| Negara Brunei Darussalam State of Brunei, Abode of Peace بروني دارالسلام | ||||||
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| Motto: "الدائمون المحسنون بالهدى" "Sentiasa membuat kebajikan dengan petunjuk Allah" "Always in service with God's guidance" (translation) | ||||||
| Anthem: Allah Peliharakan Sultan God Bless the Sultan | ||||||
![Location of Brunei (green)in ASEAN (dark grey) — [Legend]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Location_Brunei_ASEAN.svg) in ASEan | ||||||
| Capital (and largest city) | Bandar Seri Begawan 4°53.417′N 114°56.533′E / 4.890283°N 114.942217°E | |||||
| Official language(s) | Malay (Bahasa Melayu)[1] | |||||
| Official scripts | Malay alphabet | |||||
| Demonym | Bruneian | |||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | |||||
| - | Sultan | Hassanal Bolkiah | ||||
| - | Crown Prince | Al-Muhtadee Billah | ||||
| Formation | ||||||
| - | Sultanate | 14th century | ||||
| - | End of British protectorate | January 1, 1984 | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 5,765 km2 (172nd) 2,226 sq mi | ||||
| - | Water (%) | 8.6 | ||||
| Population | ||||||
| - | 2011 estimate | 401,890[2] (174th) | ||||
| - | 2001 census | 332,844 | ||||
| - | Density | 67.3/km2 (134th) 174.4/sq mi | ||||
| GDP (PPP) | 2010 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $20.382 billion[3] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $48,891[3] | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | 2010 estimate | |||||
| - | Total | $13.022 billion[3] | ||||
| - | Per capita | $31,238[3] | ||||
| HDI (2010) |  0.805[4] (very high) (37th) | |||||
| Currency | Brunei dollar (BND) | |||||
| Time zone | (UTC+8) | |||||
| Drives on the | left | |||||
| ISO 3166 code | BN | |||||
| Internet TLD | .bn | |||||
| Calling code | +6731 | |||||
| 1 | Also 080 from East Malaysia | |||||
Brunei (
i /bruːˈnaɪ/), officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace[5] (Malay: Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: بروني دارالسلام), is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, Malaysia, and in fact it is separated into two parts by Limbang, which is part of Sarawak. It is the only sovereign state completely on the island of Borneo, with the remainder of the island belonging to Malaysia and Indonesia. Brunei's population is around 400,000 (July 2010).
Brunei can trace its beginnings to the 7th century, when it was a subject state of the Srivijayan empire under the name Po-ni.[6] It later became a vassal state of Majapahit empire before converting to Islam in the 15th century. At the peak of its empire, the sultanate had control that extended over the coastal regions of modern-day Sarawak and Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo. The thalassocracy was visited by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521 and fought the Castille War in 1578 against Spain. Its empire began to decline with the forced ceding of Sarawak to James Brooke and the ceding of Sabah to the British North Borneo Chartered Company. After the loss of Limbang, Brunei finally became a British protectorate in 1888, receiving a resident in 1906. In the post-occupation years, it formalised a constitution and fought an armed rebellion.[7] Brunei regained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984. Economic growth during the 1970s and 1990s, averaging 56% from 1999 to 2008, has transformed Brunei Darussalam into a newly industrialised country.
Brunei has the second highest Human Development Index among the South East Asia nations after Singapore, and is classified as a Developed Country.[8] According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Brunei is ranked 4th in the world by gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity.[9]
Contents[hide] |
[edit] Etymology
According to legend, Brunei was founded by Awang Alak Betatar. His move from Garang [location required][clarification needed] to the Brunei river estuary led to the discovery of Brunei. His first exclamation upon landing on the shore, as the legend goes, was “Baru nah!” (Which in English loosely translates as "that's it!" or "there") and thus, the name “Brunei” was derived from his words.[10]
It was renamed "Barunai" in the 14th Century, possibly influenced by the Sanskrit word varunai (वरुण), meaning "seafarers", later to become "Brunei".[citation needed] The word "Borneo" is of the same origin. In the country's full name "Negara Brunei Darussalam"(بروني دارالسلام), "Darussalam" means "Abode of Peace" in Arabic, while "Negara" means "Country" in Malay. "Negara" derives from the Sanskrit Nagara (नगर), meaning "city".
[edit] History
The power of the Sultanate of Brunei was at its peak between the 15th to the 17th centuries, with its power extending from northern Borneo to the southern Philippines.[2] The efforts of the Brunei Sultans in spreading Islam helped to spread the religion not only in Borneo but also as far north as to the southern Philippines islands. When Malacca fell to the Portuguese in 1511, it was Brunei that played a major role in the spread of Islam in the region.[citation needed]
By the 16th century, Islam was firmly rooted in Brunei, and the country had built one of its biggest mosques. In 1578, Alonso Beltran, a Spanish traveler described it as being five stories tall and built on the water. Most likely it had five layers of roofs to represent the Five Pillars of Islam. This mosque was destroyed by the Spanish in June that same year.
European influence gradually brought an end to this regional power, as Brunei entered a period of decline compounded by internal strife over royal succession. Piracy was also detrimental to the kingdom.[2] Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei's capital was occupied. Eventually the sultanate was victorious but lost territories to Spain. The decline of the Bruneian Empire culminated in the 19th century, when Brunei lost much of its territory to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts.[citation needed] Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984,[2] and occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II.
There was a small rebellion against the monarchy during the 1960s, which was suppressed with help from the United Kingdom. This event became known as the Brunei Revolt and was partly responsible for the failure to create the North Borneo Federation. The rebellion partially affected Brunei's decision to opt out of the Malaysian Federation.
[edit] Politics and government
Brunei has a constitutional sultanate. It has a legal system based on English common law, although Islamic shariah law supersedes this in some cases.[2]
The political system in the country is governed by the constitution and the tradition of the Malay Islamic Monarchy, the concept of “Melayu Islam Beraja” (MIB). The three components of MIB cover Malay culture, Islamic religion and the political framework under the monarchy.[11]
Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers, since 1962. The Sultan's role is enshrined in the national ideology known as Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), or Malay Muslim Monarchy. The country has been under hypothetical martial law since Brunei Revolt of 1962. The Royal family retains a venerated status within the country.
[edit] Press freedom
Media in Brunei is extremely pro-government. The country has been given Not Free status by Freedom House; press criticism of the government and monarchy is rare.[12] Nonetheless, the press is not overtly hostile towards other viewpoints and is not restricted on only publishing articles regarding the government. The government allowed a printing and publishing company, Brunei Press SDN BHD, to form in 1953. It continues to print the leading English daily Borneo Bulletin. This paper began as a weekly community paper, became the country's daily paper in 1990 and "remains the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs."[11] Apart from The Borneo Bulletin, there is also the Media Permata, the local Malay newspaper which is circulated daily. The Brunei Times, another newspaper written in English is an independent newspaper published in Brunei Darussalam. It is owned by the company, Brunei Times Sdn Bhd which consist of a group of prominent local businessmen.
As for mass media, the Brunei government owns and operates six television channels with the introduction of digital TV using DVB-T (RTB 1, RTB 2, RTB 3 (HD), RTB 4, RTB 5 and RTB New Media (Game portal) and five radio stations (National FM, Pilihan FM, Nur Islam FM, Harmony FM and Pelangi FM). A private company has made cable television available (Astro-Kristal) as well as one private radio station, Kristal FM.[11]
[edit] Foreign relations
With its traditional ties with the United Kingdom, it became the 49th member of the Commonwealth immediately on the day of its independence on 1 January 1984.[13] As its first initiatives toward improved regional relations, Brunei joined ASEAN on January 7, 1984, becoming the sixth member.[14] It later joined the United Nations at the 39th Session of the United Nations General Assembly and became a full member on 21 September 1984 as a means to achieve recognition of its sovereignty and full independence from the world community.[15] As it is an Islamic country, Brunei Darussalam became a full member of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in January 1984 at the Fourth Islamic Summit held in Morocco.[16]
After its accession to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) in 1989, Brunei hosted the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November 2000 and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in July 2002.[17] As for other economic ties, Brunei Darussalam became an original member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) since it came into force in 1 January 1995,[18] and is a major player in BIMP-EAGA which was formed during the Inaugural Ministers’ Meeting in Davao, Philippines on March 24, 1994.[19]
Brunei is recognized by every nation in the world. It shares a close relationship particularly with the Philippines and other nations such as Singapore. In April 2009, Brunei and the Philippines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that seeks to strengthen the bilateral cooperation of the two countries in the fields of agriculture and farm-related trade and investments.[20]
[edit] Territorial disputes
Brunei is one of many nations to lay claim to some of the disputed Spratly Islands.[21]
The status of Limbang as part of Sarawak was disputed by Brunei since the area was first annexed in 1890.[22] The issue flared up again in 2010 when former Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad publicly criticised Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's government for secretly negotiating with Brunei to have them give up their claim over Limbang in exchange for Malaysia giving up its claim on two oil-rich plots in the South China Sea. Brunei has since insisted that no agreement has been reached over the Limbang issue, and that it was not even discussed despite Abdullah's claim that Brunei has given up its claims on the area.[23]
[edit] Subdivisions & populous Mukims
Brunei is divided into four districts (daerah):
The districts are subdivided into 38 mukims.
Rank | Mukim | Population | Town/Suburb/Town | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sengkurong | 71,700 | Jerudong and Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 2 | Gadong A & Gadong B | 59,610 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 3 | Berakas A | 57,500 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 4 | Kuala Belait | 35,500 | Kuala Belait | Belait |
| 5 | Seria | 32,900 | Seria Town (Pekan Seria) | Belait |
| 6 | Kilanas | 31,400 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 7 | Sungai Liang | 18,100 | None | Belait |
| 8 | Pengkalan Batu | approx. 15,000 | None | Brunei-Muara |
| 9 | Kota Batu | 14,924 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 10 | Pekan Tutong | 13,000 | Tutong Town (Pekan Tutong) | Tutong |
| 11 | Berakas B | 12,017 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 12 | Mentiri | 10,872 | None | Brunei-Muara |
| 13 | Serasa | approx. 10,000 | Muara Town (Pekan Muara) | Brunei-Muara |
| 14 | Kianggeh | 8,540 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 15 | Burong Pinggai Ayer | approx. 8,200 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 16 | Keriam | 8,000 | None | Tutong |
| 17 | Lumapas | 7,458 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 18 | Kiudang | 7,000 | None | Tutong |
| 19 | Saba | approx. 6,600 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
| 20 | Sungai Kedayan | approx. 6,000 | Bandar Seri Begawan | Brunei-Muara |
[edit] Geography
Brunei is a southeast asian country consisting of two unconnected parts with the total area of 5,765 square kilometres (2,226 sq mi). It has 161 kilometres (100 mi) of coastline next to the South China sea, and it shares a 381 kilometre (237 mi) border with Malaysia. It has 500 square kilometres (193 sq mi) of territorial waters, and an 200 nm exclusive economic zone.[2]
77% of the population lives in the eastern part of Brunei, while only about 10,000 live in the mountainous south eastern part (the district of Temburong). The total population of Brunei Darussalam is approximately 408,000 (July 2010) of which around 150,000 live in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan.[24] Other major towns are the port town of Muara, the oil producing town of Seria and its neighboring town, Kuala Belait. In the Belait district, the Panaga area is home to large numbers of expatriates due to Royal Dutch Shell and British Army housing and recreational facilities.
Most of Brunei is within the Borneo lowland rain forests ecoregion that covers most of the island but there are areas of mountain rain forests inland.
The climate of Brunei is tropical.[2] The average annual temperature is 26.1 °C (79.0 °F), with the April–May average of 24.7 °C (76.5 °F) and the October–December average of 23.8 °C (74.8 °F).[25]
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean Maximum (°C) | 25.8 | 24.8 | 27.2 | 27.1 | 27.5 | 27.1 | 28.4 | 28.3 | 28.0 | 26.5 | 24.4 | 24.0 | 28.3 |
| Mean Minimum (°C) | 22.1 | 22.0 | 22.5 | 23.9 | 23.9 | 24.7 | 24.1 | 24.3 | 25.3 | 23.1 | 22.2 | 23.6 | 26.2 |
| Average Rainfall (mm) | 277.7 | 138.3 | 113.0 | 200.3 | 239.0 | 214.2 | 228.8 | 215.8 | 257.7 | 319.9 | 329.4 | 343.5 | 2873.9 |
[edit] Economy
This 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 its GDP. 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 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labour force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourism sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base.
The national airline, Royal Brunei, is trying to make Brunei a hub for international travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand, and also has services to major Asian destinations. Brunei is increasingly importing from other countries.
[edit] The Brunei Halal brand
Brunei Darussalam in July 2009 launched its national halal branding scheme Brunei Halal[26] which allows manufacturers in Brunei and in other countries to use the premium Brunei Halal trademark to help them penetrate lucrative markets in countries with significant numbers of Muslim consumers. The Brunei Halal brand is said to be the first proper attempt to put together a global halal brand that will reap the potential commercial returns of catering to the consumption needs of Muslims worldwide.
As envisioned by the Sultanate, the use of the Brunei Halal brand would signify to Muslim consumers the manufacturers' strict compliance with laws relating to Islamic teachings. Brunei also aims to build confidence in the brand through strategies that will both ensure the halal integrity of the products and unfaltering compliance with set rules governing the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing process, logistics and distribution.
A new company, government-owned Brunei Wafirah Holdings Sdn Bhd, has been established as the owner of the Brunei Halal brand. Wafirah has entered into a joint venture with Brunei Global Islamic Investment and Hong Kong-based logistics firm Kerry FSDA Limited to form Ghanim International Food Corporation Sdn Bhd. Ghanim International manages the use of the Brunei Halal trademark. Producers that want to use the brand are required to first acquire the Brunei halal label (or the certification for compliance with accepted manufacturing and slaughtering practices under Islam) through the Department of Syariah Affairs' Halal Food Control Section. They can then approach Ghanim for their application to use the brand.
[edit] Agriculture
To achieve its target for food self-sufficiency, Brunei renamed its Brunei Darussalam Rice 1 to Laila Rice during the launch of the "Padi Planting Towards Achieving Self-Sufficiency of Rice Production in Brunei Darussalam" ceremony at the Wasan padi fields in April 2009.[27] In August 2009, the Royal Family reaped the first few Laila padi stalks, after years of multiple attempts to boost local rice production, a goal which was envisioned about half a century ago.[28]
[edit] Health care
All Brunei citizens have access to free health care from public hospitals. The largest hospital in Brunei is Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital (RIPAS) hospital situated in the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. There are two private medical centres, Gleneagles JPMC Sdn Bhd .[29] and Jerudong Park Medical Centre. As of 2008, no hospitals in Brunei were undergoing international healthcare accreditation.
There is currently no medical school in Brunei, and Bruneians wishing to study to become doctors must attend university overseas. However, the Institute of Medicines had been introduced at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and a new building has been built for the faculty. The building, including research lab facilities, was completed in 2009. There has been a School of Nursing since 1951.[30] 58 nurse managers were appointed in RIPAS to improve service and provide better medical care.[31] In December 2008, The nursing college merged with the Institute of Medicines at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam to produce more nurses and midwives.[32] It is now called the PAPRSB (Pengiran Anak Puteri Rashidah Sa'datul Bolkiah) Institute of Health Sciences.[33]
The Health Promotion Centre opened in November 2008 and serves to educate the public on the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.[34]
[edit] Transport
The major population centres in the country are linked by a network of 2,800 kilometres of road. The 135 km highway from Muara Town to Kuala Belait is being upgraded to a dual carriageway.[11]
Brunei is accessible by air, sea and land transport. Brunei International Airport is the main entry point to the country. Royal Brunei Airlines[35] is the national carrier. The ferry terminal at Muara services regular connections to Labuan island (Malaysia). The speedboats provide passenger and goods transportation to the Temburong district. The main highway running across Brunei is the Tutong-Muara Highway. The country's road network is well developed. Brunei has one main sea port located at Muara. The export of its petroleum products is carried out through dedicated terminals.
With one private car for every 2.09 persons, Brunei Darussalam has one of the highest car ownership rates in the world. This has been attributed to the absence of comprehensive transport system, low import tax, inexpensive maintenance and low unleaded petrol price of B$0.53 per litre.[11]
[edit] Demographics
The population of Brunei is 395,027, of which 75 per cent live in urban areas. The average life expectancy is 75.96 years.[2]
[edit] Language
The official language of the nation is Brunei Melayu, a standardised form of Malay.[36] English and Chinese are also spoken.[37] Bahasa rojak, often spoken by the media and the public, is known as a "mixed language" and considered detrimental to normal Malay.[38] Other languages spoken include Kedayan, Tutong, Murut, Dusun and Iban.[37]
English is also widely spoken[39] and there is a relatively large expatriate community with significant numbers of British and Australian citizens.
[edit] Ethnicity
[edit] Religion
Islam is the official religion of Brunei,[2] and the sultan is the head of the religion in the country.[citation needed] Two-thirds of the population adheres to Islam. Other faiths practiced are Buddhism (13 percent, mainly by the Chinese) and Christianity (10 percent).[2] Freethinkers, mostly Chinese, form about seven percent of the population. Although most of them practice some form of religion with elements of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, they prefer to present themselves as having professed no religion officially, hence regarded as atheists in official censuses. Followers of indigenous religions are about two percent of the population.
[edit] Culture
The culture of Brunei is predominantly Malay (reflecting its ethnicity), with heavy influences from Islam, but is seen as more conservative than Malaysia.[40]
Brunei's culture mainly derived from the Old Malay World, which encompassed the Malay Archipelago and from this stemmed what is known as the Malay Civilisation. Based on historical facts, various cultural elements and foreign civilisations had a hand in influencing the culture of this country. Thus, the influence of culture can be traced to four dominating periods of animism, Hinduism, Islam and the West. However, it was Islam that managed to wind its roots deeply into the culture of Brunei hence it became a way of life and adopted as the state's ideology and philosophy.[41]
[edit] Prohibition of alcohol
As a Sharia country, the sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned.[42] Non-Muslims are allowed to purchase a limited amount of alcohol from their point of embarkation overseas for their own private consumption.[11]
[edit] Notable Bruneians
- Dk Najibah Era Al-Sufri, a member of the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition
- Wu Chun, member of Fahrenheit
- Hill, male singer and actor
- Zul F, winner of 2005 Brunei Idol
- Maria, local female singer
- Eqah, female singer
- D'Hask, rock band
- Craig Adams, two time Stanley Cup winner, born in Seria, plays for Pittsburgh Penguins
- A Band Once, local band
[edit] See also(copy of wikipedia)
 | Malay language edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
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