Ethnicity in colonial Burnyasborg

The history of racial mixture in Swedish Borneo occurred on a smaller scale than other Swedish overseas possessions during the colonial period from the 17th to the 19th century. This ethno-religious social stratification schema was similar to the casta system used in the Spanish Empire, with some major differences.

The system was used for city planning, with Malays being allocated the yttrestad (outer city), Chinese being allocated the kinesiskstad, and Arabs being placed in Lilla Arabien. Europeans, however, were allocated separate boroughs: Portuguese and Dutch in Gadong, Britons in Pintu Malim and Swedes in the innerstad (inner city).

Peranakans (peoples of mixed-race ancestry) would be allocated Ranggu Island, until 1843 all kinds of Peranakans were allowed to populate but only non-Eurasian Peranakans (Chettiars, Baba Nyonya, Jawi Pekans and Chindians) were allowed to stay on Ranggu Island thereafter, Eurasian Peranakans (Indos, Mardijkers, Kristangs etc.) were moved to Telanai.