Tambunan

Tambunan is a valley district located in the Interior Division of the state of Sabah. The district covers an area of 1,347 km2. Its population was estimated to be around 36,297 in 2010, based on the 2010 Population Census conducted by the Department of Statistics, Malaysia. Almost the entire population are Dusun, while the rest are Malay, Chinese and other Sabahan ethnic groups. It is located 80 kilometers east of Kota Kinabalu, 48 kilometers south of Ranau and 48 kilometers north of Keningau. At an average altitude of 750 meters, this valley, which is part of the Crocker Range, experience mild tropical climate all year long. The valley is peppered by terraced padi fields and 70 picturesque villages. The dense forests of bamboo around Tambunan are a legacy of the British colonial period, during which time an edict stated that 20 bamboo sprouts had to be planted for every bamboo cut.