Brunei
Brunei (officially called Brunei Darussalam, State of Brunei or the Sultanate of Brunei, the Abode of Peace) is a country in Southeast Asia. It is north of Malaysia on the island of Borneo. The country is rather landlocked by Malaysia. To the north is the South China Sea and the Philippines to the northeast.
Brunei Darussalam Negara Brunei Darussalam (Malay) | |
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 Emblem
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Motto:
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Anthem:
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.svg)  | |
| Capital and largest city | Bandar Seri Begawan 4°53.417′N 114°56.533′E / 4.890283°N 114.942217°E |
| Official language | Malay[1] |
| Other languages and dialects[3][4] |
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| Official scripts | |
| Ethnic groups (2023)[5] |
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| Religion (2023)[5] |
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| Demonym(s) | Bruneian |
| Government | Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy |
• Sultan and Prime Minister | Hassanal Bolkiah |
• Crown Prince and Senior Minister | Al-Muhtadee Billah |
| Abdul Aziz Juned | |
| Legislature | Legislative Council of Brunei[a] |
| Formation | |
| 510–1368 | |
| 1368–1888 | |
| 17 September 1888 | |
• Independence from United Kingdom | 1 January 1984 |
• Admitted to the United Nations | 21 September 1984 |
| Area | |
• Total | 5,765[9] km2 (2,226 sq mi) (164th) |
• Water (%) | 8.6 |
| Population | |
• 2023 estimate | 455,858[10] (175th) |
• 2023 census | 445,400 |
• Density | 72.11/km2 (186.8/sq mi) (134th) |
| GDP (PPP) | 2023 estimate |
• Total |  $60.547 billion[11] (135th) |
• Per capita | $70,609[11] (8th) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2023 estimate |
• Total | $37.152 billion[11] (122nd) |
• Per capita | $32,153[11] (21st) |
| HDI (2024) |  0.830[12]very high · 47th |
| Currency | Bruneian pound (BNP£) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (Brunei Standard Time) |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Driving side | left |
| Calling code | +673[c] |
| ISO 3166 code | BN |
| Internet TLD | .bn[13] |
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The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan. The country is small and has a small population. The leader of the country is the Sultan of Brunei. Due to the sale of his oil, he is one of the richest people in the world. The official religion in Brunei is Islam. There are also minorities of people who follow Buddhism or Animism. Brunei's official language and national language is Malay and English language. Brunei is one of the smallest Muslim countries in the world.
History
changeFrom the 14th to the 16th centuries Brunei Darussalam was the seat of a powerful sultanate extending over Sabah, Sarawak and the southern Philippines. Thus, the current Sultan represents one of the oldest continuously ruling dynasties in the world. By the 19th century, the Brunei Darussalam Empire had been whittled away by wars, piracy and the colonial expansion of European powers.
In 1847, the sultan ended a treaty with Great Britain and in 1888 Brunei Darussalam officially became a British protectorate. In 1906, the Residential System was established in Brunei Darussalam. A British Resident was nominated as a representative of the British government to advise the sultan in all matters except Malay customs, traditions and Islamic religion.
The 1959 Agreement established a written constitution which gave Brunei Darussalam internal self-government. In 1971, the agreement was amended and revised to assert full internal independence except defence and external affairs.
On June 5, 1966 His Highness Sultan Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien abdicated in favour of his son Pengiran Muda Mahkota Hassanal Bolkiah. On January 1, 1984 Brunei Darussalam resumed full independence and the Sultan took office as Prime Minister, Finance Minister and Home Affairs Minister, presiding over a cabinet of six. In October 1986, the cabinet was expanded to 11 members, with His Majesty relinquishing the portfolios of Finance and Home Affairs and taking over the Defence portfolio which his late father had held since 1984. In 1988 another reshuffle brought about the elevation of the deputy minister to a full minister and the creation of the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources designed to boost the country's development.[14]
In spite of the sizable non-Muslim population (about 1/3 of the population) and criticism by the international community, the Sultan still announced Brunei's adoption of Sharia law in 2013 to fully enforce on the Muslim majority and partially enforce on non-Muslims.[15] It was expected to take full effect in 2016 after 3 phases, and had begun partial enforcement in its first phase in 2014. It is the first country in East and Southeast Asia to practice Sharia law.[source?]
Divisions
changeBrunei is divided into four districts (daerahs)[16] and 38 subdistricts (mukims).[17]
| No. | District | Capital | Population (2011 census) | Area (km2) |
| 1. | Belait | Kuala Belait | 60,744 | 2,724 |
| 2. | Brunei-Muara | Bandar Seri Begawan | 279,924 | 571 |
| 3. | Temburong | Pekan Bangar | 8,852 | 1,304 |
| 4. | Tutong | Pekan Tutong | 43,852 | 1,166 |
The daerah of Temburong is physically separated from the rest of Brunei by the Malaysian state of Sarawak.
Over 90% of Brunei's total population lives in 15 of the 38 mukims.
Cities
change
Officially, there are no places in Brunei that have "city" status. Some of the important places are:
- Bandar Seri Begawan (Pop. ~181,500, Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Council)
- Kuala Belait (Pop. ~38,000, Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Council)
- Seria (Pop. ~35,400, Kuala Belait/Seria Municipal Council)
- Jerudong (Pop. ~30,000, Kuala Belait/Seria Municipal Council)
- Tutong (Pop. ~27,500, Tutong Municipal Council)
- Bangar - administrative centre of the Temburong district
- Muara Town - has the only deep sea port of Brunei
- Sukang
- Panaga
Revenue
changeBrunei gets most of its income by selling oil. In 2011 the IMF said that Brunei was one of two countries (the other being Libya) with no public debt.[18]
Currency
changeBrunei uses the Brunei Ringgit to trade. However, the Singapore dollar can be used here as both currencies are of the same value.
Related pages
changeNotes
change- ↑ There is a Legislative Council, which has no legislative power.[6] As its role is only consultative it is not considered to be a legislature.[7][8]
References
change- ↑ Deterding, David; Athirah, Ishamina (22 July 2016). "Brunei Malay". Journal of the International Phonetic Association. 47. Cambridge University Press: 99–108. doi:10.1017/S0025100316000189. ISSN 0025-1003. S2CID 201819132. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
- ↑ Writing contest promotes usage, history of Jawi script Archived 12 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine. The Brunei Times (22 October 2010)
- ↑ "Brunei". Ethnologue. 19 February 1999. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
- ↑ "Call to add ethnic languages as optional subject in schools". Archived from the original on 19 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Population by Religion, Sex and Census Year". Archived from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
- ↑ "Brunei Darussalam" (PDF). United Nations (Human Rights Council): 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ "Brunei: Freedom in the World 2020 Country Report". Freedom House. Archived from the original on 27 August 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ "Brunei". United States Department of State. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 27 August 2022.
- ↑ "Brunei-Muara District" (PDF). Information.gov.bn (2nd ed.). Information Department, Prime Minister's Office, Brunei Darussalam. 2010. p. 8. ISBN 99917-49-24-1. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 June 2022. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ↑ "Population". Department of Economic Planning and Development. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "World Economic Outlook Database, October 2023 Edition. (Brunei)". IMF.org. International Monetary Fund. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 November 2023. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
- ↑ "Human Development Report 2023/2024" (PDF). United Nations Development Programme. 13 March 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 March 2024. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
- ↑ "Delegation Record for .BN". IANA. Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
- ↑ "Home - Jabatan Perdana Menteri". www.jpm.gov.bn.
- ↑ "Brunei adopts sharia law amid international outcry". CNN. May 2014.
- ↑ District Statistics (2010). Brunei Darussalam Statistical Yearbook (PDF). Brunei Government. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-07.
- ↑ "Background Note: Brunei". US Department of State. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
- ↑ AHA Centre. "Profile of Brunei Darussalam" (PDF).
