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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