Kai Reisen: Sarawak

Sarawak Malaysia

Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo (the other is Sabah). Located in northwest Borneo, it borders the state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan (the Indonesian part of Borneo) to the south, and the independent state of Brunei to the northwest. The capital city, Kuching, is the state’s economic center and the seat of the Sarawak state government. Other major cities and towns include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2015 census, Sarawak’s population is 2,636,000. Sarawak has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests and rich biodiversity. It is home to several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. The Rajang River, Malaysia’s longest river, flows through the state, and the Bakun Dam—one of Southeast Asia’s largest dams—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, at the Niah Caves, dates back about 40,000 years. Chinese ceramics from the 8th to 13th centuries AD have been found at the archaeological site of Santubong. Sarawak’s coastal regions came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, British explorer James Brooke arrived in Sarawak, and he and his descendants ruled the state from 1841 to 1946. During World War II, Sarawak was occupied by Japan 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 and later became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. Indonesia opposed the new federation, resulting in a three-year confrontation. The federation’s creation also sparked a communist insurgency that lasted until 1990. Sarawak’s head of state is the Governor, known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the Chief Minister. The state is divided into administrative divisions and districts and is governed through a system closely modeled on the Westminster parliamentary system; Sarawak had the earliest state legislature in Malaysia. Sarawak’s economy is strongly export-oriented, driven largely by oil and gas, timber, and oil palm, thanks to its abundant natural resources. It also has significant manufacturing, energy, and tourism sectors. The state is ethnically and culturally diverse; major ethnic groups include the Iban, Malay, Chinese, Melanau, Bidayuh, and Orang Ulu. English and Malay are the only two official languages, and there is no official state religion. Gawai Dayak is an annual festival observed as a public holiday, and the sapeh, a traditional lute, is one of Sarawak’s distinctive musical instruments.

Recommended airport

Kuching Intl (KCH)

Points of interest

Damai Beach

Nearby destinations

Sarawak, Malaysia

Sarawak Malaysia