Brunei's Population: Who Are The Majority Of Its People?

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small country located on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is the only sovereign state entirely on Borneo, with the remainder of the island divided between Malaysia and Indonesia. The population of Brunei in 2024 is estimated to be between 455,858 and 464,001, the majority of whom are Malay. The official language of Brunei is Malay, and Islam is the official religion, with over 82% of the population identifying as Muslim. The country is ruled by a Sultan, who has full executive authority, and the government implements a fusion of English common law and Islamic jurisprudence, including sharia. Brunei has a parliamentary system, but there are no elections, and the last election was held in 1962. The country has a high car ownership rate, with one private car for every 2.09 people, due to factors such as the absence of a comprehensive transport system and low import taxes.

Brunei is a Malay-majority country

Malay is the official language of Brunei, and the country is situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo. The official name of the country is 'Negara Brunei Darussalam', which means 'Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace'. The country is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, and it is the only sovereign state on the island of Borneo.

Brunei has a population of approximately 450,000 people, with around 180,000 living in the capital and largest city, Bandar Seri Begawan. The country is divided into four districts: Brunei-Muara, Tutong, Belait and Temburong. The largest district, Brunei-Muara, is home to more than half of the country's population.

Islam is the official religion of Brunei, and it plays a central role in the lives of Bruneian Muslims. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of the Islamic faith in the country. The country's culture is predominantly Malay, with heavy influences from Islam, and is considered much more conservative than Indonesia and Malaysia.

Brunei gained its independence from the United Kingdom on 1 January 1984 and is now a constitutional absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan. The country's wealth comes from its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, which have transformed Brunei into an industrialised nation.

The official language is Malay

Malay is the official language of Brunei, with Standard Malay being the official dialect. Malay is written in both the Latin alphabet (known as Rumi) and the Arabic alphabet (Jawi). The principal spoken language is Melayu Brunei (Brunei Malay), which is quite distinct from other Malay dialects. Brunei Malay is about 84% cognate with standard Malay and is mostly mutually intelligible with it.

Malay is one of several languages spoken in Brunei. English is widely spoken and used in business and education, and is the official language of instruction from primary to tertiary level. Arabic is also taught in schools and institutes of higher learning, and is the religious language of Muslims. Other languages and dialects spoken include Kedayan Malay, Tutong Malay, Murut, Dusun, and Chinese languages.

Brunei has a population of around 450,000 people, the majority of whom are Malay. The country is situated on the northern coast of the island of Borneo and is the only sovereign state on the island. It is surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, apart from its coastline on the South China Sea. The population is estimated to reach 560,000 by 2030.

Brunei is divided into four districts: Brunei-Muara, Belait, Tutong, and Temburong. The majority (around 97%) of the population lives in the larger western part of the country, which includes the districts of Brunei-Muara, Tutong, and Belait. The capital and largest city, Bandar Seri Begawan, is located in Brunei-Muara and is home to around 200,000 people. The eastern part of the country is mountainous, and only about 10,000 people live there.

The median age in Brunei is 32.2 years, and the urban population makes up 79.7% of the total. The country has a high car ownership rate, with one car for every 2.09 people.

Islam is the official religion

Brunei, officially Brunei Darussalam, is a small country with a population of around 450,000 people, the majority of whom identify as Muslim. Islam is the official religion of Brunei, with over 82% of the population practising the faith. The country is a Malay-majority nation, and its people share cultural and linguistic ties with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia.

The official form of Islam in Brunei is Sunni, of the Shafi'i denomination. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of the Islamic faith in the country, and as such, Islam plays a central role in the lives of Bruneian Muslims. The country's laws and culture are heavily influenced by Islamic principles, and the country is more socially conservative than its neighbours.

The roots of Islam in Brunei can be traced back to the 15th century when the Sultanate of Brunei converted to Islam, becoming an independent Islamic state. The country's first mosque was built in the 16th century, and by then, Islam was firmly established in the region.

While Islam is the official religion, Brunei's constitution guarantees religious freedom, and other faiths are practised, including Christianity and Buddhism. The country's official language is Malay, and English is widely spoken as a business and educational language.

The population is approximately 450,000

Brunei is a small country with a population of approximately 450,000 people. The population has been steadily growing since the 1960s, when Brunei was a British dependency. Today, the country is divided into four districts, the largest of which is Brunei-Muara, home to more than half of the country's population.

The capital and largest city of Bandar Seri Begawan has a population of about 200,000 people. Nearly 97% of Brunei's population lives in the western area (including Brunei-Muara, Tutong and Belait), while just 10,000 people live in the mountainous eastern region. The urban population is growing at a rate of over 2% per year, and in 2023, it was estimated that 79.7% of the population was urban.

Brunei is a Malay-majority country, with Malay being the official language. In 2004, the last time official records were made, 66.3% of the population was Malay. However, Brunei Malays are culturally and linguistically distinct from the larger Malay populations in neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. Other ethnicities indigenous to Brunei include Belait, Dusun, Kedayan, Murut, Tutong and Bisaya.

Islam is the official religion of Brunei, with over 66% of the population practising the faith. The Sultan of Brunei is the head of the Islamic faith in the country, and Islam plays a central role in the lives of Bruneian Muslims. Other religions practised in the country include Christianity, Buddhism, and indigenous beliefs.

Brunei is a constitutional absolute monarchy ruled by the Sultan

The current Sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah, has ruled Brunei since 1967 and is one of the world's longest-reigning monarchs. He is also one of the world's richest individuals. Upon Brunei's independence in 1984, he appointed himself prime minister and minister of finance, defence, foreign and home affairs. The Sultan also holds the position of minister of finance and home affairs, which were added to the cabinet in 1986. In 1991, he introduced the Malay Muslim Monarchy ideology, which presents the monarch as the defender of the faith.

The Sultan regularly allocates land lots and housing to deserving residents under various government schemes. Brunei's wealth is derived from its extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, which has allowed the government to provide extensive social services to its population, including free education and healthcare. The standard of living in Brunei is high, and the country ranks "very high" on the Human Development Index (HDI).

Brunei's political system is governed by the constitution and the national tradition of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB), which combines Islamic law, Malay culture, and monarchical rule. The country's legal system is based on English common law, with Islamic law (Sharia) taking precedence in some cases. While religious freedom is guaranteed under the constitution, Brunei has faced international criticism for its implementation of strict Islamic Sharia law, which allows for punishments such as stoning for adultery and amputation for theft.

The Sultan's authority includes emergency powers, which are renewed every two years, meaning that Brunei has technically been under martial law since 1962. The Sultan's powers are advised and checked by five councils: the Executive Council, the Legislative Council, the Privy Council, the Council of Succession, and the State Religious Council. The Legislative Council, a unicameral legislature, is consultative and its members are appointed by the Sultan.

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