'Brunei Darussalam', (
IPA: ) officially the 'State of Brunei, Abode of Peace' (,
Jawi:
برني دارالسلام )), is a country located on the
island of
Borneo, in
Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the
South China Sea it is completely surrounded by the state of
Sarawak,
Malaysia. Brunei, the remnant of a very powerful
sultanate, regained its independence from the
United Kingdom on
1 January 1984.
History
Main articles: History of Brunei
The
Sultanate of Brunei was very powerful from the fourteenth to the sixteenth century CE. Its realm covered the whole island of
Borneo and the southwestern
Philippines.
European influence gradually brought an end to this
regional power. Later, there was a brief war with
Spain, in which Brunei was victorious. The decline of the
Bruneian Empire culminated in the nineteenth century when Brunei lost much of its territory to the
White Rajahs of
Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts. Brunei was a
British protectorate from 1888 to 1984.
There was a small
rebellion against the
monarchy during the 1960s, which was suppressed by the
United Kingdom. This event became known as the
Brunei Revolt and was partly responsible for the failure to create the
North Borneo Federation. The rebellion also affected Brunei's decision to opt out of the
Malaysian Federation and was the first stage of the
Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation.
Politics and government
Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei.
of Brunei, whose
title has passed within the same dynasty since the fifteenth century, is the head of state and head of government in Brunei. The Sultan is advised by several
councils and a cabinet of
ministers although he is effectively the supreme ruler. The
media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains a venerated status within the country. There is no elected
legislative body. In September 2004, the Sultan convened an appointed
Parliament which had not met since independence in 1984, although it lacks any capacity beyond advising the monarch.
The country has been under an
Internal Security Act since a rebellion in the early 1960s was put down by
British troops from
Singapore. Arrests under the internal security act are still commonplace.
[1]
Press freedom
Brunei has been given 'Not Free' status by
Freedom House; press criticism of the government and monarchy is rare
[2].
Territorial disputes
Brunei claims territory in
Sarawak, such as
Limbang, and it is one of many nations to lay claim to the disputed
Spratly Islands. Several small islands situated between Brunei and
Labuan, including
Kuraman island, are contested between Brunei and Malaysia. However, they are internationally recognised as part of the latter.
Districts and mukims
Districts of Brunei.
,
Mukims of Brunei
Brunei is divided into
four districts (''daerah''):
★
Belait
★
Brunei and Muara
★
Temburong
★
Tutong
The districts are subdivided into thirty-eight ''mukims''.
Geography
Main articles: Geography of Brunei
Brunei consists of two unconnected parts. 97% of the population lives in the larger western part, while only about 10,000 live in the mountainous eastern part (the district of
Temburong). The total population of Brunei is 383,000, of which around 46,000 live in the capital
Bandar Seri Begawan. Some major towns are the capital Bandar Seri Begawan, the port town
Muara, the oil producing town of
Seria and its neighboring town,
Kuala Belait. In the
Belait district, the
Panaga area is home to large numbers of expatriates due to
Royal Dutch Shell and British Army housing and recreational facilities. The well-known
Panaga Club is situated here.
The climate in Brunei is equatorial tropical, with high temperatures, high humidity, sunshine and heavy rainfall throughout the year.
Economy
Main articles: Economy of Brunei
This small, wealthy
economy is a mixture of
foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation,
welfare measures, and
village tradition. Crude
oil and
natural gas production account for nearly half of its
GDP. Substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all
medical services and subsidizes
rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal
social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as
chairman for the 2000
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the
labour force, reducing
unemployment, strengthening the
banking and
tourism sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base. The national airline,
Royal Brunei is trying to make Brunei a hub for international travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand. It also has services to major Asian destinations.
Transportation
Main articles: Transport in Brunei
Brunei is accessible via sea and land travel. The main highway running across Brunei is the
Pan Borneo Highway, which is a joint project with
Malaysia. Besides the Pan Borneo Highway, Brunei can be accessed by air through
Brunei International Airport.
Royal Brunei is the main airline company in Brunei.
Brunei has several
sea ports, mainly to export its petroleum products, as well as for import/export purposes.
Demographics
Main articles: Demographics of Brunei
About two-thirds of the Brunei population are of
Malay origin and have long dominated the nation's economy. The official
languages of the nation are
Malay (Malay: ''Bahasa Melayu'') and
English, although an important minority speak
Chinese.
English is also widely spoken and there is a relatively large
expatriate community with significant numbers of British and Australian citizens.
Islam is the official
religion of Brunei, and the sultan is the head of the religion in the country. Other faiths practised are
Buddhism (mainly by the Chinese),
Christianity, and primarily in isolated and very small communities,
indigenous religions.
Culture
Main articles: Culture of Brunei
The culture of Brunei is predominantly
Malay, with heavy influences from
Hinduism and
Islam, but is seen as more conservative than
Malaysia. The sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned, with foreigners and non-Muslims allowed to bring in twelve cans of beer and two litres of other alcohol (e.g. wine or spirits, no distinction is made for alcohol content). This limit used to apply every entry, in 2007 however this was changed to 1 limit every 48 hours. This has more of a negative effect on tourists rather than expats as the latter are allowed a fairly substantial monthly allowance they can purchase from government stores. After the introduction of prohibition in the early 1990s, all pubs and nightclubs were forced to close, however several types of restaurants allegedly still offer illicit alcohol sometimes served in teapots.
[3]
Brunei in fiction
Anthony Burgess's novel ''
Devil of a State'' is set in Brunei. The construction of
Bandar Seri Begawan's
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is a major theme in the book.
See also
Notes and references
1. ISA arrests In Brunei. [1] Retrieved 28-07-2007.
2. http://www.freedomhouse.org/inc/content/pubs/pfs/inc_country_detail.cfm?country=6929&year=2007&pf
3. For a discussion of religious freedom, see http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71334.htm (United States Department of State).
Bibliography
★
★ U.S. Department of State website (2003)
★ L. W. W. Gudgeon, ''British North Borneo'', Adam and Charles Black: London, 1913.
External links
★
Government of Brunei Darussalam website
★
★
Brunei Tourism website
★
The Daily Brunei Resources blog. Contains extra information on the country through the eyes of a Bruneian.
★
WikiTravel entry for Brunei
العربية
ä¸å›½
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिनà¥à¤¦à¥€
Italiano
日本語
Português
РуÑÑкий
Español
