Just 443 km north of the equator, modern
Brunei's 5,765-sq km land area is wedged between the Malaysian
Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak. Rainfall and humidity
are high, with temperatures averaging 28 degrees Celsius
throughout the year. Yet Brunei rests outside the tropical
typhoon and earthquake belts.
Brunei is comprised of four districts - Temburong, Tutong,
Belait and Brunei-Muara. The nation's riverfront capital,
Bandar Seri Begawan, is in the Brunei-Muara district.
Roughly two-thirds of the population is Malay, the rest are
Chinese or members of indigenous tribes. Bahasa Melayu is
the official language, although English is widely spoken and
understood.
The country is ruled according to Islamic values and traditions
by the present Monarch, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah, the 29th ascendant of the world's oldest
continuously reigning royal line. Brunei is a Malay Muslim
Monarchy, with over 600 years of recorded history.
Brunei has emerged as an active and influential participant
in international and regional core groups, including the Asia-Pacific
Economic Co-operation (APEC), Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN) and Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines
- East Asian Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA). Such involvements have
raised awareness of Brunei as one of the world's most important
developing economies.
A haven for eco-tourism, over half of Brunei is unspoiled
rainforest, a large proportion of which is located in the
Temburong district. Here fish hold station against the swift
current of crystalline rivers. An occasional electric blue
kingfisher may be soon streak low across the water. Among
the vine-laced trees, unique flora and fauna flourish, from
the parasitic pitcher plant to the distinctive hornbill.
In conjunction with the Brunei Museum and the Belalong Rainforest
Field Studies Centre, many leading international research
and environmental groups, including London's Natural History
Museum, continue to find and document newly discovered species.
How to get here
Brunei is accessible by air with Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA),
the national carrier, flying to 23 cities. Other airlines
that fly to Brunei are Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines
and Thai Airways International.
Brunei is also accessible by road from
Sarawak and Sabah. A drive from Kuching, the capital city
of Sarawak, takes approximately 13 hours while a drive from
Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah, takes approximately 6
hours.
Climate
Equatorial climate with temperatures ranging from 20C to 35C
throughout the year.
Population
343,000.
Airport
Brunei International Airport is about 15 minutes drive from
the capital (11 kilometer). Airport
tax - International Departure: $12.
Custom
No duty is charged to passengers carrying 200 cigarettes,
50 cigars or 277 grams of tobacco, two bottle of liquor (appox.2
quart) or 12 cans of beers for (non-muslim only), and a reasonable
amount of perfume (0.33 litre).
Language
Malay is official language but English is widely used. Other
language includes Chinese and dialect is also spoken. Although
the official religion is Islam, other faiths including Christianity
and Buddhism are practiced.
Shopping
Most shops open at 8.00am although department stores open
an hour or so later. Many shops remain open until 9.00pm.
Department stores open seven days a while most other shops
close on Sundays. |
