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BruneiThe Sultanate of Brunei, more commonly referred to as Brunei Darussalam or simply Brunei, is a petroleum-rich country located on the island of Borneo, in southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by East Malaysia. Brunei is one of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).
HistoryThe Sultanate of Brunei was very powerful from the 14th through 16th century, covering the southern Philippines, Sarawak and Sabah. European influence gradually brought an end to this power and there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei was victorious. The 19th Century saw Brunei losing much of its territory to the White Rajah's of Sarawak. There was a small rebellion against the monarchy during the 1960's, which had to be prevented 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. Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984. PoliticsThe Sultan of Brunei, whose title has passed within the same dynasty since the 15th 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 ultimate ruler. The media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains an almost godlike status within the country. There is no elected legislative body. In September 2004 the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah convened an appointed Parliament which had not met since independence in 1984. The country has been under hypothetical martial law since a rebellion occurred in the early 1960s and was put down by British troops from Singapore. A garrison of Gurkha soldiers are still stationed in Brunei on the Sultan's payroll to protect the oil fields in the West of the country. There is also a large British Army presence to support and train Brunei's Army. Brunei also claims territory in Sarawak and is one of many nations to lay claim to disputed Spratly Islands. DistrictsBrunei is divided into four districts, called daerah. These are:
GeographyBrunei consists of two unconnected parts; 97% of the population lives in the larger western part, only about 10,000 live in the mountainous eastern part, the district of Temburong. Major towns are the capital Bandar Seri Begawan (about 46,000 inhabitants), the port town Muara and the oil producing districts of Seria and Kuala Belait. The climate in Brunei is equatorial-tropical, with high temperatures, a high humidity and heavy rainfall.  EconomyThis 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 GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and 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 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base. DemographicsAbout two-thirds of the Brunei population are of Malay origin. The most important minority ethnic group are the Chinese, with about 15%. These groups also reflect the most important languages: Malay, which is the official language, and Chinese. English is also widely spoken and there is a relatively large expatriate community. 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) and Christianity. CultureThe culture of Brunei is similar to Malay culture, with heavy influences from Hinduism and Islam. See also:
Miscellaneous topics
Much of the material in these articles comes from the CIA World Factbook 2000 and the 2003 U.S. Department of State website. Further Reading
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