Oloh Masi refers to the coastal-dwelling Malay population in the language of the Dayaks, who lived in the interior and visited the port regularly to trade.

[12][13] European archeologist H. Kupper discovered several prehistoric sites around the region in 1939 and found implements such as choppers and other stone tools.

Its existence is disputed;[15][12][16] speculated by archeologists based on several carved stone tombs and a Ma'anyan folk song called "Usak Jawa", which is thought to tell the story of the Majapahit conquest of the kingdom.

According to folk stories and the Hikayat Banjar, Sukarama, the fourth king of Negara Daha, wanted his grandson, Raden Samudra, to be his successor in the kingdom instead of his direct son Prince Tumenggung.

However, between 1546 and 1550, as conquests and the spice trade enriched the sultanate, it became independent and stopped sending tributes to Java.

European traders, largely Dutch, did not bother visiting the port until Banten's rulers banned them.

The Sultan took revenge against a Dutch ship visiting Banjarmasin on 17 July 1607 by hijacking it and massacring the crew.

Following the Napoleonic Wars, Banjarmasin was subject to British control, a situation complicated by the Anglo-Dutch Treaty of 1814, which was seen to have mandated its transfer to Dutch authority.

[12][18]This directive paradoxically conflicted with a prior 1812 treaty between the British East India Company and the sultanate, which prohibited the region’s transfer to any other European power.

[20] This issue was navigated by the then Governor of Java, John Fendall, who argued that the 1812 treaty’s conditions were still valid.

Sovereignty was therefore effectively transferred from the British East India Company to the Sultan in late 1816, and not directly to the Dutch.

[18][21] As a result of the war, many Banjar people from Borneo migrated to Sumatra, Singapore, and Malaysia and formed communities there.

The return of Dutch rule, however, was opposed by the people and resulted in the Kalimantan Physical Revolution, four years of war between Indonesian nationalists and the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army.

The city was briefly assigned as the capital of Great Dayak federal state before being absorbed into a single Kalimantan province.

[8] On 7 December 1996, Dirgantara Air Service Flight 5940 crashed to the gas factory after taking off near Syamsudin Noor International Airport, killing around 18 people.

[25] On 23 May 1997, the city witnessed a riot caused by friction between supporters of the United Development Party and Golkar.

The geological foundation of the city is dominated by clay and sandstone, but also includes alluvial sediments from the river.

The city is located in a swampy region and is generally below water level, making it prone to being flooded by tidal bores.

Muslims make up around 94% of the city's population, followed by Christians (both Catholics and Protestants) at around 3%; other religions combined total about 2%.

[45][11] As of 2020, 511,118 people of the total city population of 657,663 are registered in the BPJS Kesehatan, government-mandated social insurance which covers certain healthcare costs.

Despite being a Muslim majority, the Banjar people still hold on to the importance of cultural parts that have been influenced by their Hindu-Buddhist past.

[47][48] Another famous cultural sight in the city is a floating market located on the Kuin River and Lok Baintan.

People meet on the river after Fajr prayer until around 07:00 pm and transactions with the merchants are done from small boats.

[53] In addition, the park includes one of the city's landmarks, a 6.5 m (21 ft) statue of a bekantan (Proboscis monkey) which is a native primate in the region.

Located 2 km (1.2 mi) from the city center, Banua Anyar Public Space is specifically designed for toddlers and kids.

It is located below Banua Anyar bridge and has facilities such as a kids' park, artificial soft grass to ensure child safety, and book reading corners.

It is also surrounded by several other buildings housing stores, forming a complex with a total area of 80,000 m2 (860,000 sq ft).

[63] Mitra Plaza is one of the city's oldest modern shopping centers, and was a target of looting and destruction during the Banjarmasin riot of May 1997.

[72][73] On 22 December 2021, another urban bus system, Trans Banjarbakula, was launched which also covers the entire metropolitan area.

Other example of news media are Barito Post, Mata Banua, Metro Banjar, and Kanal Kalimantan.