The western part of Sabah is generally mountainous, containing the three highest

mountains in Malaysia. The most prominent range is the Crocker Range which houses
several mountains of varying height from about 1,000 metres to 4,000 metres. At the
height of 4,095 metres, Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in the Malay
Archipelago (excluding New Guinea) and the 10th highest mountain in political
Southeast Asia. The jungles of Sabah are classified as tropical rainforests and host a
diverse array of plant and animal species. Kinabalu National Park was inscribed as a
World Heritage Site in 2000 because of its richness in plant diversity combined with its
unique geological, topographical, and climatic conditions.[38]
Highway 22 section from Ranau
to Kota Kinabalu in
Kundasang.
Lying nearby Mount Kinabalu is
Mount Tambuyukon. With a
height of 2,579 metres, it is the
third highest peak in the country.
Adjacent to the Crocker Range is the Trus Madi Range which houses the second highest
peak in the country, Mount Trus Madi, with a height of 2,642 metres. There are lower
ranges of hills extending towards the western coasts, southern plains, and the interior or
central part of Sabah. These mountains and hills are traversed by an extensive network of
river valleys and are in most cases covered with dense rainforest.
The central and eastern portion of Sabah are generally lower mountain ranges and plains
with occasional hills. Kinabatangan River begins from the western ranges and snakes its
way through the central region towards the east coast out into the Sulu Sea. It is the
second longest river in Malaysia after Rajang River at a length of 560 kilometres. The
forests surrounding the river valley also contains an array of wildlife habitats, and is the
largest forest-covered floodplain in Malaysia.[39]
The northern tip of Borneo at
Tanjung Simpang Mengayau.
Other important wildlife regions
in Sabah include Maliau Basin,
Danum Valley, Tabin, Imbak
Canyon and Sepilok. These
places are either designated as
national parks, wildlife reserves, virgin jungle reserves, or protection forest reserve.
Over three-quarters of the human population inhabit the coastal plains. Major towns and
urban centres have sprouted along the coasts of Sabah. The interior region remains
sparsely populated with only villages, and the occasional small towns or townships.

Beyond the coasts of Sabah lie a number of islands and coral reefs, including the largest
island in Malaysia, Pulau Banggi. Other large islands include, Pulau Jambongan, Pulau
Balambangan, Pulau Timbun Mata, Pulau Bumbun, and Pulau Sebatik. Other popular
islands mainly for tourism are, Pulau Sipadan, Pulau Selingan, Pulau Gaya, Pulau Tiga,
and Pulau Layang-Layang.