Banca

Banca, an island from 8 to 20 miles broad lying SE. of Sumatra, from which it is separated by the Strait of Banca. Together with a few contiguous islands it forms the Dutch Residency of Banca, with an area of 4977 sq. m., and a pop. (1890) of 80,920, of whom more than 20,000 were Chinese. The surface is for the most part level or undulating, but the island is by no means fertile, the banana and the durian being its only fruits. Gold, iron ore, silver, lead, and amber are found, but tin is the chief mineral. The annual output is valued at over £350,000, and most of it finds a market in China and Japan. The once dense forests have been terribly thinned for smelting purposes. The principal imports are rice, salt, and European goods. The capital, Muntok, in the north-west part of the island, has a fort and 3000 inhabitants.