Borneo Island

Borneo is a major island in Southeast Asia and one of the world’s largest islands; politically it is divided between Indonesia, Malaysia and the small sovereign state of Brunei. The island is notable for extensive tropical rainforests and exceptionally high biodiversity.

Visitors are drawn to rainforest reserves, wildlife such as orangutans, and river-based ecotourism, as well as cultural experiences in coastal and highland communities. Large protected areas and national parks provide opportunities for guided wildlife viewing and river expeditions.

Historically the island was home to indigenous groups and later attracted colonial powers; in the 20th century the territory was partitioned into its present-day political units. Extraction industries and agricultural expansion have driven economic activity and land-use change.

Geographically Borneo lies in the centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, bounded by the South China Sea to the north and the Java Sea to the south, with a central mountainous spine and extensive coastal lowlands.

• Biodiversity: One of the world’s largest tropical islands and shared by three countries, it contains extensive rainforests with very high biodiversity, including endemic species such as orangutans.
• Conservation issues: Large tracts of primary forest have been affected by logging and agricultural conversion in recent decades, creating important conservation priorities.

What to See#

• Kalimantan (Indonesia): The Indonesian-administered region known as Kalimantan, covering the largest share of the island and containing extensive lowland and peat swamp forests.
• Sabah and Sarawak (Malaysia): A Malaysian state on the northern coast featuring a mix of coastal lowlands, rainforests and mountainous interior; major administrative centre at Kota Kinabalu is on the nearby island of Borneo’s Sabah region.
• Brunei: A small, sovereign monarchy on the northern coast with oil-rich territory and dense lowland rainforest.