central kalimantan

Central Kalimantan

 By: Dorotea

Central Kalimantan is the center of the biggest island in Indonesia and the third biggest island in the world after Greenland and New Guinea. Kalimantan has four provinces West Kalimantan, South Kalimantan, East Kalimantan and Central Kalimantan. Kalimantan makes up most of Borneo which is the same island but Kalimantan is only in Indonesia whilst Borneo is Indonesia and Malaysia which includes Sarawak and Sabah and Brunei Darussalam. Kalimantan covers 73% of Borneo. In central Kalimantan the capital city of the province is Palangka Raya. Palangka Raya is also the biggest city in central Kalimantan.

 The native people of central Kalimantan are the Dayak people. Most of them people who lived in the jungles all their lives, and they had survived through out all these years in the jungle and they have many traditions and cultures which make Kalimantan special. In Kalimantan just like in many other places they are cutting down the rainforest because of palm oil plantation and clearing land for building and that is destroying Kalimantan’s habitat and animals that live in the rainforest such as orangutans. But fortunately in jalan Tjilik Riwut km.29 there is a foundation to rescue orangutans from forests that had been cut down. They help baby orangutans grow up and then let them out in the wild in a reserved jungle area. The name of the foundation is BOS.

Central Kalimantan is mostly rural and is a nice place to live with the beautiful rainforest and nice weather which is mostly rainy. So let’s save what there is left of the rainforest for our grandchildren and also us. Because not only is the rainforest beautiful and a home to many animals, but it is also very important to Indonesia and the rest of the world. Because it gives us oxygen and clears away carbon dioxide which humans and animals do not need. Central Kalimantan may not be known, but it is a very important place for humans, animals and the world.

References; The ecology of Kalimantan  (Book) by Kathy Mackinnnon -1997- UK- Published by Eric Oey first edition