and to defend the rights of the Malays ". BARIP also contributed to the composition of the country's national anthem. The party was dissolved in 1948 due to inactivity. In 1959,
15500-484: Was the result of southeast dipping subduction while the younger volcanics are likely resulted from northwest dipping subduction the Celebes Sea . Before sea levels rose at the end of the last ice age , Borneo was part of the mainland of Asia, forming, with Java and Sumatra , the upland regions of a peninsula that extended east from present day Indochina . The South China Sea and Gulf of Thailand now submerge
15625-766: Was visited by the surviving crew of the Magellan Expedition in 1521, and in 1578 it fought against Spain in the Castilian War . During the 19th century, the Bruneian Empire began to decline. The Sultanate ceded Sarawak ( Kuching ) to James Brooke and installed him as the White Rajah , and it ceded Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company . In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate and
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