ABOUT BRUNEI DARUSSALAM

Brunei Darussalam, meaning The Abode of Peace, is a country that many may know as
an oil-rich sultanate on the third largest island in the world, but Brunei Darussalam is
much more than that. Brunei Darussalam is located on the northern shore of Borneo
island, bordered by the South China Sea and the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
Geographically, Brunei Darussalam is comprised of two parts, with a total area of 5,765
sq km. It is divided into 4 districts, and the capital city is Bandar Seri Begawan.
Brunei has a tropical climate with temperatures ranging year-round from between 25 to
32 degrees Celsius. The population of Brunei Darussalam stands at about 400,000 67%
Malay, 15% Chinese, 6% tribes indigenous to Borneo including the Iban, Dusun and Murut
tribes, and 12% other. The national language is Malay (Bahasa Melayu) but English is
widely spoken and is the principal language of business.
The majority of the population is concentrated in and around the capital city in the Brunei
Muara district, whichhouses government institutions and the economic sectors of the
country which are not oil and gas related. The Belait district lies in the northwest, and is
the hub of the countrys oil and gas activity, which is Bruneis primary source of wealth.
Brunei Darussalam is a country emerging on the world scene with exciting economic
potential and unique and treasured resources, political stability, a highly educated
population, and an enviable reserve of life-sustaining primary rainforest filled with rare
indigenous life forms that scientists are scrutinising for their possible contribution to the
world.
The current ruler of Brunei Darussalam, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, is the
29th sultan in a line of royal genealogy that dates back to the 14th century. His Majesty
belongs to one of the oldest continuously ruling dynasties in the world. In the 14th
century, Brunei ruled much of Borneo, including Sabah and Sarawak, in an empire that
stretched to the lower areas of the Philippines. The empire nourished with trade networks
linking China, India, Java, Malacca, the Middle East, Spain and Portugal. This was all
changed in the 17th and 18th century after a wave of internal battles, rebellion and a
surge of dominating colonial influences.
Bruneis economic power went into decline and her territories were subsequently lost in a
series of agreements and treaties made in the 19th century. Since the discovery of oil in
1929, however, petrodollars have revived the Bruneian economy and ushered in an era
of significant development. The standard of living and quality of life has been
significantly raised, and benefits like free health care, education, housing, no income tax
and one of the highest per capita incomes in the world all point towards the extent of
progress in Brunei.
Despite this swift development, Brunei has managed to successfully reconcile its firmly
upheld centuries-old traditions and culture with the spirit of progressiveness and
modernity. While the oil and gas industry remains the backbone of the economy, a wave
of diversification is rolling in to ensure that the landscape of the economy remains
geared for long-term sustainability.

History
Brunei was trading with China during the 6th century, and, through allegiance to the Javanese
Majapahit kingdom (13th to 15th century), it came under Hindu influence. In the early 15th century,

with the decline of the Majapahit kingdom and widespread conversion to Islam, Brunei became an
independent sultanate. It was a powerful state from the 16th to the 19th century, ruling over the
northern part of Borneo and adjacent island chains. But Brunei fell into decay and lost Sarawak in
1841, becoming a British protectorate in 1888 and a British dependency in 1905. Japan occupied
Brunei during World War II; it was liberated by Australia in 1945.
The sultan regained control over internal affairs in 1959, but Britain retained responsibility for the
state's defense and foreign affairs until 1984, when the sultanate became fully independent. Sultan
Bolkiah was crowned in 1967 at the age of 22, succeeding his father, Sir Omar Ali Saifuddin, who had
abdicated. During his reign, exploitation of the rich Seria oilfield had made the sultanate wealthy.
Brunei has one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia, and the sultan is believed to be one of the
richest men in the world. In Aug. 1998, Oxford-educated Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah was inaugurated
as heir to the 500-year-old monarchy.

Monetary unit: Brunei dollar

National Name: Negara Brunei Darussalam
Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese
Ethnicity/race: Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%
National Holiday: National Day, February 23
Religions: Islam (official religion) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other
10%
Literacy rate: 92.7% (2011 est.)

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Read more: Brunei: Maps, History, Geography, Government, Culture, Facts, Guide &
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