The Sultanate of Brunéi or Brunei Darussalam is a Member State of the the Commonwealth, rich in Pétrole. It is a tiny enclave located in the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia.

History

See also: History of Brunei

Brunéi is an old kingdom of more than one millenium. Brunéi was then a large commercial port, having commercial relations as well with the India as with the China, and that as of 977.

The name of Brunéi is attested as of the 14th century after J. - C. the Nagarakertagama , a poem epic writes in 1365 in the kingdom java are born from Majapahit, indeed mentions “Buruneng” among the few hundred “regions tributary” of the kingdom. Actually, the territory controlled by Majapahit did not extend that on part of the east and center of Java. The tributary regions were in fact of the counters forming a sales network whose Majapahit was the center. Majapahit sent to it dignitaries of which the role was to make sure that these counters were not devoted to a private trade which would escape the kingdom.

Brunéi develops quickly after the fall of Majapahit, extending until Borneo and in the Filipino archipelago .

It is at this period of its historical apogee, in the years 1520, that the kingdom of Brunei, Islamized, becomes a sultanate. It weakens then little by little whereas the close areas are colonized by the Western great powers (Portugal, Great Britain, Spain) which also establish commercial counters there. The country loses little by little its possessions, then becomes in 1906 a British protectorate.

Pétrole is discovered there in 1903 and starts to be exploited in 1929. At the time of the Decolonization (second half of the 20th century), the country changes many times of statute. In 1959, always under British protectorate, it reaches internal autonomy. A nationalist movement and democratic develops at this period: it succeeds has a violent rebellion in 1962, quickly crushed by the British. At this point in time the state of emergency is issued, and the abolished Constitution: the sultan controls since only and by decree.

The sultanate reaches independence, according to the rules of an agreement with London, on January 1st 1984. The current sultan is Hassanal Bolkiah.

Policy

See also: Political of Brunei

Brunéi is member of ASEAN (Association off Southeast Asian Nations). He is also member of the the Commonwealth since his independence, after having been a long time under British protectorate.

The sultanate of Brunéi is, as a Sultanat, a Islamic Monarchie. The sultan is the religious leader and plays by his monarchical function the part of Head of State and chief of the government, cumulating the statutes of Prime Minister, Minister for Defense, Minister for Finance, vice-chancellor of the University, chief of the police force and Commandeur of the believers, since the abolition of the Constitution in 1962.

He receives legislative matter councils of a body of 21 not elected members.

The only authorized party, the national Party solidarity, is under the orders of the sultan and does not have any real existence.

Subdivisions

See also: Subdivisions of Brunei

Currently, the Sultanate of Brunéi is separate in four districts, having each one a Chef-lieu:

  • Bleated, of a surface of 2.724 km ², has as a chief town the town of Kuala Belait.
  • Brunei & Muara, district of the capital, a surface of 571 km ², has as a chief place Bandar Seri Begawan.
  • Temburong, of a surface of 1.304 km ², has as a chief town Bangar.
  • Tutong, of a surface of 1.166 km ², has as a chief town Tutong.

Geography

See also: Geography of Brunei

Economy

See also: Saving in Brunei

The economy of Brunéi is based primarily on only one resource: the Hydrocarbon S, and mainly the Oil, exploited in this country starting from 1929. The marketing of this rare resource makes it possible the country to reach a considerable annual growth (4,1% In 2001), which is reflected on the human development of the country: Brunéi, which has a Indice of human development of 0,857, is 32 {{E}} world rank (on 174 countries).

Although the gasoline, the expenses hospital and the schooling are free, and the non-existent taxes, the company brunéienne is more disparate than it does not appear to with it. Indeed, nearly 20% of Brunéiens live in lower part of the poverty line.

Brunéi belongs to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) since 1989. Brunei signed the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in 1992 and thus forms part of the World Trade organization since 1995.

Demography

See also: Demography of Brunei

Culture

See also: Culture of Brunei

One also celebrates in Brunei the Chinese New year and religious holidays of the Moslem Calendrier.

Religions

According to the census of the year 2002, Brunei was in majority Moslem sunnite:
  • Moslem S Sunnite S (67%)
  • Buddhist S (13%)
  • Christian (10%)
  • others, of which Animist S (10%)

Others

Population: 343.653 inhabitants (in 2001). 0-14 years: 30,77%; 15-64 years: 66,52%; + 65 years: 2,71%
Surface: 5765 km ²
Density: 59 hab. /km ² (in 2001)
Land borders: 381 km (with the Malaysia only)
Littoral: 161 km
extreme Altitudes: 0 m > + 1.850 m
Life expectancy of the men: 71 years (in 2001)
Life expectancy of the women: 76 years (in 2001)
Growth rate of the population: 2,11% (in 2001)
Birth rate: 20,45 ‰ (in 2001)
Death rate: 3,38 ‰ (in 2001)
infantile Death rate: 14,4 ‰ (in 2001)
Fertility rate: 2,4 children/woman (in 2001)
Rate of migration: 4,07 ‰ (in 2001)
Independence: January 1st 1984 (old British colony)
Telephone lines: 79.000 (in 1996)
Cellphones: 44.000 (in 1996)
Radios: 329.000 (in 1998)
Television stations: 201.900 (in 1998)
Users of Internet: 28.000 (in 2001)
Many suppliers of access Internet: 2 (in 2000)
Roads: 1712 km (including 1.284 tarred km) (in 1996)
Railways: 13 km
inland Waterways: 209 km
Many airports: 2 (including 1 with tarred tracks) (in 2000)

Codes

Brunei has as codes:

Beats-smg: Bruniejos Be-X-old: Брунэй Map-bms: Brunei Roa-rup: Brunei Simple: Brunei Zh-min-nan: Brunei

Random links:Government Felix Gouin | Marc Hollogne | Jose Benito Churriguera | 302e regiment of infantry | Andrej Hebar