East Malaysia

East Malaysia is on a big island.

It is part of a country called Malaysia. It sits near the South China Sea.

This place has many green rain forests. It also has very high mountains.

One mountain is named Mount Kinabalu.

There are long rivers here too. The land has oil and gas deep under it. This helps the people.

Not many people live in these lands. The cities are smaller than in the west. But the land is very large.

It is a beautiful place to see.

East Malaysia is a large part of the country of Malaysia.

It sits on the island of Borneo. This is the third largest island in the world. East Malaysia includes the states of Sabah and Sarawak. It also includes the island of Labuan.

To the south is the country of Indonesia. The small nation of Brunei is also nearby.

The land here is very big. It is much larger than West Malaysia. Most of the land is covered in green rain forests. Some forests are in the lowlands. Others are high up in the mountains.

You can find the five highest mountains in Malaysia here. The tallest is Mount Kinabalu. It is 4,095 meters high.

There are also very long rivers. These are the Rajang and Kinabatangan rivers. Deep under the sea, there are oil and gas reserves. These are important natural resources. Not as many people live here as in the west. Most people live in towns or cities like Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

East Malaysia is a large and important part of the country of Malaysia.

It sits on the northern part of Borneo, which is the third largest island in the world. This region includes the states of Sabah and Sarawak, plus the federal territory of Labuan.

To the south and southeast, you will find the Indonesian part of Borneo called Kalimantan. The small nation of Brunei is also located nearby, sitting inside Sarawak. East Malaysia is separated from the rest of Malaysia by the South China Sea. It is much larger in size than West Malaysia, though it has fewer people living there.

The land in East Malaysia is full of natural wonders and resources.

Much of the area is covered by lowland rain forests and mountain rain forests. It holds the five highest mountains in all of Malaysia. The tallest of these is Mount Kinabalu, which rises 4,095 meters high. You can also find the two longest rivers in the country here, the Rajang and the Kinabatangan. Deep under the sea, there are large reserves of oil and gas. These resources, like the Baronia oil field found in 1967, are very important to the region.

The history of this land involves many different groups of people. Long ago, some coastal areas were part of the Sultanate of Brunei. Other parts of the interior were home to independent tribal societies. In 1888, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei became protectorates of the British. During the 1940s, Japan invaded the region, but Australians fought them away by 1945. After that, Sabah and Sarawak became separate British colonies. Finally, on 16 September 1963, they joined with Malaya and Singapore to form the new nation of Malaysia.

Today, East Malaysia has a special way of being part of the country. Because of the Malaysia Agreement of 1963, Sabah and Sarawak have a high degree of autonomy. This means they have more local control over things like land laws and immigration. For example, people traveling from West Malaysia often need identity cards or passports to visit. In 2022, new laws helped restore their status as equal partners in the federation. This was a big moment for the people living in these states. Even the courts in East Malaysia have their own High Court system.

Visitors come from all over the world to see the amazing sights here. Sarawak is home to the Mulu Caves, which are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Inside these caves is the Sarawak Chamber, the largest known cave chamber in the world. In Sabah, people love to visit Kinabalu Park or go diving at Sipadan Island. Many people live in significant towns and cities like Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, and Miri. While West Malaysia has the biggest cities, East Malaysia is a place of vast forests and deep seas. It remains a vital and beautiful part of the Malaysian home.

East Malaysia is a significant region located on the island of Borneo.

It is often called Malaysian Borneo or the Borneo States. This region consists of the states of Sabah and Sarawak. It also includes the Federal Territory of Labuan. The South China Sea separates East Malaysia from Peninsular Malaysia. To the south and southeast lies Kalimantan, which is the Indonesian part of Borneo. The small nation of Brunei is also nearby, sitting as enclaves within Sarawak.

The geography of the region is defined by vast natural landscapes. Much of the land is covered by lowland rain forests. There are also mountain rain forests found in the hinterlands. East Malaysia is quite large, covering 198,447 square kilometers. This area represents about 60% of the total land in Malaysia. It also makes up 26.4% of the total area of Borneo.

The region contains the five highest mountains in Malaysia. The highest peak is Mount Kinabalu, which reaches 4,095 meters. This mountain is also the highest in Borneo. The region also holds the two longest rivers in Malaysia: the Rajang and the Kinabatangan.

Natural resources play a vital role in the economy of East Malaysia. Large reserves of oil and gas are located offshore. Several important oil and gas fields have been discovered over the years. The Baronia oil field was found offshore Sarawak in 1967. The Central Luconia natural gas fields were discovered offshore Sarawak in 1968. Additionally, the Samarang oil field was found offshore Sabah in 1972. These resources make the region very important to the nation. While West Malaysia has more developed settlements, East Malaysia is much more abundant in these natural resources.

The history of the region involves many different powers and groups. In the past, coastal areas were part of the Sultanate of Brunei. The interior regions were mostly home to independent tribal societies. In 1658, the Sultanate of Sulu gained control of the northern and eastern coasts of Sabah. In 1841, James Brooke became the governor of Sarawak. By 1888, Sabah, Sarawak, and Brunei all became British protectorates. During 1941, Japan invaded the region. Australian forces fought the Japanese away by 1945. Following this, Sabah and Sarawak became separate British colonies.

East Malaysia joined the new Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963. This date is now celebrated as Malaysia Day. The federation originally included the States of Malaya, the Borneo States, and Singapore. However, Singapore left the federation in 1965. Sabah and Sarawak joined as equal partners under the Malaysia Agreement. They have always maintained a high degree of autonomy. This means they have special rights regarding local government and laws. For example, they have their own immigration controls. Even citizens from West Malaysia may need identity cards to enter. They also have separate land laws from the rest of the country.

Political structures in the region have changed over many decades. In the past, political parties in Sabah and Sarawak emerged later than in West Malaysia. Sarawak saw its first party in 1959, and Sabah saw its first in 1961. In 1976, a parliamentary bill downgraded the status of these states. They went from being equal partners to being regular states in the federation. However, recent years have seen a shift in political importance. Since 2008, East Malaysian politicians have played a larger role in the national landscape. In 2022, constitutional amendments were passed to restore their status. These amendments restored the wording of Article 1(2). This officially recognized Sabah and Sarawak as equal partners once again.

There are many unique landmarks and sites for visitors to explore. Sarawak is home to the Gunung Mulu National Park. This park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It contains the Mulu Caves, which include the Sarawak Chamber. This is the largest known cave chamber in the world. In Sabah, Kinabalu Park is a famous UNESCO World Heritage Site. It protects the massive Mount Kinabalu. Another famous spot is Sipadan Island, which is a biodiversity hot-spot for diving. These locations show the incredible variety of life and geology found in East Malaysia.