East Malaysia is less populated and has fewer developed settlements than West Malaysia. While West Malaysia contains the country's major cities (Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, and Georgetown), East Malaysia is larger and much more abundant in natural resources, particularly oil and gas reserves. In the pan-regional style, city status is reserved for only a few settlements, including Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and Miri. Various other significant settlements are classified as towns, including many with over 100,000 residents. East Malaysia includes a significant portion of the biodiverse Borneo lowland rain forests and Borneo montane rain forests.
east malaysia is less populated and has fewer developed settlements than west malaysia while west malaysia contains the country's major cities (kuala lumpur johor bahru and georgetown) east malaysia is larger and much more abundant in natural resources particularly oil and gas reserves in the pan-regional style city status is reserved for only a few settlements including kuching kota kinabalu and miri various other significant settlements are classified as towns including many with over 100000 residents east malaysia includes a significant portion of the biodiverse borneo lowland rain forests and borneo montane rain forests