BORNEO

Geography location: South East Asia
Archipelag: Greater Sunda Islands
Area: 743,330 km²
Highest peak: Kinabalu (4,095 m)
Administration: Flag of Brunei
Population: 16 million (as of 2000)

Map caption:
The island of Borneo is actually split between three countries - Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia. The southern half is Kalimantan, belonging to Indonesia, the northern states of Sarawak and Sabah are known as East Malaysia, and the tiny country of Brunei is nestled in between these two provinces, on the islands northwest coast.

Administration: Borneo is the only island in the world containing parts of three separate countries. Borneo is divided administratively into:
* The Indonesian provinces of East, South, West and Central Kalimantan
* The Malaysian states of Sabah & Sarawak, and Federal Territory of Labuan
* The independent sultanate of Brunei Darussalam, in two parts

History
The whole of Borneo was controlled by the Malay Brunei Sultanate Empire during its golden age from the 15th to 17th centuries, after the fall of the Malacca Sultanate in Southeast Asia. However, the northern part of Borneo was later controlled by the Malay Sulu Sultanate (1473–1899) and subsequently the North Borneo Company gained control. The territories controlled by the Brunei Sultanate were taken under control by the British Brooke dynasty.
During the Second World War, Japanese forces gained control of Borneo (1941–45) and decimated many local populations and Malay intellectuals, including the elimination of the Malay Sultanate of Sambas in Kalimantan.

Ecology
Borneo is very rich in biodiversity compared to many other areas (MacKinnon et al. 1998). The remaining Borneo rainforest is the only natural habitat for the endangered Bornean orangutan. It is also an important refuge for many endemic forest species, and the Asian Elephant, the Sumatran Rhinoceros and the Clouded Leopard.

Ethnic and biological diversity People
There are over 30 ethnic groups living in Borneo, making the population of this island one of the most variegated of human social groups. Some ethnicities encompass only between 30-100 individuals and are threatened with extinction in terms of culture, language, traditional ecological knowledge, traditional skills, ethnomusic and local knowledge yet to be documented by anthropologists.

Certain indigenous people (such as the Kayan, Kenyah, Punan Bah and Penan) living on the island have been struggling for decades for their right to preserve their environment from loggers and transmigrant settlers and colonists.

Researchers scouring swamps in the heart of Borneo island have discovered a venomous species of snake that can change its skin color. Scientists named their find the Kapuas mud snake, and speculated it might only occur in the Kapuas River drainage system.

Did you know?
* Gunung Mulu National Park is home to hundreds of caves. In fact, It is estimated that the number of caves already explored represents only 40% of the total number present in this national park. The park was named a World Heritage Site in November 2000.
* Visit the Deer Cave, home to two million resident fruit and insect bats. The bats dump two tons of waste in Deer Cave every single day - that’s a heck of a lot of bat poop, so be prepared to hold your nose!
* The recently discovered Clearwater Cave is the largest cavern in the world - it could swallow five St. Paul’s Cathedral or 40 jumbo jets. This dark subterranean channel runs underground for 51km. The best way to travel along it is by wadding knee deep along the stream, but make sure you have powerful torches to see the ancient limestone formations. You will also need the torches to guide you through several river crossings it takes to get there.

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