Sarawak (north-west Borneo) long had trading links with Siam and China and, in the 15th cent., fell under the influence of the sultanate of Brunei. In 1841 the sultan offered it as a rajadom to Sir James Brooke, who had helped to put down a revolt of the local Dayaks and Malays. Sarawak was recognized as an independent state by the USA in 1850 and by Great Britain in 1864. It was overrun by the Japanese in 1942 and, after the war, became a British crown colony. Representative government was established in 1963 and Sarawak joined the Malaysian Federation.

David Anthony Washbrook

Sarawak Largest state of Malaysia, in nw Borneo, comprising a highland interior and swampy coastal plain; the capital is Kuching City. Ruled as an independent state by Britain after 1841, it was made a British Protectorate in 1888 and a Crown Colony in 1946. Sarawak became a part of Malaysia in 1963, triggering a three-year dispute with Indonesia. Oil is an increasingly important product alongside the traditional coconuts, rice, rubber, and sago. Area: 124,449sq km (48,050sq mi). Pop. (2000) 2,012,616.