"Borneo is one of the largest islands of the world. Its area is roughly 290,000 square miles,about five times that of England and Wales. Its greatest length north-east to southwest is 830 miles, and its greatest breadth is about 600 miles. It is crossed by the equator a little below its centre, so that about two-thirds of its area lie in the northern and one-third lies in the southern hemisphere. Although surrounded on all sides by islands of volcanic origin, Borneo differs them in presenting but small traces of volcanic activity, and in consisting of ancient masses of igneous rock and of sedimentary strata."