Keningau

District and Town

Other transcription(s)

• Chinese

根地咬

Keningau town centre

Flag

Seal

Keningau

Coordinates: 5°20′0″N 116°10′0″E / 5.33333°N 116.16667°E

Malaysia

Sabah

Government

• District Officer

Yusop Osman

Population (2010)

• Total

200,985

Time zone

MST (UTC+8)

• Summer (DST)

Not observed (UTC)

Postcode

89xxx0 to 89xxx9

Area code(s)

087

Vehicle registration

Website

www.sabah.gov.my/md.kgu www.sabah.gov.my/pd.kgu

Keningau (Chinese: 根地咬; pinyin: gēn dì yâo) is a district and major town located in the Interior Division and the fifth-largest town Sabah after Lahad Datu, on the south-eastern coast of Borneo in Malaysia.

Keningau is the oldest and largest town in the interior part of Sabah. Keningau is also located between Tambunan and Tenom. The town has an estimated population of 189,970 while the surrounding municipal area has a total population of 200,985.

It also rumoured that Keningau will become the same status as largest town in Sabah after Sandakan and Tawau as the government currently upgrading the infrastructure of Keningau.

The name Keningau is derived from the locally-abundant Javanese cinnamon tree (Cinnamomum burmannii) which is locally known as Koningau. The tree is known as 'Kayu Manis' in Malay, and is sometimes also referred to as the 'king of spices'. The bark of this tree was collected by the British North Borneo Company to be sold as a spice. During the British colonial era, Keningau was one of the most important administrative centres in British North Borneo. The Japanese also used Keningau as one of its main administrative centres during their occupation of Sabah in World War II.

The following towns, suburbs and neighbourhoods comprise the area formally and collectively known as Keningau:

Keningau District covers an area of 3532.82 km² (1364 sq mi). It is situated in a valley bordered by the Crocker Range to the west and the Trus Madi Range to the east and south. The district consists of 43 mukims and 245 villages.

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Wikipedia