Sabah

This article is about the Malaysian state. For other uses, see Sabah (disambiguation).

Sabah
State
  • State of Sabah
  • Negeri Sabah (Malay)
Flag of Sabah
Flag
Coat of arms of Sabah
Coat of arms
Nickname(s): 
Negeri Di Bawah Bayu[1]
Land Below the Wind[2]
Motto(s): 
Sabah Maju Jaya[3]
Let Sabah Prosper[3]
Anthem: Sabah Tanah Airku[4]
Sabah, My Homeland
Sabah in Malaysia
Sabah in Malaysia
Coordinates: 5°15′N 117°0′E / 5.250°N 117.000°E / 5.250; 117.000
Country Malaysia
Established under the Bruneian Empire15th century
Sultanate of Sulu1658
British North Borneo1882
Japanese occupation1942
British crown colony15 July 1946
Gained self-governance31 August 1963[5][6][7][8]
Federated into Malaysia[9]16 September 1963[10]
Capital
(and largest city)		Kota Kinabalu
Divisions
List
Government
 • TypeParliamentary
 • BodySabah State Legislative Assembly
 • Yang di-Pertua NegeriJuhar Mahiruddin
 • Chief MinisterHajiji Noor
(GRS–GAGASAN)
Area
[11]
 • Total
73,904 km2 (28,534 sq mi)
Highest elevation
(Mount Kinabalu)
4,095 m (13,435 ft)
Population
 (2020)[11]
 • Total
Increase 3,418,785 (3rd)
 • Density46/km2 (120/sq mi)
DemonymSabahan
Demographics [12] [11]
 • Ethnic composition
 • Religions
Languages
 • Official English, Malay
 • Other spoken
Time zoneUTC+8 (MST[13])
Postal code
88xxx[14] to 91xxx[15]
Calling code087 (Inner District)
088 (Kota Kinabalu & Kudat)
089 (Lahad Datu, Sandakan & Tawau)[16]
ISO 3166 codeMY-12
Vehicle registrationSA, SAA, SAB, SAC, SY (West Coast)
SB (Beaufort)
SD (Lahad Datu)
SK (Kudat)
SS, SSA, SM (Sandakan)
ST, STA, SW (Tawau)
SU (Keningau)[17]
HDI (2022)Increase 0.772[18]
high · 13th
GDP (nominal)2022
 • TotalIncrease $27.758 billion
(RM 122.138 billion)[19] (5th)
 • Per capitaIncrease $8,186
(RM 36,020)[19] (11th)
GDP (PPP)2022
 • TotalIncrease $77.938 billion (6th)
 • Per capitaIncrease $22,797 (11th)
Driving sideLeft
Electricity voltage230 V, 50 Hz
CurrencyMalaysian ringgit (RM/MYR)
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata

Sabah (Malay pronunciation: [ˈsabah]) is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalimantan province to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off Sabah's west coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital and the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sabah State government. Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau. The 2020 census recorded a population of 3,418,785 in the state.[11] It has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests, abundant with animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park. Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah. The highest point of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu is also the highest point of Malaysia.

The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, Sabah was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, Sabah was granted self-governance by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside the Crown Colony of Sarawak, the Colony of Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.[20]

Sabah exhibits notable diversity in ethnicity, culture and language. The head of state is the governor, also known as the Yang di-Pertua Negeri, while the head of government is the chief minister and his Cabinet. The government system is closely modelled on the Westminster parliamentary system and has one of the earliest state legislature systems in Malaysia. Sabah is divided into five administrative divisions and 27 districts. Malay is the official language of the state;[21][22] and Islam is the state religion, but other religions may be practised.[23] Sabah is known for its traditional musical instrument, the sompoton. Sabah has abundant natural resources, and its economy is strongly export-oriented. Its primary exports include oil, gas, timber and palm oil. The other major industries are agriculture and ecotourism.

  1. ^ "Mengenai Sabah" [About Sabah] (in Malay). Sabah State Government. Archived from the original on 19 May 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
  2. ^ "About Sabah". Sabah State Government. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b "The Meaning of the Sabah State Crest". Sabah State Government. Archived from the original on 10 June 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  4. ^ "Lagu-Lagu Patriotik" [Patriotic Songs] (in Malay). Sabah State Government. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Group was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference tna was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Porritt1997 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference SG was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "Malaysia Act 1963 (Chapter 35)" (PDF). The National Archives. United Kingdom legislation. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
  10. ^ Governments of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore (1963). Agreement relating to Malaysia between United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Federation of Malaya, North Borneo, Sarawak and Singapore . p. 1 – via Wikisource.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ a b c d "Key Findings Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020". Department of Statistics, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 18 April 2022. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  12. ^ "Key Findings of Population and Housing Census of Malaysia 2020" (pdf) (in Malay and English). Department of Statistics, Malaysia. ISBN 978-967-2000-85-3.
  13. ^ Helmer Aslaksen (28 June 2012). "Time Zones in Malaysia". Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  14. ^ "Postal codes in Sabah". cybo.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  15. ^ "Postal codes in Semporna". cybo.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  16. ^ "Area codes in Sabah". cybo.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  17. ^ Teh Wei Soon (23 March 2015). "Some Little Known Facts On Malaysian Vehicle Registration Plates". Malaysian Digest. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 12 July 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  18. ^ "Subnational Human Development Index (2.1) [Sabah – Malaysia]". Global Data Lab of Institute for Management Research, Radboud University. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  19. ^ a b DOSM. "Department of Statistics Malaysia". www.dosm.gov.my. Retrieved 11 September 2023.
  20. ^  • "Filipino Students Protest in Manila Over Sabah Issue". The Morning Journal. 24 September 1968. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
     • Hans H. Indorf (1984). Impediments to Regionalism in Southeast Asia: Bilateral Constraints Among ASEAN Member States. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. pp. 25–. ISBN 978-9971-902-81-0.
     • Acram Latiph (13 March 2013). "Sabah – the question that won't go away". New Mandala. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
  21. ^ "BM is Sabah's official language – Keruak". The Borneo Post. 22 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  22. ^ "National Language (Application) Enactment 1973" (PDF). Sabah State Government (State Attorney-General's Chambers). 27 September 1973. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 June 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  23. ^ "Constitution of the State of Sabah". Sabah State Government (State Attorney-General's Chambers). Archived from the original on 15 June 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2016.