North Borneo

North Borneo
Borneo Utara
Protectorate of the United Kingdom
1882–1941 1945–1946
Flag Badge
Motto (Latin: Pergo et Perago) "I undertake and I achieve"
Anthem God Save the King/Queen
British North Borneo border, 1899.
Capital		Sandakan (pre war); Jesselton (post war)
Languages		English, Kadazan Dusun, Bajau, Murut, Sabah Malay, Chinese etc.
Government		Protectorate, Crown Colony
Governor
•	1896–1901	Robert Scott (North Borneo)
Historical era		New Imperialism
•	North Borneo Company	May 1882
•	Protectorate	1888
•	Japanese invasion	1 January 1942
•	Allied liberation	June 1945
•	Restored as Colony	18 July 1946
•	Seven Turtle Islands (including Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi) ceded to the Philippine government	16 October 1947
•	Malaysia Agreement	16 September 1963
Area
•	1936	76,115 km² (29,388 sq mi)
Population
•	1936 est.	285,000
Density		3.7 /km²  (9.7 /sq mi)
Currency		North Borneo dollar, until 1953 Malaya and Borneo dollar, after 1953
Preceded by Succeeded by Bruneian Empire Sultanate of Sulu Sultanate of Bulungan Japanese occupation of British Borneo Japanese occupation of British Borneo British Military Administration (Borneo)
Today part of		Malaysia

North Borneo was a British protectorate located in northern Borneo which was under the sovereign North Borneo Chartered Company from 1882 to 1941. From 1942 to 1945, North Borneo was occupied by Japanese military forces, before they were driven out by Australian troops. From 1946 to 1963, North Borneo was turned into a Crown Colony of Great Britain, known as British North Borneo Crown. During the time also seven of the British-controlled islands in north-eastern Borneo named Turtle Islands together with Cagayan de Tawi-Tawi were ceded to the Philippine government under a past treaty signed between the United Kingdom and the United States. Today, the former North Borneo is part of Malaysia as the state of Sabah, apart from the island group of Labuan which was separated from the rest in 1984 to form a Federal Territory, administered directly from the federal government.

Before the eastern part of the territory was ceded by the Sultanate of Brunei to the Sultanate of Sulu as a gift for helping the Bruneian forces during a civil war that happened in Brunei, the whole territory was once under the rule of the Bruneian Empire. In 1761, British East India Company officer Alexander Dalrymple concluded an agreement with the Sultan of Sulu to allow him occupation of Balambangan Island, located 51 km off the coast of Kudat and known to the British as Felicia Island. A free port was then established here which was of importance for the interest of Britain in the east Asia region, namely, trade with China. The port however failed to become a long term success due to constant pirate attacks as well as other reasons and the British left in 1805.