Mount Kinabalu in the context of Borneo

Natural resources are resources that are drawn from nature and used with few modifications. This includes the sources of valued characteristics such as commercial and industrial use, aesthetic value, scientific interest, and cultural value. On Earth, it includes sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, all minerals along with all vegetation, and wildlife.

Natural resources are part of humanity's natural heritage or protected in nature reserves. Particular areas (such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva) often feature biodiversity and geodiversity in their ecosystems. Natural resources may be classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level).

Montane grasslands and shrublands are a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The term montane in the name of the biome refers to high elevation, rather than the ecological term that denotes the region below the treeline. The biome includes high-elevation (montane and alpine) grasslands and shrublands around the world, including the puna and páramo in South America, subalpine heath in New Guinea and East Africa, steppes of the Tibetan plateaus, and other similar subalpine habitats.Drier subtropical montane grasslands, savannas, and woodlands include the Ethiopian Highlands, the Zambezian montane grasslands and woodlands, and the montane habitats of southeastern Africa.

The páramos of the northern Andes are the most extensive examples of the habitat type. Although ecoregion biotas are most diverse in the Andes, these ecosystems are distinctive wherever they occur in the tropics. The heathlands and moorlands of East Africa (e.g., Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount Kenya, Rwenzori Mountains), Mount Kinabalu of Borneo, and the Central Range of New Guinea are all limited in extent, isolated, and support endemic plants and animals.The plants and animals of tropical montane páramos display striking adaptations to cool, wet conditions and intense sunlight. Around the world, characteristic plants of these habitats display features such as rosette structures, waxy surfaces, and abundant pilosity.

Sabah (Malay pronunciation: [ˈsabah]) is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah has land borders with the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and Indonesia's North Kalimantan province to the south. The Federal Territory of Labuan is an island just off Sabah's west coast. Sabah shares maritime borders with Vietnam to the west and the Philippines to the north and east. Kota Kinabalu is the state capital and the economic centre of the state, and the seat of the Sabah State government. Other major towns in Sabah include Sandakan and Tawau. The 2020 census recorded a population of 3,418,785 in the state. It has an equatorial climate with tropical rainforests, abundant with animal and plant species. The state has long mountain ranges on the west side which forms part of the Crocker Range National Park. Kinabatangan River, the second longest river in Malaysia runs through Sabah. The highest point of Sabah, Mount Kinabalu is also the highest point of Malaysia.

The earliest human settlement in Sabah can be traced back to 20,000–30,000 years ago along the Darvel Bay area at the Madai-Baturong caves. The state has had a trading relationship with China starting from the 14th century AD. Sabah came under the influence of the Bruneian Empire in the 14th and 15th centuries. The state was subsequently acquired by the British North Borneo Chartered Company in the 19th century. During World War II, North Borneo was occupied by the Japanese for three years. It became a British Crown Colony in 1946. On 31 August 1963, the newly-renamed Sabah was granted self-governance by the British. Following this, Sabah became one of the founding members of the Federation of Malaysia (established on 16 September 1963) alongside the Crown Colony of Sarawak, the Colony of Singapore (expelled in 1965), and the Federation of Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia or West Malaysia). The federation was opposed by neighbouring Indonesia, which led to the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation over three years along with the threats of annexation by the Philippines along with the Sultanate of Sulu, threats which continue to the present day.

Kinabalu Park (Malay: Taman Kinabalu), established as one of the first national parks of Malaysia in 1964, is Malaysia's first World Heritage Site designated by UNESCO in December 2000 for its "outstanding universal values" and the role as one of the most important biological sites in the world with more than 4,500 species of flora and fauna, including 326 bird and around 100 mammal species, and over 110 land snail species.

Located on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysian Borneo, it covers an area of 754 square kilometres surrounding Mount Kinabalu, which at 4,095.2 meters, is the highest mountain on the island of Borneo.

Mount Tambuyukon or Tamboyukon (Malay: Gunung Tambuyukon, Dusun: Nulu Tambuyukon) is a mountain located at the West Coast and Kudat divisions of Sabah, Malaysia (located on the tripoints of three districts namely Ranau, Kota Belud as well as Kota Marudu). It is considered the third-highest mountain in the country with height at 2,579 metres (8,461 ft), lying north of the highest Mount Kinabalu.

A cloud forest, also called a water forest, primas forest, or tropical montane cloud forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical, evergreen, montane, moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level, formally described in the International Cloud Atlas (2017) as silvagenitus. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and vegetation, in which case they are also referred to as mossy forests. Mossy forests usually develop on the saddles of mountains, where moisture introduced by settling clouds is more effectively retained.

Cloud forests are among the most biodiversity-rich biomes in the world, with a large number of species directly or indirectly depending on them.

Kota Kinabalu (Malaysian: [ˈkota kinaˈbalu]; formerly known as Jesselton), colloquially referred to as KK, is the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia. It is also the capital of the Kota Kinabalu District as well as the West Coast Division of Sabah. The city is located on the northwest coast of Borneo facing the South China Sea. The Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park lies to its west and Mount Kinabalu, which gave the city its name, is located to its east. Kota Kinabalu has a population of 452,058 according to the 2010 census; when the adjacent Penampang and Tuaran districts are included, the metro area has a combined population of 628,725. The 2020 Census revealed an increase in the municipal population to 500,421, while the wider area including the Penampang and Putatan districts had a population of 731,406.

Historically, the Kadazandusuns called the area by the name of Dondoung. In the 15th century, the area of Kota Kinabalu was under the influence of Bruneian Empire. In the 19th century, the British North Borneo Chartered Company (NBCC) first set up a settlement near the Gaya Island. However, it was destroyed by fire in 1897 by a local leader named Mat Salleh. In July 1899, the place located opposite to the Gaya Island was identified as a suitable place for settlements. Development in the area was started soon after that; and the place was named "Api-api" before it was renamed after Sir Charles Jessel, the vice-chairman of NBCC, as "Jesselton". Jesselton became a major trading port in the area, and was connected to the North Borneo Railway. Jesselton was largely destroyed during World War II. The Japanese occupation of Jesselton provoked several local uprisings notably the Jesselton Revolt but they were eventually defeated by the Japanese. After the war, NBCC was unable to finance the high cost of reconstructions and the place was ceded to the British Crown Colony. The British Crown declared Jesselton as the new capital of North Borneo in 1946 and started to rebuild the town. After the formation of Malaysia, North Borneo was renamed as Sabah. In 1967, Jesselton was renamed as Kota Kinabalu, Kota being the Malay word for City and Kinabalu after the nearby Mount Kinabalu. Kota Kinabalu was granted city status in 2000.

Nepenthes villosa /nɪˈpɛnθiːz vɪˈloʊzə/, or the villose pitcher-plant, is a tropical pitcher plant endemic to Mount Kinabalu and neighbouring Mount Tambuyukon in northeastern Borneo. It grows at higher elevations than any other Bornean Nepenthes species, occurring at elevations of over 3,200 m (10,500 ft). Nepenthes villosa is characterised by its highly developed and intricate peristome, which distinguishes it from the closely related N. edwardsiana and N. macrophylla.

The specific epithet villosa is Latin for "hairy" and refers to the dense indumentum of this species.

Tamparuli is a town and sub-district located in the Tuaran District of Sabah, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. It is approximately 38 kilometres northeast of Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah. The town is known for its scenic landscapes, which include hills, rivers, and surrounding rural areas, making it a picturesque location. It is famous for its proximity to the Tamparuli Suspension Bridge, a popular tourist attraction. The Tamparuli Suspension Bridge became even more iconic after the creation of the "Tamparuli Bridge Song" by Justin Lusah. Tamparuli is also known for its local culture and is a gateway for visitors heading to the highlands, such as the popular Kundasang area and Mount Kinabalu. The town is known for its food, especially the "Tamparuli Noodles," a local delicacy. It also serves as a stop on the way to Kiulu, a popular whitewater rafting destination for domestic and international tourists.

The convenience of the new Tamparuli Point shopping site is helping Tamparuli grow. The most famous landmark in Tamparuli is a long hanging bridge; another bridge built safer and more compatible for motor traffic spans the river far below the hanging bridge and is flooded during heavy rain. A portion of the motor bridge was destroyed by floods in 1954 but was built not long after.

Kundasang is a hill station and town in the district of Ranau in Sabah, Malaysia that lies along the bank of Kundasang Valley within the Crocker Range, which neighbours Pekan Nabalu in nearby Kota Belud district. It is located about 6 kilometres away from Kinabalu National Park, 15.6 kilometres from Ranau town centre proper and is renowned for its vegetable market which is open seven days a week. It is the closest town to Mount Kinabalu and has a panoramic view of the mountain. It is populated mainly by the native Ranau Dusuns who are mostly Muslims since the colonial rule with a large significant Christian minority (especially in the Bundu Tuhan village where its native Dusun populace are mostly Roman Catholics owing to Christianisation of the tribe during colonial rule from animism by the Mill Hill Missionaries in today's Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu although the vast majority of Christian Dusuns in Ranau are from the Sidang Injil Borneo church) and a small population of Chinese people (mostly Hakkas including those of Sino-Native descent). Notably, almost all the shops are operated by locals.

At an elevation of almost 1,900 m (6,200 ft), it is the highest settlement in Malaysia. Kundasang is also famously known as the New Zealand of Borneo for its unique mountainous geographical terrain almost similar to New Zealand. The Desa Dairy Farm is located within Kundasang.

Pekan Nabalu (transl. Nabalu Town in Malay) is a town and mukim (township) of the Kota Belud District of Sabah, Malaysia. It is located near the foothills of Mount Kinabalu and is a frequent stop for hikers en route to Kinabalu Park. It lies at the tripoint border of the districts of Kota Belud, Tuaran, and Ranau, and serves as a market hub for both locals and tourists.