Kalimantan

Kalimantan is the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo. It covers 73% of the island's total land area.

While the whole island is often called Borneo in English, people in Indonesia frequently refer to the entire island as Kalimantan. The non-Indonesian parts of the island include the country of Brunei and East Malaysia. Within Malaysia, the island is divided into the states of Sabah and Sarawak, plus the federal territory of Labuan. This region is a massive part of maritime Southeast Asia.

The name Kalimantan has deep historical roots in the Sanskrit language. It is derived from words meaning "time," "season," or "period" combined with words for "boiling," "churning," or "burning." This results in a name that translates to "burning weather island" or "very hot island." This name accurately describes the hot and humid tropical climate found there.

Long ago, native people referred to the island as Pulu K'lemantan. The sixteenth-century Portuguese explorer Jorge de Menezes encountered these people during his travels.

Administratively, Kalimantan is organized into five distinct provinces. The region was managed as a single province between 1945 and 1956. In 1956, it was divided into East, South, and West Kalimantan. Central Kalimantan was later created in 1957 after being split from South Kalimantan. The final change occurred on 25 October 2012, when North Kalimantan was split off from East Kalimantan.

Each province has its own capital city and specific population density.

The population of Kalimantan has grown significantly over recent decades. In the 2010 Census, the population was 13,772,543 people. By the 2020 Census, this number rose to 16,625,796. More recent 2023 estimates suggest the population of the Indonesian territory has reached approximately 17,259,155.

This growth reflects the diverse and active nature of the region. The population density varies greatly between the different provinces.

Kalimantan is home to a wide variety of ethnic groups. The distribution of these groups creates a complex social landscape.

According to 2010 census data, the Dayaks and Javanese are among the largest groups. Malays and Buginese people also make up significant portions of the population. For example, the Javanese group accounted for 30.24% of the population in East Kalimantan. The Dayaks represented 46.62% of the population in Central Kalimantan. This diversity is seen across all five provinces.

Religious diversity is also a major feature of the region. Islam is the largest religion, practiced by 78.23% of the total population. Other significant religious groups include Protestants and Roman Catholics. In 2023, the total number of religious adherents in the region was estimated at 17,299,691. The specific religious makeup changes depending on which province you visit. For instance, South Kalimantan has a very high percentage of Muslims at 96.67%.

A major political change is currently underway in East Kalimantan. In 2019, President Joko Widodo proposed moving Indonesia's capital to this region. The People's Consultative Assembly approved the Law on State Capital in January 2022. A new planned city named Nusantara is being built in East Kalimantan.

Construction is expected to be fully complete by the year 2045. Although the city was scheduled for inauguration on 17 August 2024, construction delays prevented the move. This project represents a massive shift in Indonesia's national geography.

While Kalimantan is a place of great importance, it faces environmental challenges. Academics have described the widespread deforestation in the region as an ecocide. This term refers to the destruction of the natural environment. The balance between development, such as the building of Nusantara, and environmental protection is a key issue for the future of the island.