Brunei, situated in eastern Asia, has rich resources of oil and natural gas. The Sultanate, once a powerful independent kingdom, was annexed by Britain but gained independence in January 1984.
Brunei Darussalam lies on the northwest coast of Borneo island Where it faces the South China Sea. With a land area of 5,765 square kilometres, it shares a common border with Sarawak, an east Malaysian state, which divides Brunei Darussalam into two, The eastern part is the Temburong District while the western portion consists of Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait districts.
The 570-sq.km. Brunei-Muara District, where the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan is located, is the smallest, but the most important and populous of the four districts.
The 1166 sq. km. Tutong District, the third largest, is home to indigenous groups like the Tutong, the Kedayan, Dusun and Iban. The Belait District, the centre of the oil and gas industries, is about 100 lcrns. From the capital. Hilly lowlands, swampy plains and alluvial valleys dominate the BruneiMuara, Tutong and Belait districts in the larger western portion of the sultanate. Mountainous terrain abound in the estern district of Temburong which has a land area of 1,288 sq.km.
The land surface is developed on a bedrock of tertiary age, comprising sandstones, shales and clay. The terrain in the western part is hilly lowland, which rises in the hinterland to about three hundred metres. To the east, the wide coastal plain reaches up to 1,841 metres above sea level on Mount Pagon in the Temburong District.
Four main river Systems irrigate the four districts of Temburong, Belait, Tutong and Brunei-Muara. Temburong, the smallest of the rivers, drains nearly the whole district.
Malay or Bahasa Melayu is the national and official language of the country. The Malays form the biggest ethnic group in Brunei. However, English is widely spoken and understood especially in the business community. The various indigenous groups speak indigenous dialects in Brunei. Chinese groups speak Mandarin, Hokkien and Cantonese as well as the national language, Bahasa Melayu.
The country covers an expanse of 5,800 square kilometeres and has a coastline of about l30kms. About 75% of the land is covered in jungle, most of which is pristine rain -forest.
Brunei history is long and colorful and is one of Southeast Asia's oldest sovereign nations. Brunei has a recorded history of over 600 years. The country rose to prominence in the 15th and 16th centuries with the size covering Borneo and the entire present day Philippines. Brunei is an independent nation ever since 1984.
The first sultan to embrace Islam in Brunei was Sultan Muhammad I who reigned for 39 years in the 14th century. Around the year 1478, the sultans in the region managed to free themselves from the clutches of Hindu rulers and soon after that, Islam became rooted in Brunei. The first capital was established during the pre Islamic era. It is known as Puni, in the district of Temburong. The capital city was later moved to Kota Batu where the Brunei Museum now stands. The final move came during the reign of Sultan Muhyiddin I during the 17th century. Now, Bandar Seri Begawan is the country's capital. Brunei's golden era was based on two rulers, Sultan Bolkiah and Sultan Hassan. During their reign, the Royal Court rose in strength and splendor and was equal to anywhere in the world. Religious influence was at its peak. Brunei showed a decline in power and territory during the European influence in the 17th and 18th centuries. British influence was predominant and most of its territory fell into the hands of James Brooke, the white raja of Sarawak. In 1888, Brunei became a part of the British protectorate and the British Residential system was introduced to Brunei in 1906. However, in 1959, Brunei managed to regain full internal sovereignty. Britain remained in charge of defence and foreign affairs. In 1918, Brunei installed their Yang Di Pertuan, the Sultan Muhammad Jamulul Alam who is the 20th ruler and the great grandfather of the present sultan.
Oil was discovered in the year 1929, during the rule of the 27th Sultan of Brunei, Ahmad Tajuddin. In 1959, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien became the 28th Sultan of Brunei. He reigned from 1950 to 1967. His vision expanded Brunei towards prosperity and modernity. Finally, after 96 years with Britain, His Majesty the Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah proclaimed Brunei Darussalam a sovereign, independent, and democratic Muslim monarchy on January 1st, 1984.
Brunei has a tropical equatorial climate with a high mean temperature of about 28 degrees Celsius. Average annual rainfall is a high 3,295mm while the mean humidity level is in excess of 80%. Climate is largely influenced by seasonal monsoons. The dry months are usually during March to May (the period of uncertain winds and changing monsoons), and the wet months are between November to February (North-East monsoons).
2/3 of the population of Brunei is made up of Malay and the remaining one-third consists of Chinese, Indians, and other groups like Dayaks and Belaits. Islam is the state religion, and the majority of the people are Muslims. Though the official language is Malay, English is also used for official purposes. Education is compulsory for children aged 5 to 16 years and it is free at all levels. Primary and secondary education is provided in Malay, English, or Chinese.
|
