Brunei is a small country in Southeast Asia, surrounded by Malaysia and with a coastline on the South China Sea. It was a powerful territory from 1300 to 1500 AD, but European influence caused its decline. It became a British protectorate in 1888 and gained independence in 1984. Brunei has a population of over 300,000 people and is divided into four districts. The country experiences heavy rainfall all year round and has high humidity, sunshine, and temperatures. The official languages are English and Malay, and the official religion is Islam. The public consumption and sale of alcohol is prohibited, and the country is not generally considered to have freedom of the press.
Officially known as the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace, Brunei Darussalam is a small country in Southeast Asia. It is mostly surrounded by Malaysia, especially the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. The north side of the country has a coastline on the South China Sea.
The Sultanate of Brunei was a powerful territory from 1300 to 1500 AD The Sultanate covered the southwest part of present-day Philippines and the island of Borneo. In the 16th century, European influence began to take hold and the Brunei empire declined, losing landmass and becoming a British protectorate in 1888.
In the 1960s, a rebellion against the monarchy known as the Brunei Result was put down by Britain. The country has therefore decided not to join the Malaysian Federation. This is also when the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation started. Brunei has had an internal security law in place since the 1960s and many arrests are still made under this law. It became independent in 1984.
The country has a population of over 300,000 people and is made up of four districts, or daerahs: Brunei and Muara, Belait, Tutong and Temburong; which are all divided into two areas, which are not connected. The large western part of Brunei contains 97% of the population while the other 3% live in the Temburong district which is the eastern mountainous region. The country also claims the Spratly Islands, other islands including the Kuraman Islands, and some territories in Sarawak, although all of these territories are disputed.
A tropical equatorial country that experiences heavy rainfall all year round, Brunei also experiences high humidity, sunshine and high temperatures. It can be reached by plane. There are seaports for exporting oil, which accounts for almost half of its GDP.
Most Bruneis are of Malay descent, but are generally more conservative than Malaysia. The official languages of the country are English and Malay, but many people also speak Chinese. The official religion of this nation is Islam, and the sultan is the head of government and religion.
The public consumption and sale of alcohol is prohibited in Brunei, although non-Muslims and foreigners are permitted to bring limited quantities of alcohol. Nightclubs and pubs were banned when alcohol prohibition began in the early 1990s, although some restaurants are said to serve illegal alcohol in teapots. The country is not generally considered to have freedom of the press.
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