Description

North Borneo also described as the State of North Borneo was a state that existed from 1882 until 1946. The state came about owing to the grant by the Sultans of Brunei and Sulu of large tracts of land in 1877 and 1878 to a syndicate of businessmen who had established a depot at Sandakan Bay.

In 1881 the North Borneo Provisional Association was incorporated by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom empowering the Company to administer the country, subject to the reservation of some supervisory power to the Secretary of State and, later in 1881 the North Borneo Chartered Company was formed to take over the administration. The country was placed under British protection in 1888 under an agreement between the Company and the British government concluded on 12 May 1888.

Today, the former North Borneo is part of Malaysia as the state of Sabah.