Kalimantan - Kalimantan (English spelling)

An Indonesian territory that occupies the southern half and eastern part of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Its territory is about 70% of the entire island, with an area of ​​539,460 square kilometers and a population of about 11,750,500 (2001 estimate). Administratively, it is divided into four provinces, West, Central, South and East, with Pontianak, Palangkarajah, Banjarmasin and Samarinda as its provincial capitals. Kalimantan runs from the center to the northeast, with the sandstone backbone of the Kapuas and Iran Mountains running through it and forming the border with Malaysia, from which large rivers such as the Kapuas, Balito and Mahakam flow in various directions. In particular, in the south, vast marshes spread out between the coast and the mountains. The climate is typical of hot and humid conditions, as the equator passes through the center of the island, and as a result many areas are covered with dense forests and marshes, and habitation is limited. There are many distinctive animals, including orangutans. The ethnic groups are complex, with the inland being dominated by Proto-Malays (represented by the Dayaks), and the coast being dominated by Second Malays, Javanese, Bugis, and Chinese. The Second Malays are now mostly Muslim, and historically have created sultanates in various regions. 75% of Kalimantan is still forested, and is rich in forest products such as timber, rattan, and camphor, but only areas near the coast are open. Slash-and-burn agriculture is practiced in the interior, and rice paddy cultivation has developed in parts of the west and south coasts. The country is rich in resources, with gold and diamonds having been known since ancient times, and petroleum, coal, and iron ore having been developed in modern times. The eastern oil fields, such as Balikpapan and Tarakan, have made a significant contribution to the Indonesian economy. The population is concentrated downstream of the two major rivers, Kapuas and Balito.

[Atsuhiko Bekki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

東南アジア、ボルネオ島の南半部と東部を占めるインドネシア領地域。領域は全島の約70％で、面積53万9460平方キロメートル、人口約1175万0500（2001推計）。行政的には西、中、南、東の4州に区分され、ポンティアナック、パランカラジャ、バンジャルマシンおよびサマリンダがそれぞれの州都である。カリマンタンは中央から北東に向かい、砂岩からなるカプアス山脈、イラン山脈などの脊梁(せきりょう)山脈が走ってマレーシア領との境界をなし、これからカプアス川、バリト川、マハカム川などの大河が諸方面に流れる。とくに南方では海岸と山地の間に広大な湿原を展開する。気候は、赤道が島の中央を通るので典型的な高温多湿気候で、このため密林、湿原に覆われる所が多く、居住地も制限される。動物もオランウータンをはじめ特色あるものが多い。民族は複雑で、内陸部はプロトマレー系（ダヤク人が代表的）、海岸は第二次マレー系、ジャワ人、ブギス人、中国人などが多い。第二次マレー人は今日大部分がイスラム教徒となり、歴史的には各地にスルタン王国をつくってきた。カリマンタンの75％はなお森林で、木材、籐(とう)、樟脳(しょうのう)などの林産物に富むが、海岸近くが開かれているにすぎない。奥地では焼畑農業が行われ、西、南海岸の一部では水田耕作も発展している。資源は豊かで、金、ダイヤモンドは古くから知られており、近代には石油、石炭、鉄鉱が開発された。バリクパパン、タラカンなど東部油田はインドネシア経済に大きく貢献している。人口分布はカプアス、バリトの2大河の下流に集中する。

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