Miri

Miri City Information
Miri is a coastal city located in the Northeastern part of Sarawak close to border of Brunei Darussalam and is the second largest city in Sarawak and also the capital of Miri district in the Miri Division. The Miri District covers an area of 4704 sq km within the Miri Division.

Over the last two decade Miri Town has increased from 52,125 in 1980 to 167,535 in 2000 and in 2020 it's grew to 356,900 populations. The city's major industries include oil, processed timber, oil palm production, tourism and also shipbuilding industries.

Miri having natural attractions on land, along the coast, coral reefs in the sea, caves and mountains in the interior and even our population composition is an attraction by itself.

Miri City is the main tourist or travellers gateway to Usun Apau National Park, Loagan Bunut National Park, Lambir Hills National Park, Mulu National Park, Niah National Park and Caves, Borneo Tropical Rainforest, Miri-Sibuti Coral Reef National Park, Bario Highlands, Ba’Kelalan and also just 45 minutes drive from the city centre to the Asian Bridge connecting Miri to Brunei.


Miri History
Oil Town : Before Miri was founded, Marudi was the administrative centre of the northern region of Sarawak. Miri was just a sleepy fishing village in the Northern Sarawak until the first oil well was drilled by Royal Dutch Shell (SHELL) and was called Oil Town of Malaysia. 

Oil Town is, of course, best known as birthplace of Malaysia & Sarawak’s oil capital, with oil first drilled and drawn from its grounds in 1910 by Royal Dutch Shell (SHELL) which, occupies a very special place in the history of Malaysia’s oil industry.

The discovery of an oil field in Miri has led to rapid development of Miri town and became the administrative centre of the northern region of Sarawak by 1929.

Miri Resort City : Miri is Sarawak’s second-largest city in Sarawak behind Kuching, was the 9th town to be given city status and the first non-capital town in Malaysia to become a city and granted city status on 20th May 2005.  It has population about 300,000 currently.

From Oil Town became Miri Resort City. The administrative headquarters of Miri Division is the largest of Sarawak’s eleven administrative divisions.


Natives Communities Miri population comprises 19 of Sarawak’s 27 ethnic groups in addition to Malaysians from other states a large number of expatriates. Miri is home to a large number of Sarawak's native communities, like the Ibans, Bidayuhs, Penans, Kayans, Kenyahs, Punans, Lun Bawangs, Berawans and Kelabits.

To see Sarawak's native cultures, numerous longhouses can be visited where, you could experience traditional native dances, sape (guitar) playing,  tuak (rice wine) drinking and handicraft making.