Page "Borneo" Paragraph 38

Borneo has 19, 800, 000 inhabitants ( in mid 2010 ), a population density of 26 inhabitants per square km.

Most of the population lives in coastal cities, although the hinterland is occupied at most in small towns and villages along the rivers.

The population mainly consists of Malays, Banjar, Chinese and Dayak ethnic groups.

The Chinese, who make up 29 % of the population of Sarawak and 17 % of total population in West Kalimantan, originally migrated from southeastern China.

The majority of the population in Kalimantan is either Muslim or practice animism.

Approximately 91 % of the Dayaks are Christian, a religion introduced by missionaries in the 19th century.

In Central Kalimantan there is also a small Hindu minority.

In the interior of Borneo are also the Penan, some of who still practice a nomadic hunter-gatherer existence.

In some coastal areas of marginal settlements are also found Bajau, who were historically associated with a sea-oriented, boat-dwelling, nomadic existence.

In the northwest of Borneo, the Dayak ethnic group is represented by the Iban with about 710, 000 members.