Brunei
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Brunei, independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island ofBorneo inSoutheast Asia. It is bounded to the north by theSouth China Sea and on all other sides by theEast Malaysian state ofSarawak, which also divides the state into two disconnected segments of unequal size. The western segment is the larger of the two and contains the capital city ofBandar Seri Begawan. Brunei achieved independence in 1984, having been a Britishprotectorate since 1888. It is a member of theCommonwealth andASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).
Land
Relief, drainage, and soils
Brunei consists of a narrow coastal plain in the north, which gives way to rugged hills in the south. Thecountry’s highest point isPagon Peak (6,070 feet [1,850 metres]), in the southeast. Brunei is drained by theBelait,Tutong, and Brunei rivers in the western segment and by the Pandaruan and Temburong rivers in the east; all flow generally northward to the South China Sea. TheBelait is the largest river in the country. The soils of Brunei are deeply weathered, highlyleached, and generally infertile. Richer alluvial soils are found along the rivers and in some parts of the coastal floodplain, and these offer the best agricultural potential. White quartz sands are prevalent in some areas.
- Head Of State And Government:
- Sultan and Prime Minister:Sir Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muʿizzaddin Waddaulah
- Capital:
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Population:
- (2025 est.) 461,000
- Currency Exchange Rate:
- 1 USD equals 1.365 Bruneian dollar
- Form Of Government:
- monarchy (sultanate) with one advisory body (Legislative Council [45]1)
- Official Language:
- Malay2
- Official Religion:
- Islam
- Official Name:
- Negara Brunei Darussalam (State of Brunei Darussalam)
- Total Area (Sq Km):
- 5,765
- Total Area (Sq Mi):
- 2,226
- Monetary Unit:
- Brunei dollar (B$)3
- Population Rank:
- (2023) 178
- Population Projection 2030:
- 489,200
- Density: Persons Per Sq Mi:
- (2025) 207.1
- Density: Persons Per Sq Km:
- (2025) 80
- Urban-Rural Population:
- Urban: (2024) 79.4%
- Rural: (2024) 20.6%
- Life Expectancy At Birth:
- Male: (2022) 73.4 years
- Female: (2022) 77.3 years
- Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate:
- Male: (2021) 98%
- Female: (2021) 97%
- Gni Per Capita (U.S.$):
- (2023) 34,970
- Gni (U.S.$ ‘000,000):
- (2023) 15,825
- Constitutional provided statutory number; current membership is 33. Legislative Council (suspended 1984) reinstated September 2004 and enlarged September 2005 and June 2011; all seats are nonelected.
- All official documents that must be published by law in Malay are also required to be issued in an official English version.
- Pegged to the Singapore dollar at a ratio of 1:1.
Climate
The climate of Brunei is governed by the equatorialmonsoon winds. The northeast monsoon typically blows from December to March, and the southwest monsoon blows from May to September. April, October, and November are transitional months. Temperatures in Brunei are warm throughout the year, typically dropping into the mid-70s F (about 23 °C) and rising to about 90 °F (32 °C) on a daily basis. Precipitation averages about 115 inches (2,900 mm) annually in the coastal areas but canexceed 150 inches (3,800 mm) farther inland. Rainfall is generally heavier from October to January and lighter from March to August.
Plant and animal life
About three-fifths of the country is covered with virgin tropicalrainforest, and another one-fifth is under secondary forest. The undisturbed rainforest consists mainly of hardwoods of theDipterocarpaceae family (notably of the genusShorea), most of which are of commercial value. Large expanses of freshwater andpeat swamps are found in the poorly drained lowlands of the Belait and Tutong rivers, whilemangrove swamps are common along the lower riverine reaches and sheltered coastal areas. The complex vegetation of the rainforest providesniches for a rich variety of animals, including proboscis monkeys, leaf monkeys, pigtail macaques, gibbons, sun bears, sambar deer, pangolins, bats, and many other mammals. Among Brunei’s most notable birds are its argus pheasants and hornbills. Numerous species of reptiles, including the largereticulated python, inhabit the country’s swamps and woodlands.
People
Ethnic groups
Nearly two-thirds of the population ofBrunei is classified officially asMalay. This category, however, includes not only ethnic Malays but also a number of theindigenous peoples, namely the Dusun, Belait, Kedayan,Murut, andBisaya (Bisayah).Chinese make up about one-tenth of the population. The remainder of Brunei’s residents consists of other (non-Malay) indigenous peoples, such as theIban (or Sea Dayak); various peoples of South Asian descent; and temporary workers, primarily fromAsia and Europe.
Languages
The official language isMalay, with English as a major second language. Many Chinese speak southern varieties ofChinese, and many learnMandarin in school.
Religion
Brunei’s population is predominantlySunniMuslim, although the Chinese usually followBuddhism,Daoism,Confucianism, or Christianity. Some of the indigenous peoples areChristian, while others follow their own local religions.
Settlement patterns
The forested uplands of Brunei’s interior are sparsely populated by indigenous peoples, who practiceshifting agriculture. In the country’s western segment, the Iban and the Belait generallyinhabit the westernmost region near the border with Sarawak, while the Kedayan are concentrated in the central and eastern areas, and theKadazan live primarily in the rural parts of the east-central region. The Murut and Bisaya have settled mainly in the eastern segment of Brunei. The Malays are distributed in the riverine and coastal villages and towns throughout the country, and the Chinese are concentrated in the urban areas.
About two-thirds of Brunei’s population is found in and aroundBandar Seri Begawan, the capital and largest urban centre. The city is located on the Brunei River about 9 miles (14 km) from its mouth on Brunei Bay.Adjacent to the modern section of the city is an older part calledKampong Ayer, where Brunei Malays live in houses built on stilts along inlets of the river. The area surrounding the cities ofKuala Belait andSeria, both in the oil-rich zone of the southwestern coast, is the country’s next most densely settled region.
Demographic trends
The population of Brunei is youthful and growing. More than one-fifth of the population is under age 15, and roughly half is under age 30. Thebirth rate is around the global average, while thedeath rate is among the lowest in the world, partly because of the youthfulage distribution. Life expectancy is around 78 years of age, higher than the global average. Brunei has a high net migration rate, though its growth rate is steadily decreasing.