Map of Sarawak
Sarawak is a first-level division of Malaysia. Its largest mapped city is Kuching, with about 570,407 people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Sarawak, and the tables list its 4 mapped cities along with the mountains, ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 4
- Largest City
- Kuching
- Country
- Malaysia
- Highest Point Mapped
- 1,850 m
Interactive Map of Sarawak
About Sarawak
Sarawak ( sə-RAH-wok, Malay: [saˈrawaʔ]) is a state of Malaysia. It is the largest of the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia. Sarawak is in East Malaysia, in northwest Borneo, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, Kalimantan (the Indonesian portion of Borneo) to the south, and Brunei to the north. The state capital, Kuching, is Sarawak's largest city, its economic centre, and the seat of the state government. Other cities and towns in Sarawak include Miri, Sibu, and Bintulu. As of the 2026 Malaysia census, Sarawak's population was 2.54 million. Sarawak has an equatorial climate, with tropical rainforests and abundant animal and plant species. It has several prominent cave systems at Gunung Mulu National Park. Rajang River is Malaysia's longest river; Bakun Dam, one of Southeast Asia's largest dams, is on one of its tributaries, the Balui River. Mount Murud is Sarawak's highest point. Sarawak is Malaysia's only state with a Christian majority.
The earliest known human settlement in Sarawak at the Niah Caves dates back 40,000 years. A series of Chinese ceramics dated from the 8th to 13th century AD was uncovered at the archaeological site of Santubong. Sarawak's coastal regions came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 16th century. In 1839, James Brooke, a British explorer, arrived in Sarawak. He and his descendants governed the state from 1841 to 1946. During World War II, it was occupied by the Japanese for three years. After the war, the last White Rajah, Charles Vyner Brooke, ceded Sarawak to Britain, and in 1946 it became a British Crown Colony. The British granted Sarawak self-government on 22 July 1963 and it subsequently became one of Malaysia's founding members, but Indonesia opposed the federation, leading to a three-year confrontation. Malaysia's creation also prompted a communist insurgency that lasted until 1990.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Sarawak (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sarawak in Depth
History
Foragers are known to have lived around the west mouth of the Niah Caves (located 110 km (68 mi) southwest of Miri) 40,000 years ago. A modern human skull found near the Niah Caves is the oldest example of human remains found in Malaysia and the oldest modern human skull from Southeast Asia. Chinese ceramics dating to the Tang and Song dynasties (8th to 13th century AD, respectively) found at Santubong (near Kuching) hint at its significance as a seaport.
One of the earliest Chinese records of an independent kingdom in Borneo is the 977 AD letter to the Chinese emperor from the ruler of Boni, which some scholars believe to refer to Borneo. The Bruneians regained their independence from Srivijaya due to the onset of a Javanese-Sumatran war.
Geography
The total land area of Sarawak is nearly 124,450 km2 (48,050 sq mi), making up 37.5 per cent of the total area of Malaysia, and lies between the northern latitudes 0° 50′ and 5° and eastern longitudes 109° 36′ and 115° 40′ E. Its 750 km (470 mi) of coastline is interrupted in the north by about 150 km (93 mi) of Bruneian coast. A total of its 45.5 km (28.3 mi) coastline have been eroding. In 1961, Sarawak including neighbouring Sabah, which had been included in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) through the participation of the United Kingdom, became joint associate members of the IMO. Sarawak is separated from Kalimantan Borneo by ranges of high hills and mountains that are part of the central mountain range of Borneo.
Economy
Historically, Sarawak's economy was stagnant during the rule of previous three white Rajahs. After the formation of Malaysia, Sarawak GDP growth rate has risen due to increase in petroleum output and the rise in global petroleum prices. However, the state economy is less diversified and still heavily dependent upon the export of primary commodities when compared to Malaysia overall. The per capita GDP in Sarawak was lower than the national average from 1970 to 1990. As of 2021, GDP per capita for Sarawak stands at RM 65,971 (US$15,173), which is the third highest in Malaysia. However, the urban-rural income gap remained a major problem in Sarawak.
Demographics
The 2020 census of Malaysia reported a population of 2,453,677 in Sarawak, making it the fifth most populous state. However, this population is distributed over a large area resulting in Sarawak having the lowest population density in the country with only 20 people per km2. The average population growth rate of 1.8%, from 2000 to 2010, is very close to the national average of 2.0%. In 2014, 58% of the population resided in urban areas with the remainder in rural areas, but over the next 10 years it is predicted that the urban population would rise to 65%.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Sarawak (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Sarawak: Key Facts
| Population | 2,453,700 (2020) |
|---|---|
| Area | 124,450 km² |
| Capital | Kuching |
| Head of government | Abang Johari |
| Established | 22 July 1963 |
Facts from Wikidata Q170462 (CC0).
History of Sarawak: Empires and States
The atlas records 5 polities whose mapped territory included part of Sarawak, from Sultanate of Brunei in 1492 CE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Sultanate of Brunei | 1492–1869 CE |
| Kingdom of Sarawak | 1842–1946 CE |
| British Colonial Empire | 1895–1962 CE |
| The British Empire | 1895–1962 CE |
| Malaysia | 1963–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Sarawak
Sarawak on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Sarawak
Sarawak is Malaysia's largest state. It lies in East Malaysia and shares the island of Borneo with the eastern state of Sabah, the separate country of Brunei and the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Sarawak (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Sarawak
4 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kuching | 570,407 | Sarawak | Admin-1 capital |
| 2 | Miri | 228,212 | Sarawak | Populated place |
| 3 | Sibu | 203,832 | Sarawak | Populated place |
| 4 | Bintulu | 151,617 | Sarawak | Populated place |
Highest Mountains in Sarawak
1 mountain mapped. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukit Pagon | 1,850 m | 6,070 ft | Asia |
Ports in Sarawak
7 ports mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sibu | 53 m | Very Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | medium vessels |
| 2 | Bintangor | 49.4 m | Very Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | point_of_interest |
| 3 | Kuching | 49.4 m | Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | medium vessels |
| 4 | Sarikei | 45.7 m | Very Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | point_of_interest |
| 5 | Tg. Mani | 42.1 m | Very Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | medium vessels |
| 6 | Bintulu Port | 31.1 m | Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | large vessels |
| 7 | Lutong | 9.1 m | Small | South China Sea & Gulf of Thailand | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Sarawak
2 World Heritage Sites mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gunung Mulu National Park | 2000 | Natural | (vii) (viii) (ix) (x) |
| 2 | Niah National Park | 2024 | Cultural | (iii) (v) |
Sarawak: Quick Answers
- Where is Sarawak?
- Sarawak is a first-level division of Malaysia, in Asia. Its mapped cities centre on 2.8498° N, 112.2984° E.
- What is the largest city in Sarawak?
- Kuching is the largest city mapped in Sarawak, with a metropolitan population of about 570,407.
- How many cities are in Sarawak?
- YearMaps maps 4 cities and towns in Sarawak, with a combined metropolitan population of about 1.15 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.
- What is the highest mountain in Sarawak?
- The highest summit mapped in Sarawak is Bukit Pagon at 1,850 m.