Brunei
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Brunei: A Hidden Gem in Southeast Asia,
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1 - Brunei is a small but wealthy country on the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia.
It is known for its rich culture, pristine nature, and Islamic heritage.
Brunei has a population of about 433,000 people, most of whom are Malay Muslims.
2 - The country has a long and fascinating history, dating back to the 7th century, when it was part of the Srivijaya empire.
Brunei became a powerful maritime kingdom in the 15th and 16th centuries, ruling over parts of Borneo and the Philippines.
3 - However, Brunei’s influence declined in the following centuries, due to civil wars, piracy, and colonialism.
Brunei became a British protectorate in 1888, and gained full independence in 1984.
4 - The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan, which is located on the banks of the Brunei River.
The city is home to some of the country’s most impressive landmarks,
such as the Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, a majestic domed structure that dominates the skyline;
the Istana Nurul Iman, the world’s largest residential palace and the official residence of the sultan;
and the Kampong Ayer, a traditional water village that is dubbed as the “Venice of the East”.
5 - Bandar Seri Begawan also has several museums, parks, and markets that showcase Brunei’s culture and history.
Brunei has four districts: Brunei-Muara, Belait, Tutong, and Temburong.
Each district has its own attractions and features.
Brunei-Muara is the most populous and urbanized district, where the capital city is located.
Belait is the largest and westernmost district, where most of the country’s oil and gas industry is based.
Tutong is the central district, known for its diverse ethnic groups and scenic landscapes.
Temburong is the easternmost and smallest district, which is separated from the rest of the country by a strip of Malaysian territory.
Temburong is famous for its pristine rainforest and biodiversity.
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6 - The flag of Brunei has a yellow background with two diagonal stripes of black and white, and a red crest in the center.
The yellow represents the sultan, the black and white represent his two chief ministers, and the red represents Islam.
The crest consists of a crescent with a parasol on top and two hands on the sides.
The crescent bears an Arabic motto that means “Always render service with God’s guidance”,
while the parasol symbolizes royalty and the hands symbolize benevolence.
The flag was adopted in 1959, when Brunei adopted its constitution.
7 - Brunei belongs to the continent of Asia, specifically to the region of Southeast Asia.
It is situated on the northern coast of Borneo, one of the largest islands in the world.
Brunei shares borders with Malaysia on land and with China and Malaysia on sea.
Brunei has a total area of 5,765 square kilometers (2,226 square miles), making it one of the smallest countries in Asia.
8 - Brunei’s economy is largely dependent on its oil and gas resources,
which account for about 90 percent of its exports and 62 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).
Brunei has one of the highest per capita incomes in Asia, thanks to its abundant natural wealth and low population.
However, Brunei also faces challenges such as economic diversification, environmental sustainability, and social development.
The government has been pursuing various initiatives to promote other sectors such as tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, and finance.
9 - The currency of Brunei is the Bruneian dollar (BND), which is divided into 100 cents or sen.
The Bruneian dollar is interchangeable with the Singapore dollar at par value, under a currency interchangeability agreement since 1967.
Both currencies are accepted as legal tender in each country.
The Bruneian dollar features various symbols of Brunei’s culture and heritage on its banknotes and coins.
10 - The pronunciation of Brunei in English is /bruːˈnaɪ/, which rhymes with “eye”.
The pronunciation can vary slightly depending on the accent of the speaker.
In Malay, which is the official language of Brunei,
the word is pronounced with an [r] at the end and an [a] rather than [ə] at the end of the first syllable.
11 - The abbreviation for Brunei is BN or BRN, according to different standards.
BN is used as the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 code for Brunei, while BRN is used as the ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 code,
the United Nations code, and the International Olympic Committee code.
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12 - Brunei borders.
Brunei has a total land border of 381 kilometers (237 miles) with Malaysia’s state of Sarawak, which surrounds Brunei on three sides.
Brunei also has a maritime border of 266 kilometers (165 miles) with Malaysia’s state of Sabah, which lies to the northeast of Brunei.
Additionally, Brunei has a maritime border of 126 kilometers (78 miles) with China, which lies to the north of Brunei across the South China Sea.
Brunei has many best places to visit for tourists who want to experience its unique culture and nature.
Some of the most popular attractions include:
13 - Ulu Temburong National Park: This is a protected rainforest area that covers about 40 percent of Temburong district.
It offers various activities such as hiking, canopy walk, river rafting, and wildlife watching.
It is home to many rare and endemic species of plants and animals, such as the proboscis monkey, the Bornean hornbill, and the pitcher plant.
14 - Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque: This is one of the most beautiful mosques in the world, located in the heart of Bandar Seri Begawan.
It was built in 1958 by Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, who is regarded as the father of modern Brunei.
It has a golden dome, marble columns, stained glass windows, and a 52-meter (171-foot) minaret.
It also has a replica of a 16th-century royal barge in its artificial lagoon.
15 - Kampong Ayer: This is a traditional water village that consists of more than 4,000 houses built on stilts over the Brunei River.
It is also known as the “Venice of the East” or the “Water Village”.
It has been inhabited for over 1,000 years and is considered as the cultural heart of Brunei.
It has its own schools, mosques, shops, and clinics.
Visitors can take a boat ride to explore the village and learn about its history and lifestyle.
16 - Jerudong Park: This is a theme park that offers various rides and attractions for all ages.
It was opened in 1994 by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah as a gift to his people.
It features roller coasters, water slides, carousels, bumper cars, and more.
It also has a musical fountain that displays colorful lights and sounds at night.
17 - Royal Regalia Museum: This is a museum that displays the royal regalia and paraphernalia of the sultan and his family.
It showcases various items such as crowns, jewels, weapons, costumes, gifts, and photographs.
It also has a replica of the throne room and the coronation chamber of the sultan.
The museum is a testament to Brunei’s rich and glorious history and heritage.
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Brunei has many beaches that offer scenic views and relaxing activities for visitors.
Some of the most popular beaches include:
18 - Muara Beach: This is a public beach that is located about 27 kilometers (17 miles) from Bandar Seri Begawan.
It has white sand, clear water, and shady trees.
It is ideal for swimming, sunbathing, picnicking, and camping.
It also has facilities such as changing rooms, toilets, showers, playgrounds, and barbecue pits.
19 - Serasa Beach: This is a public beach that is located about 25 kilometers (16 miles) from Bandar Seri Begawan.
It has fine sand, calm water, and green hills.
It is ideal for water sports such as jet skiing, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, and parasailing.
It also has facilities such as changing rooms, toilets, showers, restaurants, and shops.
20 - Pantai Seri Kenangan: This is a public beach that is located about 3 kilometers (2 miles) from Tutong town.
It has golden sand, blue water, and coconut trees.
It is ideal for fishing, boating, snorkeling, and birdwatching.
It also has facilities such as changing rooms, toilets, showers, gazebos, and parking lots.
21 - Meragang Beach: This is a public beach that is located about 15 kilometers (9 miles) from Bandar Seri Begawan.
It has coarse sand, rocky shorelines, and coral reefs.
It is ideal for diving, snorkeling, surfing, and hiking.
It also has facilities such as changing rooms, toilets, showers, picnic areas, and camping sites
Brunei has a tropical climate that is hot and humid throughout the year.
The average temperature ranges from 23°C (73°F).
22 - The official language of the state of Brunei is Standard Malay, which is a dialect of Malay that is also used in Malaysia and Indonesia.
This was established by the Brunei 1959 Constitution,
which was signed on 29 September 1959,
English is also widely spoken in Brunei, especially in business and education.
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23 - Brunei Malay: This is a local dialect of Malay that is used in informal situations and as a lingua franca in some parts of East Malaysia.
It has some phonological and syntactic differences from Standard Malay.
24 - Chinese: There are different varieties of Chinese spoken by the Chinese minority in Brunei, such as Hakka, Cantonese, and Hokkien.
Mandarin is also used as a common language among the Chinese community and as a language of instruction in some schools.
25 - Indigenous languages:
There are five indigenous minority groups in Brunei that speak their own languages, namely Lun Bawang, Tutong, Bisaya, Belait, and Dusun.
These languages are at risk of extinction due to the dominance of Brunei Malay.
26 - Indian and Nepali languages: There are also some Indians and Nepalis living in Brunei who speak their own languages, such as Tamil and Gurkhali.
These languages are mainly used within their respective communities.
27 - Expatriate languages:
There are also some immigrants and foreign workers in Brunei who speak their own languages,
such as Batak, Indonesian, Javanese, Betawi, Sundanese, Ambonese, Filipino, and Dutch.
These languages are mainly used for communication among themselves.
28 - Arabic: Arabic is also an important language in Brunei, as it is the language of Islam and the Quran.
Most Muslims in Brunei can speak and write Arabic to some extent.
Arabic is also taught in religious schools and Arabic schools in the country.
29 - the most common Chinese dialect spoken in Brunei is Hokkien.
It is a Southern Min language spoken by the majority of the Chinese population.
30 - Hokkien is also predominant in the Brunei-Muara district, where the capital city is located.
31 - Other Chinese varieties spoken in Brunei include Cantonese, Hakka, Mandarin, Hainanese, Hoisan, and Fuchow.
32 - Mandarin is also used as a common language among the Chinese community and as a language of instruction in some Chinese schools.
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