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JPN Labuan
JPN Labuan
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Labuan
is a federal territory in East Malaysia. It is an island off the coast
of the state of Sabah. Labuan's capital is Victoria and is best known
as an offshore financial centre offering international financial and
business services via Labuan IBFC since 1990 as well as being an
offshore support hub for deepwater oil and gas activities in the
region. It is also a tourist destination for nearby Bruneians and
scuba divers. The name Labuan derives from the Malay word labuhan
meaning anchorage.
The Federal Territory of Labuan comprises Labuan Island (75 km²) and
six other smaller islands (Pulau Burung, Pulau Daat, Pulau Kuraman,
Pulau Papan, Pulau Rusukan Kecil, and Pulau Rusukan Besar), which have
a combined total area of 91 km². Labuan Island is mainly flat and
undulating and the highest point is only 85 meters. Over 70% of the
island is still covered with vegetation. Victoria, also Bandar Labuan
in Malay, is the major town and faces Brunei Bay; access is via ferry
service to Brunei and
Kota Kinabalu, as well as
Labuan Airport.
Labuan is only 8 km or twenty minute boat ride from Menumbok, a small
fishing town in Sabah. High speed air-conditioned ferries ply daily to
Labuan from Sabah,
Sarawak and
Brunei. The trip from
Kota Kinabalu, capital of
Sabah takes about 3 hours and about an hour
from Brunei. It is roughly equidistant from
Bangkok,
Jakarta,
Kuala Lumpur,
Hong Kong,
Manila and
Singapore. There are
direct flights from Kuala Lumpur as well as from
Brunei.
There are several attractions and places of interest on Labuan.
The military cemetery contains various war graves and memorials to the
fallen of World War II. This includes British, Australian, Indian,
Sarawakian, Bruneian, North Borneo and Empire troops. There is also a
memorial celebrating the surrender of the Japanese to the Australian
Forces in 1945. There are also remnants of Labuan's history as a Royal
Navy Coaling station, including 'the chimney', a well known local
landmark. There is also a Labuan Maritime Museum.
Labuan is also the base for diving on four popular wreck dives: the
Cement wreck, the American wreck, (the first USS Salute), the
Australian wreck and the Blue Water wreck.
Labuan has many schools. However, it has only one international
school, Labuan International School. Other places of interest include
the Labuan International Sea Sport Complex. Newly proposed is the
Marina centre and Labuan Square project which are expected to be
completed in next two years from 2008.
Labuan's own institution of higher education is Universiti Malaysia
Sabah Labuan International Campus, a branch of Universiti Malaysia
Sabah in Sepanggar Bay, Kota Kinabalu. Labuan also has a matriculation
college, Kolej Matrikulasi Labuan, the only matriculation college in
East Malaysia. Thus, all pre-university students from
Sabah,
Sarawak
and Labuan will take their courses here.
Labuan has a tropical climate with two annual monsoon seasons - the
South West monsoon from April to June and the North East monsoon from
September to December. It is free from hurricanes and typhoons and
enjoys good climate all year round. Daily temperatures average between
28 to 32 degrees Celsius.
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