Kalimantan

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This article is about the region of Indonesia. For the C. S. Godshalk novel, see Kalimantaan.

Kalimantan is the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. It occupies the central and southern regions of the island.

Administration

Kalimantan is divided into four provinces:

• Central Kalimantan (Kalimantan Tengah), south of Kalimantan, with capital Palangkaraya
• East Kalimantan (Kalimantan Timur), northeast of Kalimantan, with capital Samarinda
• South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Selatan), southeast of Kalimantan, with capital Banjarmasin
• West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat), west of Kalimantan, with capital Pontianak

Demographics

The indigenous populations of Kalimantan are divided into Dayaks, Malays (particularly in West Kalimantan and along coastal lines), and Banjarese-Malay (in South Kalimantan). There are also many migrants from other parts of the region such as Buginese, Javanese, Madurese, and Chinese who are concentrated in West Kalimantan.

There was a war in the region between the indigenous Dayaks, who follow Kaharingan Hinduism, and Madurese immigrants, who were moved here as part of a government transmigration program that operated, in various forms, from 1905 until 2001. The Dayak fighters are known for their ferocious tactics, such as the beheading and mutilation of their victims.

In the past, Dayaks who converted to Islam were considered Malay or Banjar. They then moved from their ancestral homeland into the country, mainly near rivers. One of the groups is called "Senganan", and they live along the Kapuas river in Sanggau, West Kalimantan. Recently, however, there is an increasing pride among Muslims of Dayak descendants to consider themselves Dayak again.

The Dayaks whose religion is mainly Islam, and who retained their Dayak identity, are Bakumpai who can be found in South Kalimantan and along the Mahakam river, East Kalimantan, as well as Lamandau in Central Kalimantan.

History

The Indonesian Confrontation was a border conflict over the disputed island of Borneo, between British-backed Malaysia and Indonesia in 1962-1966.

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