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Brunei Darussalam
Area: 5,770 sq km (2,226 sq mi)
Population: 383,000, (est, 2006)
Capital City: Bandar Seri Begawan
People: 67% Malay, 15% Chinese, 6% other indigenous groups, and 12% other communities
Languages: Malay, English, Chinese (Mandarin, Hokkein, Hakka and Cantonese)
Religion: Islam
Currency: Brunei Dollar, pegged at par to the value of the Singapore Dollar
Major Political Parties: There are two legal political parties (a third one having been deregistered in early 2007), but they play little role in the day to-day life of the country
Government: Since an abortive uprising in 1962, Brunei has been governed by an absolute, but benevolent, monarchy under a State of Emergency. The underpinning political philosophy is that of a ‘Malay Muslim Monarchy’. The Sultan is both Head of State and the Executive; he also holds the portfolios of Defence and Finance Minister. Acting as Prime Minister , he appoints a Cabinet of eleven other ministers. The non-royal members were reshuffled in May 2005, bringing in new blood and giving them a fixed 5-year term. In 2004, the Sultan revived an appointed Legislative Council and brought in a series of Constitutional Amendments which envisage that in future it will partly be elected, increasing its consultational role. The Council met in early 2006 and discussed the State Budget. Meanwhile, the State of Emergency remains in place.
Head of State: His Majesty Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei is also Prime Minister, Defence Minister and Finance Minister.
Senior Minister: Crown Prince Billah Bolkiah
Foreign Minister: Prince Mohamed Bolkiah
Membership Of International Organisations: Brunei is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia –Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC), the Commonwealth, the United Nations (UN), the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) and the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
GEOGRAPHYBrunei faces the South China Sea, along the north west coast of the island of Borneo, 4-5 degrees north of the Equator. On its landward side Brunei is both surrounded and split into two by Sarawak, a state in Malaysia.
HISTORYChinese records from as far back as the 6th century AD show links with a country named ‘Po-ni’, which it is possible was Brunei. Following the spread of Islam to the region, with Arab traders, Brunei officially became a Muslim state in the 14th century. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Brunei became the dominant power in South East Asia and expanded its territory throughout Borneo and as far as the Philippines. Civil war in the later half of the 17th century began a process of break-up, which accelerated in the 19th century with the ceding of extensive territories on the island of Borneo to the Brookes family (the ‘White Rajahs of Sarawak’).
Brunei was placed under British Protection in 1889 and became a full British Protectorate in 1905, with all matters relating to administration, legislation and taxation conducted on the advice of a British Resident. Apart from a short time during the Second World War when the country was occupied by the Japanese, the Residents remained effectively Governors of Brunei until 1959, when the Sultan of Brunei became responsible for the country's internal government, while the UK retained responsibility for Brunei's defence and foreign policy. The present Sultan ascended to the throne when his father, Sultan Sir Omar, abdicated in 1967. In 1971 Brunei ceased to be a British Protectorate, although the UK retained some responsibility for foreign affairs and defence matters until Brunei became a fully sovereign independent state on 1 January 1984.
The first oil prospectors arrived in Brunei in the early 1900s and on-shore oil was discovered in 1929, leading to a pre-war oil boom. New fields have been opened up regularly since, both on and offshore. The revenues have allowed Brunei to build up one of the most comprehensive welfare systems in the world.
Brunei's economy suffered a shock in 1997 when large losses were discovered in the assets of the Brunei Investment Agency. Since then Brunei has made some efforts to diversify the economy away from its almost total dependency on the oil and gas sectors. The Brunei Economic Development Board was set up in 2002 to identify suitable industrial projects for diversification. But progress has been slow. . Brunei is also promoting itself as a tourist destination, capitalizing on its well-preserved rainforest and high-quality hotels and golf courses.
In 1998, the Sultan's eldest son, Prince Billah, was formally installed as Crown Prince and heir apparent. Crown Prince Billah was married on 9 September 2004 to Princess Sarah, of Bruneian/Swiss parentage. In May 2005 he was appointed Senior Minister (without portfolio) in the Cabinet. . Princess Sarah gave birth to a son, Prince 'Abdul Muntaqim on 17 March 2007.
ECONOMYBasic Economic FactsGDP Per Head: US $31,950 (official statistics 2005)
GDP Growth: about 3.8% (official statistics 2006)
Inflation: 1.5%
Major Industries: Oil and gas
Major Trading Partners: Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Korea, UK, USA and Australia
Exchange Rate: Br$3. 061 = £1 (August 2007)
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSBrunei maintains good relations with neighbouring countries through its membership of ASEAN and frequent inward and outward high level visits. It also has close bilateral ties with fellow Islamic nations and other monarchies around the world.
Acting with ASEAN partners, Brunei is playing an increasingly valuable regional role: making well-received interventions with peacekeepers in Mindanao, Philippines and as part of the EU-ASEAN Aceh Monitoring Mission in Indonesia. Brunei also sent humanitarian and medical aid for the 2004 tsunami in Aceh and the 2006 earthquake in Yogyakarta.
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