|
Brunei, officially the Sultanate of Brunei (, , Jawi: برني دارالسلام), is a country located on the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia. Apart from its coastline with the South China Sea, it is completely surrounded by the state of Sarawak, East Malaysia. The remnant of a very powerful sultanate became independent from Great Britain in 1984.
History The Sultanate of Brunei was very powerful from the 14th through the 16th century. Its realm covered the whole island of Borneo and the southern Philippines. European influence gradually brought an end to this regional power. Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei was victorious. The decline of the Bruneian Empire culminated in the 19th century when Brunei lost much of its territory to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts. Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984. There was a small rebellion against the monarchy during the 1960s, which was prevented by the United Kingdom. This event became known as the Brunei Revolt and was partly responsible for the failure to create the North Borneo Federation. The rebellion also affected Brunei's decision to opt out of the Malaysian Federation and was the first stage of the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. Politics Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, whose title has passed within the same dynasty since the 15th century, is the head of state and head of government in Brunei. The Sultan is advised by several councils and a cabinet of ministers although he is effectively the supreme ruler. The media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains a venerated status within the country. There is no elected legislative body. In September 2004, the Sultan convened an appointed Parliament which had not met since independence in 1984, although it lacks any capacity beyond advising the monarch. Due to the absolute rule of the Sultan, Brunei is one of the most politically stable countries in Asia. The country has been under hypothetical martial law since a rebellion occurred in the early 1960s and was put down by British troops from Singapore. Brunei claims territory in Sarawak, such as Limbang, and is one of many nations to lay claim to the disputed Spratly Islands. Several small islands situated between Brunei and Labuan, including Kuraman island, are contested between Brunei and Malaysia. However, they are internationally recognised as part of the latter. Military The Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) use a wide range of foreign equipment, with a large percentage originating from Europe, particularly the U.K and France, and the United States. Brunei's defence spending of $343 million (5.1% of GDP) is quite considerable for such a small state. The Royal Brunei Land Forces is the largest of the armed services, with a relatively small air force and navy. The Royal Brunei Police are also included as a branch of the armed services. The Bruneian military lacks any recent combat experience or overseas deployments. The Army use the Land Rover Defender and Bedford trucks. French-built APC's such as the Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé and British FV101 Scorpion light tanks are also used. The L118 Light Gun is also in use. Currently the standard infantry rifle of the RBAF is the M16. The Royal Brunei Air Force is a small, mainly helicopter-based force which is tasked with supporting the other branches of the armed services and defending Bruneian air space. The Air Force consists of a range of helicopters, including the UH-1 and the UH-60 Black Hawk. Its fixed-wing inventory is limited to around 4 Pilatus PC-7 training aircraft and CN-235 transport aircraft. There have been plans to secure a fighter capability by purchasing several BAe Hawk aircraft, but these plans have been delayed on several occasions. The Royal Brunei Navy is a small coastal defence force tasked with patrolling Bruneian waters and defending the offshore oil industry. It is currently undergoing a large-scale modernisation, with the upgrading of the Muara Naval Base and the purchase of 3 British-built Corvettes. However, these have not been delivered from BAE Systems in Scotstoun due to Bruneian claims that they fail to meet their requirements. This is seen as a temporary delay until the modernisation of existing naval facilities is complete and can support such modern vessels. In the meantime these advanced warships remain in Scotland at their builders yard on the Clyde. These vessels could be used to enforce Brunei's claim to its enlarged territorial waters which include the Spratly Islands. A battalion from the British Army's Royal Gurkha Rifles is still stationed in Brunei under agreement with the Sultan to protect the oil fields in the West of the country and assist domestic Bruneian forces in the event of an emergency. Other units from the British Army are present to support and train the Brunei Army. After the handover ceremony of Hong Kong in 1997, the garrison in Seria is the only remaining British military base in the Far East and is home to a jungle warfare training centre and 7th Flight, Army Air Corps. Singapore also maintains a training establishment in Brunei, known as the Sungai Akar Camp and operates support helicopters. Judicial system The Supreme Court comprises the High Court and the Court of Appeals, while the Subordinate Court consists of the Magistrate's Courts. The High Court receives appeals from Magistrate's Courts in the districts and is itself a court of first instance for criminal and civil cases. Appeal from the High Court is submitted to the Court of Appeals. For civil cases the final appeal is to the United Kingdom's Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London, a vestige of association with the Commonwealth of Nations. Sharia courts co-exist with the Supreme Court and deal with Islamic laws. In 1991 the Intermediate Court was established with extensive civil and criminal jurisdiction, although it does not deal with capital offences. Administrative divisions
Geography Brunei consists of two unconnected parts; 97% of the population lives in the larger western part, only about 10,000 live in the mountainous eastern part, the district of Temburong. The total population of Brunei is 383,000 and out of that number about 46,000 people live in the capital Bandar seria Begawan. Some major towns are the capital Bandar, the port town Muara, the oil producing town of Seria and its neighboring town, Kuala Belait (K.B). In the Belait district, the Panaga area is home to large numbers of expatriates due to Royal Dutch Shell and British Army housing and recreational facilities. The well-known Panaga Club is situated here. The climate in Brunei is equatorial Tropical climate tropical, with high temperatures, a high humidity , sunshine and heavy rainfall throughout the year. Economy This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP. Substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labour force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base. The national airline, Royal Brunei is trying to make Brunei a hub for international travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand. It also has services to major Asian destinations. Demographics About two-thirds of the Brunei population are of Malay origin. The most important ethnic minority group are the Chinese, with about 15%. These groups also reflect the most important languages: Malay (Malay: Bahasa Melayu), which is the official language, and Chinese. English is also widely spoken and there is a relatively large expatriate community with large numbers of British and Australian citizens. Islam is the official religion of Brunei, and the sultan is the head of the religion in the country. Other faiths practised are Buddhism (mainly by the Chinese), Christianity and (in very small communities) indigenous religions. Culture The culture of Brunei is similar to Malay culture, with heavy influences from Hinduism and Islam, but is seen as more conservative than Malaysia. The sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned, with foreigners and non-Muslims allowed to bring in 12 cans of beer and two bottles of spirits every time they enter the country. After the introduction of prohibition in the early 1990's, all pubs and nightclubs were forced to close. See also Further reading | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
| |