LABUAN

island, East Malaysia, 6 miles (10 km) off northwestern Borneo in the South China Sea. Commanding the entrance to Brunei Bay, it is roughly triangular, with an area of 38 square miles (98 square km). Its chief town, Victoria, on the southeastern coast, is a free port whose deep, well-sheltered harbour is the principal transshipment point for the state of Brunei, northern Sarawak, and much of western Sabah. Low-lying and well-cultivated, the island has an extensive road network and a large airfield. Its chief products are rubber, copra, and sago. In 1990 the island was declared a tax haven by the Malaysian government as the first step toward developing it into an offshore financial centre. Ceded to the British (1846) by the sultan of Brunei as a base to suppress piracy, Labuan became a crown colony in 1848. After a period of administration by North Borneo (18901906), it was incorporated into the Straits Settlements. In 1946 the island became part of the colony of North Borneo (now Sabah), and Victoria, which was demolished during World War II, was rebuilt. During the period of Indonesian armed opposition to Malaysia (196366), Labuan was the headquarters for the Commonwealth defense forces. The island has broad, white beaches, and skin divers are attracted to the surrounding coral reefs. Historic landmarks include the war memorial cemetery and Surrender Point, where the Japanese surrendered to the Australians in 1945. Pop. (1980) 12,219.