Sabah

views updated May 29 2018

Sabah (North Borneo) State of Malaysia and one of the four political subdivisions of the island of Borneo. The capital is Kota Kinabalu (2000 pop. 354,153). Ceded to the British in 1877, it remained the British Protectorate of North Borneo until 1963, when it became an independent state of the Malaysian Federation. The terrain is mountainous and forested. The main products include oil, timber, rubber, coconuts and rice. Area: 76,522sq km (29,545sq mi). Pop. (2000) 2,449,389.