Kota Belud gained its name from the combination of two words in Bajau language. Kota means "fort" while Belud means a "hill" which consequently giving the meaning of "fort in a hill".[1]
History
In the past before the existence of a government body, there was often hostility between the races of different villages in the area. In order to defending themselves, they had to find a place to survive their opposition attacks. Hence, the Bajaus have chosen a hill as their fortress which subsequently known as "Kota Belud".[1]
According to the last census in 2010, the population of Kota Belud district is estimated to be around 91,27,[2] mainly Bajau (including Illanun) people and also Dusun (Tindal and Tobilung tribes). As in other districts of Sabah, there are a significant number of illegal immigrants from the nearby southern Philippines, mainly from the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao, many of whom are not included in the population statistics.
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