Sarawak, which with Sabah forms the eastern sector (East Malaysia) of the Federation of Malaysia, is situated on northwestern Borneo bounded by Brunei and Sabah state on the north and Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) on the east and south. It has an area of 48,050 sq. mi. (131,582 sq. km.) and a population of 980,000. Capital: Kuching. Coconuts, rice, rubber and oil are exported. ,Sarawak became the southern province of the sultanate of Brunei upon the decline of Majapahit empire of Java in the 15th century. In 1839, James Brooke, an English adventurer, visited the territory and assisted the sultan in suppressing a revolt. As a reward, the sultan installed Brooke as the sultan of Sarawak (1841), then consisting of 7,000 sq. mi. (18,130 sq. km.) in the southern part of Brunei. It was subsequently enlarged through purchase and annexation. Sarawak was recognized as a separate protectorate in 1888.,, ,The Brooke family continued to rule Sarawak until World War II, when (1941) Sir Charles Vyner Brooke, the third ?White Raja,? enacted a constitution designed to establish democratic self-government. Japan occupied the country during 1941-1945. In 1946 the territory was ceded to Great Britain and consulted as a crown colony. It achieved self-government and joined Malaysia in 1963.,, Rulers:,,, ,James Brooke, Rajah, 1841-1868,, ,Charles J. Brooke, Rajah, 1868-1917,, ,Charles V. Brooke, Rajah, 1917-1946,, ,British, 1946-1963,, Monetary System:,,, ,1 Dollar = 100 Cents,,