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Sarawak

Sarawak
State
Flag of Sarawak
Flag
Coat of arms of Sarawak
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): Bumi Kenyalang
Land of the Hornbills
Motto: Bersatu, Berusaha, Berbakti
United, Striving, Serving
Anthem: Ibu Pertiwiku
My Motherland
   Sarawak in    Malaysia
   Sarawak in    Malaysia
Coordinates: 2°48′N 113°53′E / 2.800°N 113.883°E / 2.800; 113.883Coordinates: 2°48′N 113°53′E / 2.800°N 113.883°E / 2.800; 113.883
Capital Kuching
Divisions
Government
 • Head of State Abdul Taib Mahmud
 • Chief Minister Abang Johari Openg (BN)
Area
 • Total 124,450 km2 (48,050 sq mi)
Population (2015)
 • Total 2,636,000
 • Density 21/km2 (55/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Sarawakian
Human Development Index
 • HDI (2000) 0.757
Time zone MST (UTC+8)
Postal code 93xxx to 98xxx
Calling code 082 to 086
ISO 3166 code MY-13
Vehicle registration QA to QT
Brunei Sultanate 15th century–1841
Brooke dynasty 1841–1946
Japanese occupation 1941–1945
British Crown Colony 1946–1963
Self-government 22 July 1963
Malaysia Agreement 16 September 1963
Website Official website

Sarawak (/səˈrɑːwɒk/; Malay: [saˈrawaʔ]) is one of the two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo (Sabah being the other state). This territory has a certain level of autonomy in administration, immigration, and judiciary. Sarawak is in northwest Borneo, bordering the state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo, to the south, and the independent state of Brunei in the northwest. The capital city, Kuching, is the economic centre of the state and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2015 census in Malaysia, the total population of Sarawak is 2,636,000. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is the longest river in Malaysia; Bakun Dam, one of the largest dams in Southeast Asia, is located on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is the highest point in Sarawak.

The earliest known human settlement in Sarawak dates back to 40,000 years ago at the Niah Caves. A series of Chinese ceramics dated from 8th to 13th century AD was uncovered at the archeological site of Santubong. The coastal regions of Sarawak came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, James Brooke, a British explorer, first arrived in Sarawak. Sarawak was later governed by the Brooke family between 1841 and 1946. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese for three years. After the war, the last White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, ceded Sarawak to Britain, and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. On 22 July 1963, Sarawak was granted self-government by the British. Following this, it became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia, established on 16 September 1963. However, the federation was opposed by Indonesia, and this led to the three-year Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. From 1960 to 1990, Sarawak experienced a communist insurgency.


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