Brunei's Location: A Unique Country In Southeast Asia

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small yet wealthy country located in Southeast Asia, on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. It is the only sovereign state found entirely on Borneo, with the remainder of the island shared between Malaysia and Indonesia. Brunei is bounded by the South China Sea to the north and the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the east, south, and west. The country consists of two disconnected segments, with the larger western segment containing the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan.

Brunei is located on the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia

The western enclave of Brunei consists of the valleys of the Belait, Tutong, and Brunei rivers and is mainly hilly. The eastern enclave contains the Pandaruan and Temburong river basins and the country's highest point, Pagon Peak (6,070 ft or 1,850 m). The terrain in the western part of Brunei is predominantly hilly lowland below 91 m, but rises to about 300 m in the hinterland. The eastern part of the state consists predominantly of rugged mountain terrain. The coast has a wide, tidal, and swampy plain.

Brunei has a total area of 5,765 sq. km and a coastline of about 161 km along the South China Sea. It has a population of about 455,858 as of 2023, with approximately 180,000 people residing in the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. The official language of Brunei is Malay, and Islam is the official and state religion. The country has one of the world's highest standards of living due to its bountiful oil and gas reserves.

It is officially known as the State of Brunei Darussalam

The State of Brunei Darussalam, or simply Brunei Darussalam, is an independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is bounded to the north by the South China Sea and on all other sides by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, 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 of Bandar Seri Begawan. Brunei gained its independence in 1984, having been a British protectorate since 1888. It is a member of the Commonwealth and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

The country's full name, Negara Brunei Darussalam, means 'Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace' in Malay. The word 'darussalam' comes from the Arabic 'dar' meaning 'home' or 'abode' and 'salam' meaning 'peace'. The country's official language is Malay, and Islam is the state religion.

The sultan of Brunei, currently Hassanal Bolkiah, is the head of state and holds full executive authority. The sultan appoints ministers to serve on five constitutional councils, which advise and assist him in governing. One of these councils, the Legislative Council, is designated as Brunei's parliament. Brunei's legal system is based on English common law, although Islamic law (sharia) supersedes this in some cases.

Brunei has a population of approximately 455,858 as of 2023, with around 180,000 people living in the capital, Bandar Seri Begawan. The population is predominantly Malay, with Chinese making up about one-tenth of the population. The official language is Malay, with English as a major second language. The country's population is relatively young, with more than one-fifth under the age of 15 and roughly half under 30.

Brunei's economy is heavily dependent on its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, which account for about 90% of its GDP. The country has one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia. However, reserves of oil and gas are dwindling, and future plans aim to diversify the country's economic base, including marketing Brunei as a financial centre and a destination for ecotourism.

Brunei is a monarchy, or sultanate, with the Sultan as the head of state and government

Brunei, officially known as Brunei Darussalam, is a small yet wealthy country located on the northern coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is the only sovereign state that is entirely on Borneo, with the rest of the island shared between Malaysia and Indonesia. The country is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak and has a coastline along the South China Sea.

Brunei is an absolute monarchy, or sultanate, with the Sultan as the head of state and government. The current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has ruled since 1967 and also serves as the prime minister, finance minister, defence minister, foreign minister, and home affairs minister. The Sultan leads a six-member government and appoints all members of the unicameral legislature, the Legislative Council, which is purely consultative.

The country gained independence from British rule in 1984 and has since operated as a constitutional monarchy. The Sultan holds absolute power and has ruled by decree since a state of emergency was declared in 1962, which is renewed every two years. This grants the Sultan extensive executive authority, including over the country's military and international affairs. The monarchy's power is further bolstered by the nation's oil and gas wealth, which funds extensive social services and welfare provisions, contributing to political stability and the high standard of living enjoyed by Bruneians.

The monarchy's rule is underpinned by the national philosophy of Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), which combines Islamic law, Malay culture, and monarchical rule. This is reflected in the country's full name, Negara Brunei Darussalam, which translates to "Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace". Brunei is the only ruling monarchy in Southeast Asia and is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world.

It has a population of around 455,000 people, with a high standard of living due to its oil and gas reserves

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small country in Southeast Asia with a population of around 455,000 people. It is situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo and is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Brunei is the only sovereign state entirely on Borneo, with the remainder of the island shared between Malaysia and Indonesia.

The country has a high standard of living due to its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields. In 2020, Brunei produced approximately 167,000 barrels of oil per day, making it the fourth-largest producer of oil in Southeast Asia. The country also produced around 25.3 million cubic metres of liquified natural gas per day, making it the ninth-largest gas exporter in the world. Oil and gas production account for about 90% of its GDP.

The wealth generated from these natural resources has transformed Brunei into an industrialised country, with its GDP increasing by 56% between 1999 and 2008. The country ranks highly on the Human Development Index (HDI), second only to Singapore among Southeast Asian states. Brunei also ranks ninth in the world for gross domestic product per capita at purchasing power parity.

The Bruneian government provides a range of welfare benefits to its citizens, including free or heavily subsidised housing, healthcare, and education. The country has a low cost of living compared to other developed nations, with expenses such as rent being significantly lower than in the United States.

The official language is Malay, with English as a major second language

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a country in Southeast Asia, situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. Malay is the official language of Brunei, with English as a major second language. The 1959 Constitution of Brunei regards Malay as the official language of the country. Malay was written in Jawi script before it switched to the Latin alphabet around 1941.

The variety of Malay that functions as the national language is not specified in the 1959 Constitution, but it is generally assumed to be a variety of Standard Malay that is similar to the standard varieties promoted in Malaysia and Indonesia. The use of Standard Malay and Brunei Malay can be described under the concept of diglossia, with Standard Malay taking the high role and being used in formal domains such as teaching and official speeches, while Brunei Malay functions in a low role, being used in informal domains such as between friends and in local shops.

English is widely used as a business and official language and is spoken by a majority of the population in Brunei. It is used in business as a working language and as the language of instruction from primary to tertiary education. All official documents that must be published by law in Malay are also required to be issued in an official English version. The bilingual system of education was introduced in 1985, with the first three years taught in Malay while English was the medium of instruction for most subjects from the fourth year of primary school onwards. In 2008, the new SPN21 education system was introduced, and from then on, maths and science have been taught in English from the start of primary school, so the role of English is even more firmly established.

The language of the courts is mainly English, though, just as in Malaysia, code-switching between English and Malay is common. While formal English is based on British English, American English is having an increasing influence, and Brunei English is becoming distinct in its own right.

One result of the promotion of both English and Malay in Brunei is that minority languages, such as Tutong and Dusun, tend to be squeezed out.

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