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Borneo is the third largest island in the world, divided between Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. It has a rich biodiversity, with a rainforest surpassed in biodiversity only by the Congo and Amazon rainforests. The island has a low population density and is home to unique and endangered species, including the Bornean orangutan and Sumatran rhinoceros. The island’s nature is the highlight, with beautiful rainforests nestled in the mountains, including around Mt. Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Borneo.
Borneo, located in Southeast Asia, is the third largest island in the world, with an area of 743,330 sq km (287,000 sq mi), larger than Texas. Only Greenland and New Guinea (a few hundred miles to the east) are larger. Borneo is divided between three countries: Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei, with Indonesia administering the largest portion. Borneo is covered in rainforest, like much of Southeast Asia. The Borneo rainforest is recognized as among the most distinct and species-rich in the world, surpassed in biodiversity only by the Congo rainforest in Africa and the Amazon rainforest in South America. This has made Borneo a very popular destination for ecotourism.
Borneo’s population is approximately 16 million, with a relatively low population density of 57/sqkm, or 22/sqkm. The largest city in Borneo is Kuching, Malaysia, with a population of approximately 630,000. There are about ten other major cities on the island, with populations between 200,000 and 600,000. Of particular historical interest is the small town of Brunei, the remnant of a sultanate that controlled almost all the ships in the area between the 14th and 16th centuries, during the heyday of the Islamic navy. Today, the Sultan of Brunei, who holds absolute power, is the fourth richest monarch in the world, behind only the monarchs of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Thailand. His 14-room, 16-bathroom, 1,788-square-foot (257m2) mansion is the largest in the world by a huge margin.
Ultimately, the highlight of Borneo is its nature, not its (mostly small) cities. Borneo has 15,000 flowering plant species with 3,000 tree species, 221 land mammal species, and 420 bird species, many of which are endemic. Borneo lies west of the Wallace Line, which means its flora and fauna are derived from Asia rather than Australia. The Bornean orangutan lives here, the 45,000 individuals making up the largest orangutan population in the world. Other unique or endangered species found here include the Asian elephant, Borneo clouded leopard, Sumatran rhinoceros, and Dayak fruit bat. The Sumatran rhino is among the most endangered animals in the world, with only a few hundred individuals alive.
The island of Borneo is the site of many beautiful rainforests, often nestled in the island’s mountains, where the moisture is so thick that moss grows on virtually everything. Some of the best known rainforests are found around Mt. Kinabalu, located at the northern tip of the island. mt. Kinabalu’s elevation of 4,095 meters (13,435 feet) makes it the tallest mountain in Borneo, making Borneo the third-highest island in the world, behind Hawaii and New Guinea.
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