Location
Labuan comprises one main island and six other
smaller ones covering an area of 92 sq. km.
It is located off the coast of East Malaysia.
History
Labuan had a glorious history under the rule of
various empires. After the demise of the Majapahit
Empire in the 14th century, Labuan came under
the rule of the Brunei Sultanate. The Island was
ceded to the British by the Brunei Sultanate in
1846. The British then officially declared Labuan
a colony of the British Empire in 1849 and renamed
it Victoria. The British lost its hold over Labuan
in 1942 when the Japanese Army occupied the island.
The Island was renamed Maeda Island during the
Japanese rule. After World War II, the British
resumed control of the island until 1963 when
Labuan joined Malaysia and became a part of Sabah.
The Island became a Federal Territory of Malaysia
in 1984. Labuan was declared an International
Offshore Financial Centre in 1990.
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