State of Malaysia, on the NW corner of the
island of Borneo; capital Kuching; area
124,400 sq km/48,018 sq mi; population (1986)
1,550,000. It has a tropical climate and
produces timber, oil, rice, pepper, rubber,
and coconuts. Sarawak was granted by the
Sultan of Brunei to James Brooke 1841, who
became `Rajah of Sarawak'. It was a British
protectorate from 1888 until captured by the
Japanese in World War II. It was a Crown
Colony from 1946 until 1963, when it became
part of Malaysia.