Sarawak

I

Introduction

Sarawak, largest state of Malaysia, located along the north-western coast of the island of Borneo. It is bounded to the north by the Malaysian state of Sabah, on the south by Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo), and on the north-west by the South China and Sulu seas; the sultanate of Brunei forms a coastal enclave in the north of the state. Sarawak is separated from the mainland part of Malaysia, known as Peninsular Malaysia, by some 640 km (400 mi) of open sea. Sarawak is almost as large as the whole of Peninsular Malaysia, with an area of 124,449 sq km (48,050 sq mi); its coastline is about 724 km (450 mi) long. The port of Kuching in the south-west is the state capital.

II

Land and Resources

Kuching lies near the mouth of one of the state's many navigable rivers, the Sarawak River. The Rajang River (560 km/348 mi) is one of Malaysia's longest rivers; the port of Kapit, 160 km (99 mi) upstream, can be reached by coastal craft. Apart from the alluvial coastal plain, which consists largely of mangrove swamps, Sarawak is predominantly mountainous; Mount Murud (2,438 m/7,999 ft) is the highest point in the state. Sarawak, like other parts of Malaysia, has many massive limestone outcrops, which have notable cave formations. Mount Mulu near the border with Brunei contains a vast natural chamber, the Sarawak chamber, and a huge network of passages—including the 51-km (32-mi) long Clearwater Cave. Cloaked in dense, often virgin, rainforest, most of the interior is accessible only by river. Sarawak has a hot, humid, tropical climate. Rainfall is spread throughout the year, with the heaviest concentration from November to February, during the north-east monsoon; annual rainfall averages 3,300-4,600 mm (130-151 in).

III

Population

Sarawak has a population of about 1,954,300 (1997 estimate). The majority of the population is concentrated along the rivers and in the coastal towns; Kuching has a population of about 148,059 (1996); other large centres are Sibu, 128 km (79 mi) up the Rajang River, and Miri. Sarawak is the main home of the indigenous Dayak peoples of Borneo. About half the state's population comprises indigenous ethnic groups, principally the Iban, or Sea Dayaks, and the Land Dayaks. The other large ethnic groups are Chinese and Malay. The official language is Malay (Bahasa Malaysia), but Iban, a Malayo-Polynesian language (see Austronesian Languages), is the most widely spoken. There is a large Muslim population, most of whom are Malays, although there are also sizeable Christian and Buddhist minorities; many Dayak still practise traditional religions.

IV

Economy

Agriculture provides a livelihood for the majority of the population, but timber, oil, and natural gas are the main sources of state revenue. Oil was first discovered offshore in 1910. Sarawak's rich natural gas deposits are mainly located in the Laconia field, which lies off the coastal town of Bintulu, the main centre of heavy industry and of oil and gas exports. Other important export products are rubber, palm oil, cocoa beans, gold, bauxite, and pepper. Rice is the main food crop grown. Tourism is of increasing importance.