41 Interesting Borneo Facts To Know About This Evergreen Island

Borneo is known as the 'Sleeping Beauty of Asia.'

It is the third-largest island in the world, after Greenland and Australia. Borneo is not just another island, but it is a part of Asia, and its name obtained from the Indonesian language means 'the great state or country.'

Borneo has boundaries with the following countries: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, East Timor, and West Timor. The total area of Borneo Island is 4.6 million sq mi (12 million sq km). The island's highest mountain is Mount Kinabalu, which rises to 13,410 ft (4,087.3 m).

Two mountain ranges surround Borneo Island. The first mountain range is the Main Range and runs from east to west along almost the entire length of Borneo Island, with an approximate width of 155 mi (249.4 km). Its highest peak is Mount Kinabalu at 13,410 ft (4,087.3 m) above sea level.

The second mountain range is the Ligesing Range, which runs from south to north, dividing Borneo Island into two. It runs from West Kalimantan to Sabah and north to south of Sarawak.

There are many rivers on the island, about 18 in number. The largest rivers on the island are Kapuas River which is 710 mi (1142.6 km) long,Kayan River, which is 358 mi (576 km) long. And Sibu River is 205 mi (330 km) long.

The majority of the people living in Borneo Island, 462 million, live in West Malaysia and East Malaysia.

Borneo Geographic Location

Borneo in Southeast Asia is the third-largest island in the world. While it is a part of Indonesia, significant cities across its coasts have been given special autonomy to administer themselves. Borneo has a lot of forests that encompass 60% of its land area.

To be precise, Malaysian Borneo is located east of the South China Sea and southwest of the Philippines. It is shared by three countries: Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

The island of Borneo sits near the equator and has abundant amounts of rainfall every year. The temperature range on this island is from 69.8-80.6 F (21-27 C).

The rainforest, which was once lush and abundant, has now been reduced due to the excessive logging of its trees.

It is a large island with approximately 722,000 sq mi (1869971.4 sq km) in size. It is surrounded on three sides from the West China Sea, the South China Sea, and East (northeast) by the Celebes Sea.

The largest city on Borneo is Kota Kinabalu, located on Sabah's eastern coast.

About 577,000 sq mi (1494423 sq km) of the island is in Malaysia, while 263,000 sq mi (681166.8 sq km) are Indonesia's.

Brunei is located on the island's north coast with just a little over 2,700 sq mi (6992.96 km).

To the East of Borneo geographically is the island of Java and Sumatra. On the contrary, located to the north are the Philippines and Taiwan. To the Southwest lies Sulawesi, while the Philippines are located to its West.

Climate And Population Of Borneo Island

Borneo falls in the tropical rainforest belt within South East Asia. The climate is humid and hot throughout most of the year, with some noticeable differences between coastal and inland regions.

The temperature gets as high as 82 F (27.7 C) and as low as 68 F (20 C).

The average rainfall per year is 105 in (266.7 cm) in Brunei, 88 in (223.5) in Indonesia, 84 in (213.3 cm) in Malaysia.

Borneo is home to many tribes like the Penan of Malaysian Borneo and nomadic peoples who live deep in the forest. However, contact with modern civilization is rapidly stripping them of their traditional cultures.

Borneo is home to 40 indigenous groups, among them are - Dayak, Kayan and Kenyah of Sarawak, Kadazan-dusun and Murut of Sabah.

Two large cities in East Malaysia, namely: Kota Kinabalu (the capital) and Miri.

Kota Kinabalu has a population of about 300000 people, while the city of Miri has over 100000 residents.

In Brunei, the capital Bandar Seri Begawan has about 28000 people. The country's second-largest city is Muara, with 23000 people. The third-largest city is Bangar which has a population of 17000.

In Sarawak, the capital Kuching has a population of over 600000, while in Sabah, the second-largest city is Sandakan, with a population of 350000.

The island of Borneo has many ethnic groups that have lived there for centuries. The Iban people claim to be the oldest in the area, and they consider themselves a warrior culture. These ethnic groups are based along the Sarawak river and depend upon farming, fishing, and foraging for food.

The Orang Ulu are based around the Kapuas river and consist of a number of Kelabit, Kayan, Kenyah, Lun Bawang, Penan, Punan Tubu, Tagal Kaya, Tajung, Tring and Ukit. They are primarily farmers that mainly grow rice which is their staple food source.

Traditional Borneo Food And Dishes

The food for Borneo islanders is usually known as Nasi (rice) and sambal. Nasi (rice) is usually served with sambal because they are the primary food source.

Borneo people love to eat fish, and there are many kinds of fish they consume. The most popular fish they like to eat is stingray, mudfish, and catfish. They also love to eat wild boar, deer, and monkeys.

Borneo people also eat rice cooked with many Santan and coconut milk.

My favorite dessert is a sweet and creamy coconut pudding known as cendol.

Borneo's most prominent food items are the bamboo stilts, native to Sarawak, Malaysia's East and West coastlines.

Cellophanesia is another essential food for them. Traditionally, the indigenous people make their homes out of mangrove trees.

The Sarawak Kadazan-Dusun have a taste for the stilt-like fish called sibu pangkal in Malay.

The most popular fish in Borneo island is the Sibu Pangkal catfish. It is also known as boneless catfish or river Pangkal.

Borneo vegetarian food is based on coconut, seafood, and vegetables.

Deforestation Issues In Borneo

Deforestation rates in Borneo have been reported to be some of the highest in the world. This is due to deforestation and environmental degradation issues, which pose a significant threat to the existence of Bornean orangutans.

The island of Southeast Asia has many kinds of trees; most of them are tropical rainforests.

It is home to the largest living organism in the world, a vast rainforest named Heart Of Borneo. It is also home to several endangered species like the orangutan, proboscis monkey, and clouded leopard.

Although these animals have lived there for thousands of years, they are on the list of endangered species because of deforestation that has been taking place on this tropical island.

They are also threatened because of the destruction of their habitat and by the devastation caused by development, coal mining, logging, and oil and gas exploration.

Global warming is becoming a danger to the tribes and the wildlife here.

Many endangered species are also at risk of being wiped out. In recent years, because of global warming and increased awareness concerning conservation.

There has been a slow but significant decrease in deforestation rates in Sabah and Sarawak alone by 1.6% each year over the last decade!

As a result, many Bornean tribes can now survive better than ever before.

Did You Know?

Oil palm plantations are expanding at an unprecedented rate, clearing rainforests and endangering the wildlife that depends on them. These plantations are not only destroying critical habitats, but they're also releasing vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

By one estimate, deforestation in Borneo is responsible for some 1.5% of global emissions each year as much as what's emitted by all of the world's cars. By 2020, there will be almost no forest left on Borneo unless we stop the expansion of oil palm plantations.

Palm oil in Borneo (Dokong in Iban) has been used by the indigenous populations of Borneo (Dayaks), especially in the interior division. It is also used in parts of Sarawak, Malaysia.

The palm oil is called 'Dokong' in the Iban language, which literally translates as coconut (tree) gracing (oil). The oil is obtained from the fruit's flesh and is called Dokong belian or Kemenyan in the Malay language.

Mount Kinabalu, the tallest mountain seen in the Malaysian states, is located on this island. Rising 13,435 ft (4,095 m) above the island's coastal lowlands, it enjoys a commanding presence over Sabah State in northern Borneo.

One of nature's most gruesome sights is the 'corpse flower,' a rare plant that emits the stench of rotting flesh to attract flies and other pollinators. It is seen in the Borneo forests.

The corpse flower blooms for only one or two days at an interval of about ten years, and the biggest one ever recorded was nearly 10 ft (3 m) tall.

Clouded leopards are common in Borneo. They do not have spots, but their coats are covered with visible clouds, hence the name. These animals are around one meter long and can weigh up to 25 lb (11.3 kg). You can also find other wildlife species like bearded pigs, new guinea pigs, and so on in these oldest forests.

Speaking of rainforest areas, New Guinea Borneo is home to the most ancient rainforest on Earth. In the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, Danum valley is home to a world-renowned Butterworth's Kauri Museum.