OFFICIAL NAME: Negara Brunei Darussalam (The Country of
Brunei, Abode of Peace)
FLAG
Yellow with two diagonal bands: white (top band,
double-width) and black (starting from the upper hoist side). The national
emblem is superimposed in red at the flag’s centre. The emblem includes the
following components:
• Swallow-tailed
flag, representing Royalty
• The
Royal umbrella
• Winged
column, symbolizing the protection of justice, tranquillity, prosperity and
peace
• Two
upraised hands, signifying the Government’s pledge to promote welfare, peace
and prosperity
• An
upturned crescent, symbol of Islam, the national religion of Brunei
• Embodied
within the crescent in yellow Arabic script is the nation’s motto, which can be
roughly translated: Always in Service by God’s Guidance
• A scroll
beneath the crest with Arabic script reading “Brunei Darussalam” or “Brunei,
the Abode of Peace”
LOCATION:
Located on the northern shore of the Island of Borneo,
between longitudes 114’04″ and 114’23″ East and latitudes 4’00″ and 5’05″
North. Brunei, although occupying less than 1% of Borneo’s land area, is the
only sovereign country on the island, which it shares with the Indonesian
provinces of West, East, South and Central Kalimantan and the Malaysian states
of Sabah and Sarawak.
LAND AREA: 5,765 sq. km.
POPULATION: 372,360 (2005 est.)
DENSITY: 65 persons/sq. km.
CAPITAL CITY: Bandar Seri Begawan
POPULATION: 236,200 (district)
ETHNIC GROUPS: Malay: 67%; Chinese: 15%, indigenous tribes:
6%; other: 12%
LANGUAGE:
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the official language, but English
is widely spoken. Mandarin, Chinese dialects and native languages of Borneo are
also spoken by segments of the population.
RELIGIONS:
Islam (official): 67%; Buddhism: 13%; Christianity: 10%;
indigenous beliefs and other: 10%
NATIONAL PHILOSOPHY:
Since gaining independence from the British in 1984, Brunei
has adopted the national philosophy of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (Melayu Islam
Beraja), a system that encompasses strong Malay cultural influences, stressing
the importance of Islam in daily life and governance, and respect for the
monarchy as represented by His Majesty The Sultan. It is a philosophy of
tolerance, which allows other cultures to follow individual traditions and to
practice other religions.
CLIMATE:
Temperate equatorial climate year round, characterized by
temperatures ranging between 23 to 32 degrees Celsius, and an average annual
rainfall of 320 cm. There is no distinct rainy season, though the period from
November to March tends to bring heavier rains.
BORDERS:
Bounded on all sides by the Malaysian state of Sarawak,
except for a 161 km long stretch of coastline along the South China Sea to the
north.
ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:
4 Districts: Brunei-Muara (housing the capital city),
Tutong, Belait, and Temburong
HEAD OF STATE:
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin
Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi
Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. His Majesty is the
29th ruler of his line, which began with Sultan Muhammad in 1405.
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT:
Independent sovereign constitutional Sultanate, with His
Majesty The Sultan as the supreme executive authority. His Majesty is advised
by an appointed Council of Cabinet Ministers, Religious Council, Privy Council,
a Council of Succession and a Legislative Council.
ECONOMY:
With a total GDP of around US$6.5 billion and a per capita
GDP of around US$18.3 thousand (2002), Brunei’s resource-rich (oil &
natural gas) economy affords its population high living standards, resulting in
positive social indicators such as high literacy rates, longer life expectancy,
and low unemployment and crime rates. The government provides for all medical
services and subsidizes rice and housing.
Government, construction, services, retail and some light
manufacturing are the other major sectors in Brunei’s economy. The government
is currently working towards economic diversification — in which tourism plays
an important role — as well as encouraging foreign investment and developing
education and human resources. These measures are designed to prepare the
nation for the challenges of the future when the oil and gas reserves will have
been depleted and new sources of income will be needed to maintain the current
high standards of living enjoyed by Bruneians.
TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE:
With over 2,500 rooms spread among 30 establishments ranging
from guesthouses to the super luxurious “7-star” Empire Hotel and Country Club,
and with a dozen or so active inbound tour operators, Brunei has a
well-established, yet underutilized tourism infrastructure attracting an
increasing number of regional and international visitors.
TOURISM ARRIVALS:
Brunei recorded approximately 1 million foreign visitors in
2003, the vast majority arriving from Malaysia through land entry points. Based
on estimates derived from hotel occupancy rates and on market intelligence
gathered from inbound operators, Brunei Tourism estimates the number of bona
fide leisure and business tourists to be around 100,000 in 2003, with a 3-day
average length of stay. Most of these tourists originated from the short- and
medium-haul markets, though a significant portion originated from long-haul
markets, mainly UK and Germany. Brunei Tourism’s objective is to increase
international tourist arrivals by a minimum average rate of 7% yearly, as well
as to increase average length of stay and expenditure.
INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT LINKAGES:
Brunei enjoys a convenient location at the heart of
Southeast Asia and is well-connected to destinations worldwide.
Air:
Royal Brunei Airlines, the nation’s flagship carrier, flies
non-stop or direct to most major Asia-Pacific destinations and the Middle East,
as well as to Europe via London and Frankfurt. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines,
Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Dragonair and Philippines Airlines serve
Bandar Seri Begawan and offer one-stop connections to the rest of the world
through their hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Manila.
Sea:
Ferries link Brunei with the Malaysian island of Labuan off
the coast of Sabah, and to the Malaysian towns of Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak.
Road:
An extensive overland road network also connects Brunei to
Sarawak and Sabah, while the Indonesian province of Kalimantan can be reached
by road, air or boat via Sarawak or Sabah.
HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY:
Brunei is free from malaria and other tropical diseases, is
outside the typhoon belt, has no volcanoes, and is not prone to earthquakes or
other major natural disasters. The country also enjoys government stability and
economic prosperity, resulting in a very low crime rate.
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