Tambunan


Tambunan is the capital of Tambunan District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 2,553 in 2010. The town is located east of the state capital, Kota Kinabalu, south of Ranau and 48 kilometres north of Keningau. At an average altitude of, the valley town, which is part of the Crocker Range, experiences a mild tropical climate all year long. The valley is peppered with terraced paddy fields and 70 villages. The dense forests of bamboo around Tambunan are a legacy of the British colonial period, during which an edict stated that 20 bamboo sprouts had to be planted for every bamboo cut.

Demographics

According to the 2010 census, the population of Tambunan was estimated to be around 2,553 inhabitants. The town is populated mainly by the indigenous group of Kadazan-Dusun, while the rest of the population are Malay, Chinese and other indigenous groups.

Attractions

The Mat Salleh Memorial, located in the middle of paddy fields at Kampung Tibabar, was a concrete structure erected by the Sabah state government in memory of. Also known as Mat Salleh, he led a rebellion against the British North Borneo Company in the late 19th century, in response to the locals' dissatisfaction with alleged exploitation by the company. He was killed in a gun battle with the British police on 1 February 1900. The memorial was erected on the spot where Mat Salleh was killed, after Sabah became part of Malaysia.
Tambunan is noted for the quality of its lihing and tapai. These are rice wines traditionally made by the Kadazan and Dusun peoples of Sabah. Outside the town is the Rafflesia Forest Reserve, a forest reserve devoted to the world's largest flower, the Rafflesia. East of Tambunan is Sabah's second highest mountain, Mount Trusmadi, at 2,642 metres.

Economy

As of 2021, there is no big industry in Tambunan. This is mainly due to the location of Tambunan which is a bit far from Kota Kinabalu, and also the town was shadowed by Keningau, which is a larger city around 40 km from Tambunan.
Tambunan hosts the only Kilang Tapai in Sabah. Tambunan also plants large groups of ginger in the state, in which the plantation is mostly located at Kampung Tikolod, Tambunan.

Climate