Mukah

Mukah
The Batang Mukah Bridge, one of the most notable structures of Mukah.
Towns of Sarawak
Nickname(s): The Melanau Heartland
Mukah Location in Malaysia
Coordinates: 2°53′46″N 112°4′43″E / 2.89611°N 112.07861°E / 2.89611; 112.07861
Division Office location	Mukah
Local area government (s)	Majlis Daerah Dalat & Mukah (MDDM)
Area
• Total	7,916.33 km2 (3,056.51 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	43,284
• Density	5.5/km2 (14/sq mi)
Resident	Tuan Haji Mohd Supaih Bin Hamdan
Walikota	Kr. Abdul Yakub bin Haji Arbi
Nickname	The Melanau Heartland

Mukah is a coastal town which serves as the administrative center of the Mukah District (2,536 square kilometres) in Mukah Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. It is located by the South China Sea, about 2 hours by road from the city of Sibu. Mukah is also accessible by air by MASwings from Kuching and Miri. The duration of both flights is about one hour. There are also speed boats connecting the town of Dalat (about 30 kilometres from Mukah) to Sibu. The speed boat trip takes approximately 2 hours.

Mukah is an ancient trading and fishing port, situated at the mouth of the Mukah River adjacent to the South China Sea. Historically, the town was an outpost of the Sultanate of Brunei. It became part of Sarawak in 1861. It is now the centre of Melanau culture, and the Kaul Festival, celebrated by the local fishermen in April to appease the spirits of the sea, is one of the major events of the Melanau calendar. Just beyond the center of town is the Lamin Dana Water Village, which is a Melanau Cultural Center.

The Mukah hinterland was traditionally a major sago producing area. Of late however, most of the predominantly peat swamp areas that dominate the hinterland have been developed into oil palm plantations.

In November 1862, Rajah Mudah, Captain Brooke Brooke, rescued several civilians from the Moro Pirates after a pitched naval battle off the coast of Mukah. During the fighting, Brooke's steamer named Rainbow sank four prahus and damaged one other with cannon fire. Over 100 pirates were killed or wounded in the engagement while Brooke, the Bishop, and their Sarawakian followers, were mostly unscathed.

According to the National Census 2010, Mukah has a population of 43,284. However, this is the population of Mukah district not Mukah town. The majority of the people is Melanau. Other ethnicities are Chinese, Iban, Malay and others.