The population consists of three classes: the flyaks, who are the aboriginal inhabit ants. and almost all heathen: the 31ohammedans or 3Ialays, Buginese, Javans. and Arabs: and the Chinese. The Dyaks live chiefly in the interior, and employ themselves with land culture, collecting gutta-percha. resin, gums, rattans, gold-dust, and wax. They are divided into numerous tribes. The Malays dwell on the coasts, are traders, and bold sailors. They are more civilized than the Dyaks, cultivate the grounds around their houses, lay out gardens, keep cattle, and live partly by fishing. The Chinese, chiefly from Canton, have penetrated far into the interior. They engage in trade and mining, are unwearied in their efforts to make money, and then return to their native country. They number about 75,000, and have always endeavored to live as an inde pendent republic, under chiefs chosen by themselves, and according do Chinese laws. In 1857, the Chinese living in Sarawak (q.v.) rebelled against sir James Brooke (q.v.), and were nearly exterminated. In the last years, the Dutch were also compelled to put them down by force of arms, and have imposed a poll-tax.
The women of B., except the Dyak, weave cotton fabrics, make earthenware, baskets, and mats of beautiful designs and colors. In the district of Banjermassiu are factories of weapons. The principal exports are gold, gold-dust, diamonus, rattans, gutta percha, edible nests, cotton, wax, timber,. dye-woods, mats, resins, sandal-wood, cam phor, etc.; the imports—earthenware, iron, steel, and copper work, piece goods, yarns, woolen and silk fabrics, medicines, provisions, wines, spirits, rice, sugar, tea, tobacco, opium, trepang, gambler, vegetable oils. gunpowder, etc. In 1872, the Dutch imports amounted to ,C411,238, and the exports to L'299,210.
By far the largest part of the island is ruled directly or indirectly by the Dutch, who have divided it into the residency of the western division of B., and that of the southern and eastern, the former having Poutianak (q.v.) as the seat of government; the latter, Banjerinassin. The smaller portion towards the n. and u.e. contains Sarawak and the territories of the sultan of B. proper. Besides a number of small dependencies, the western division contains the important kingdoms of Landak, Mainpawa, and Sambas, with the mining district of Montrado, in the north. The chief towns are Sambas (10,000), Pontianak (9000), Banjermassin (30,000), Borneo or Brunal (30,000), and Sarawak (25,000).
The Portuguese effected a settlement in 1G90 at Banjermassin; from they were, however, soon expelled. The Dutch succeeded in concluding a treaty of com merce with the princes of Banjerniassin; and in 1043 erected a fort and factory, a second in 1778 at Pontianak, and others since. The British made unsuccessful attempts in 1702 and 1774 to effect a settlement in B.; but have, within the last twenty years, acquired a preponderating influence on the north-western coast. This has been in a great measure owing to the enterprise of sir James Brooke (q.v.) and his vigorous gov ernment as rajah of Sarawak, and in part also to the occupation of Labuan (q.v.) as a colony and naval station. The British government, however, refused, upon sir James Brooke's retirement from Sarawak, to annex it to the British empire. The piracy car ried on by the inhabitants of B. has often demanded severe chastisement, and piratical flotillas have been destroyed by the British.