25 Interesting Brunei Facts That You Probably Didn't Know

Brunei is located on the north coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia.

Brunei is also officially known as the Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace, and as Brunei Darussalam. Apart from the South China Sea coast, Brunei is a small country surrounded by Sarawak.

This tiny nation is located in the northern portion of Borneo island. Its capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan or Brunei Town, has an estimated population of 100,700. The Government in Brunei is an absolute monarchy that is ruled by its Sultan. Since the 14th century, the same royal family has ruled in the country.

The political system of Brunei is governed by its constitution and the Malay Islamic Monarchy. The three components cover the Malay culture, Islamic religion, and political framework.

The head of the state is His Majesty, Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah. Sultan Bolkiah is also the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, and Finance Minister. Brunei's Sultan is the second richest royal in the world.

The population of Brunei is about 428,963, out of which most are Malay, 10% are Chinese, 3% are indigenous people, and smaller groups make up the remaining percentage. The average life expectancy in Brunei is around 77.7 years in Brunei.

Brunei gained applaud for being the first Asian country to ban shark finning. According to this, no shark species can be caught in the waters of Brunei. Other countries are yet to take this important step.

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Brunei History

According to local history that is available, Brunei was discovered by Awang Alak Betatar, who was later known as Sultan Muhammad Shah. He came to the Brunei River estuary while moving from Garang during the 14th century. When he landed there, he exclaimed, 'Baru nah', which loosely translated has a meaning of 'that's it!'.

In the period between the 15th-17th century, Brunei was a powerful state, and it had control over the southern Philippines as well as coastal areas of northwest Borneo. However, in the later years, the sultanate started declining.

Piracy, the Brunei Civil War, as well as the European expansion were some of the reasons for its gradual decline.

Once the British arrived in North Borneo, Labuan, Sarawak, and the Spanish arrived in the Philippines, most of the empire of Brunei was lost. In the 1800s, a large part of its territory was given to the White Rajahs of Sarawak.

This led to the territory being separated into two parts.

In the year 1888, a 'Treaty of Protection' was signed by the British Government, which made the territory a British protectorate. It remained as a protectorate of Great Britain until the year 1984 when it started gaining prosperity due to the discovery of oil in the region and became an independent sultanate of the Asia Pacific region.

The country's economy and GDP rapidly increased in the years following independence. The currency of Brunei is the Brunei Dollar (BND). The abundance of natural gas fields and petroleum helped Brunei in becoming an industrialized country.

The major exports of the country include natural resources like crude oil and natural gas. Crude oil and petroleum products are sold mostly to the United States, Japan, and ASEAN countries. Japan, South Korea, Australia are the major trading partners of Brunei.

What is Brunei famous for?

This stunning country has a lot to offer for everyone, from the mesmerizing floating village of Kampung Ayer to the biggest amusement park in southeast Asia. Let us take a look:

Stunning Mosques: Brunei Darussalam is home to the most beautiful mosques in the world. The Islamic architecture is truly mesmerizing.

In the capital city of Brunei, that is, Bandar Seri Begawan, Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque, as well as the Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Mosque, is absolutely beautiful. Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque is the largest mosque in Brunei Darussalam and is definitely worth a visit.

Floating Village: Kampong Ayer in Bandar Seri Begawan is the world's largest floating village. This is a spectacular mini-city that's spread across 23.6 mi (37.98 km).

This city houses about 40 villages too. Kampong Ayer has been rightfully called the original 'Venice of the East'. About 1,000 years ago, houses were built on the Brunei River by Bajau Sea Nomads.

Amazing Forests: Over 70% of the land area of Brunei is covered with forests, most of which are tropical rainforests. These rainforests are characterized by rich biodiversity as well as a lot of species that are endemic to Brunei.

Proboscis monkeys: This monkey which is now endangered, is indigenous to Borneo island. Spot this unique species and learn all about them while discovering their natural habitat. This monkey was named after its special-shaped nose. Along with the Proboscis monkey, great white egrets, saltwater crocodiles, long-tail macaques as well as monitor lizards can also be spotted.

Scrumptious Food: Brunei Darussalam is known for its rich culture. Food is also a very significant part of Brunei.

Special recipes are passed on from one generation to the other. Being a tourist and trying different food is one of the best ways to understand the culture.

Some of the delicious foods that you absolutely must taste are Ambuyat which is one of Brunei Darussalam's national dishes, and the Bamboo chicken, which is an aromatic dish originally made by the Iban longhouse communities.

Amusement Parks: The Jerudong Park is an amusement park that is the most expensive and the largest park in Southeast Asia. It was funded by the country's Government and cost about $1 Billion.

What was Brunei used to be called?

When Awang Alak Betatar discovered Brunei, he exclaimed 'Baru nah' from which the name 'Brunei' originated. It was then renamed 'Barunai' in the 14th century.

The full name Negara Brunei Darussalam means abode of peace. The name 'Brunei Darussalam' is used for official purposes.

Brunei Culture Facts

Islam and the Malay culture have had a significant influence on the culture of Brunei. More than two-thirds of its population is Malay; hence, that plays a major role.

Religion: The official Brunei religion is Islam. The ruling monarch has been depicted as the defender of Islam under the Malay Islamic Monarchy. Over 78% of the total Brunei population is Muslim.

Thus, the official religion is Islam. In the year 2014, Brunei became the first East Asian country to adopt Sharia Law. Apart from Muslims, Christians and Buddhists are also present here.

Language: The official Brunei language is Standard Malay. The most spoken language, however, is Brunei Malay. There are also different dialects of Malay that are spoken by the various indigenous communities present in Brunei. Along with these languages, English and Mandarin Chinese are also used.

Sports: Athletes from Brunei country have competed at a local level in various prestigious events like the Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games as well. In the year 1999, Brunei hosted the Southeast Asian Games.

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