Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Tarakan Island
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Quizzes
Island, New Caledonia.
Islands and Archipelagos
Related Questions
Read Next
Panoramic view of moai, Ahu Tongariki, Easter Island (Rapa Nui), Chile
8 of the World’s Most-Remote Islands
World map. Continents. Oceans. Mendel thumb ok
Just How Many Oceans Are There?
Small canyon underwater carved by the swell into the fore reef with sunlight through water surface, Huahine island, Pacific ocean, French Polynesia.
A Tale of Two Submerged Continents
World Data Locator Map: Australia
Is Australia an Island?
Sailboat against a beautiful landscape
Which Waters Do You Pass Through When You “Sail the Seven Seas”?
Discover
A Factory Interior, watercolor, pen and gray ink, graphite, and white goache on wove paper by unknown artist, c. 1871-91; in the Yale Center for British Art. Industrial Revolution England
Inventors and Inventions of the Industrial Revolution
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint
8 of the Largest Empires in History
A human Inuit skull in a stone chambered cairn in Ilulissat in Greenland. These ancient graves are pre christian and are at least 2000
14 Tough Questions Answered
Los Angeles Police Department wanted flyer on Elizabeth Short, aka the "Black Dahlia," who was brutally murdered in January 1947. The FBI supported the Los Angeles Police Department in the case, including by identifying Short through her fingerprints that
America’s 5 Most Notorious Cold Cases (Including One You May Have Thought Was Already Solved)
Santa Claus flying in his sleigh, christmas, reindeer
Was Santa Claus a Real Person?
Diverse elementary school children wearing school uniforms running outside of school. Boys girls
Pro and Con: School Uniforms

Tarakan Island

island, Indonesia
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/place/Tarakan-Island
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: Pulau Tarakan
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Indonesian:
Pulau Tarakan
See all related content

Tarakan Island, island in northern Kalimantan Utara provinsi (North Kalimantan province), northern Indonesia.

It is situated in the eastern Celebes Sea, off the northeastern coast of Borneo. The island has a length of approximately 10 miles (16 km) and an area of 117 square miles (303 square km). Its coastal area is low and swampy, and there are oil fields on the southwestern coast. During World War II the island was captured (January 1942) by the Japanese and was retaken by the Australians in May 1945. The town of Tarakan lies on the western side of the island.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Michael Ray.