Difference between revisions of "Borneo" - New World Encyclopedia

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Borneo was the main site of the [[Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation|confrontation]] between [[Indonesia]] and [[Malaysia]] between 1962 and 1966.
 
Borneo was the main site of the [[Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation|confrontation]] between [[Indonesia]] and [[Malaysia]] between 1962 and 1966.
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REDO - The Malaysia negotiations were strongly opposed by the Philippines and Indonesia. The Philippines claimed that North Borneo belonged to them. President Sukarno opposed the idea of Malaysia as it was in conflict with his own dream of Indonesia Raya which would cover the Malay world.
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The Philippines and Indonesia insisted that it was important to get the views of the people of the Borneo territories. A UN mission surveyed the people of Borneo and found the people of Sabah and Sarawak wanted to join Malaysia.
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President Sukarno declared a state of armed confrontation lasting 2 years.
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Malaysia was established 1963.
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With over 40 ethnic groups speaking 65 languages or dialects
  
 
==Natural resources==
 
==Natural resources==
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The type of rainforests found in Borneo include rare [[peat-swamp forests]] and [[heath forest]].
 
The type of rainforests found in Borneo include rare [[peat-swamp forests]] and [[heath forest]].
  
==External links==
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Dayak people
*[http://www.insightnewstv.com/d54 Borneo: Eco Warriors] - Online documentary
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Indonesian Borneo is home to the world's second largest rainforest.
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Madura & communal violence, resentment about forest loss
  
 
{{credit|32610404}}
 
{{credit|32610404}}

Revision as of 06:34, 3 February 2006


Borneo (politically divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei) is the third-largest island in the world. It has an area of 743,330 km² (287,000 mi²) and is located at the centre of the Malay archipelago and Indonesia. Borneo is considered part of the geographic region of Southeast Asia.

Geography

Borneo is surrounded by the South China Sea to the north and northwest, the Sulu Sea to the northeast, the Celebes Sea and the Makassar Strait to the east, and the Java Sea and Karimata Strait to the south.

File:Borneo-VE.JPG
Satellite photo of Borneo.

To the west of Borneo are the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. To the south is Java. To the east is the island of Sulawesi (Celebes). To the northeast is the Philippines.

Borneo's highest point is Mount Kinabalu in Sabah, with an elevation of 4,095 m above sea level.

Administration

Borneo is divided politically into:

  • The Indonesian provinces of East, South, West and Central Kalimantan.
  • The Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.
  • The independent sultanate of Brunei in two parts.

History

The whole of Borneo was controlled by the Brunei Empire during its golden age from the 15th to 17th centuries.

Borneo was the main site of the confrontation between Indonesia and Malaysia between 1962 and 1966.

REDO - The Malaysia negotiations were strongly opposed by the Philippines and Indonesia. The Philippines claimed that North Borneo belonged to them. President Sukarno opposed the idea of Malaysia as it was in conflict with his own dream of Indonesia Raya which would cover the Malay world. The Philippines and Indonesia insisted that it was important to get the views of the people of the Borneo territories. A UN mission surveyed the people of Borneo and found the people of Sabah and Sarawak wanted to join Malaysia. President Sukarno declared a state of armed confrontation lasting 2 years. Malaysia was established 1963.

With over 40 ethnic groups speaking 65 languages or dialects

Natural resources

Dawn in Borneo

The island historically had extensive rainforest cover, but the area is shrinking rapidly due to heavy logging for the needs of the Malaysian plywood industry and also multinational companies such as Mitsubishi take their share. One half of the annual tropical timber acquisition of the whole world comes from Borneo. Furthermore, palm plantations are rapidly encroaching on the last remnants of primary rainforest. The rainforest was also greatly destroyed due to the forest fires in 1997 to 1998 which were started by man and coincided with an exceptional drought season of El Niño. During the great fire, hotspots could be seen on satellite images and a haze was created that affected Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. 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.

In order to combat overpopulation in Java, the Indonesian government started a massive migration of poor farmers to Borneo, called transmigrasi to farm the logged areas, albeit with little success as the fertility of the land has been removed with the trees and what soil remains is washed away in tropical downpours.

Indigenous people (e.g., Kayan, Kenyah, Punan Bah and Penan) living on the island have been fighting for decades for their rights to preserve their environment against loggers and transmigrasi settlers.

The type of rainforests found in Borneo include rare peat-swamp forests and heath forest.

Dayak people Indonesian Borneo is home to the world's second largest rainforest. Madura & communal violence, resentment about forest loss

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