Miri (/ˈmɪri/; Jawi: ميري; Chinese: 美里; pinyin: Měilǐ) is a coastal city in north-eastern Sarawak, Malaysia, located near the border of Brunei, on the island of Borneo.
[13] The first foragers visited the West Mouth of Niah Cave – located 110 km (68 mi) southwest of Miri city[14] – 50,000 years ago when Borneo was connected to the mainland of Southeast Asia.
[15] Unfossilised Manis paleojavanica (Asian giant pangolin) bone dated back to 30,000 BC was also found in the proximity of the "Deep Skull",[18] as well as with the Mesolithic and Neolithic burial sites inside the Niah Caves.
This peace conference also led to the birth of first Baram Regatta, a long boat race competition among the natives which continued to be held until today.
Royal Dutch Shell dispatched a senior geologist named Josef Theodor Erb together with Charles Hose back to Miri.
A 30-metre-high (98 ft) rig (nicknamed the "Grand Old Lady") made up of wooden derricks and cable tool drilling was used in the operation by Royal Dutch Shell.
By 1938, under the leadership of Rajah Charles Vyner Brooke, airstrips were constructed in Miri, Kuching, Oya, and Mukah in preparation for an imminent war.
[33] On 16 December 1941, 9 days after the Pearl Harbor bombing, Japanese troops consisting of 10,000 men landed on Tanjung Lobang Beach, Miri without much resistance.
[33] However, on 17 December 1941, a Dutch flying boat from Tarakan Island attacked the Japanese destroyer Shinonome (under the command of Hiroshi Sasagawa) off Miri.
They were immediately put to work for Japanese oil supply service company named Nen Ryo Hai Kyu.
[43] A time capsule containing news article of the day and a souvenir book was buried at Petroleum Science Museum at Canada Hill, Miri.
The city is predominately located on the inland (east) side of the Miri River with only a few scattered residential neighbourhoods, a Golf Club and a small airstrip on the Peninsula Road.
The ethnic Malay population here consists mainly of Bruneian, Jati Miriek (early indigenous native inhabitants) and Kedayan peoples.
Chinese in Miri mainly consist of the Fuzhounese majority with significant populations of Hakka and Cantonese including a small number of Teochews and Hainanese.
There is currently a minuscule minority of Miri-born Millennials and Generation Z members that speaks English as its first language, with varying levels of proficiency.
These include languages such as Berawan, Lakiput (often called Kiput), Bruneian/Kedayan, Miriek, Iban, Bidayuh, Kayan, Kenyah, Lun Bawang and Kelabit.
[88] Miri mainly relies on its oil and gas industry, which contributes significantly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Sarawak.
SOPB is now majority-owned by Shin Yang Group and Sarawak Land Custody and Development Authority (LCDA)[108] with its headquarters in Miri.
[116] As of 2014, Miri visitor movement along Kuala Baram-Kuala Belait checkpoint (Sungai Tujoh, along the Sarawak-Brunei border) reached a total of 2.9 million people in one year.
[119] Miri is connected to all major cities and towns in Sarawak including Kota Kinabalu in Sabah through the Pan Borneo Highway.
[24] ASEAN Bridge is located along the Miri-Baram Highway and crosses the Baram River, providing direct access to neighbouring country of Brunei, and the towns of Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak.
[128] Buses to Lambir Hills National Park, rest of division within Sarawak and Pontianak, Indonesia depart from the long-distance bus station.
It also receives flights from domestic destinations such as Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Labuan, Kuching and other major towns in Sarawak.
[8] Miri Airport also caters flights to the Sarawak interior such as Bario, Ba'kelalan, Marudi, Lawas, Limbang, and Mukah[129] through MASwings using DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft.
The hospital has 339 beds, and it provides tertiary specialist services such as surgery, ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynaecology (ONG), nephrology and radiology.
[158] Fajar International College (FIC) offers a Diploma in Occupational Safety & Health (DIPOSH), accounting, and business studies courses.
[171] It is a month-long celebration of entertainment programmes, trade fairs, cultural, arts, sports, and social activities organised by various governmental agencies.
It consists of a variety of outdoor sports events, street parties, and entertainment programmes which runs beyond midnight to commemorate the formation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963.
[219] It features handicrafts and souvenirs of Sarawak such as colourful bags, beadwork, woodcarvings, and textiles made by local indigenous groups, Chinese, and Malay artisans.
[229][230] Local delicacies such as Miri Curry Rice,[231] chicken porridge,[230] open air kolo mee,[232] and Char kway teow can be found here.