Difference between revisions of "Brunei" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Brunei''', officially the '''State of Brunei, Abode of Peace''' ({{lang-ms|Negara Brunei Darussalam}}, [[Jawi (script)|Jawi]]:<big> برني دارالسلام </big>), 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 states of [[Sarawak]] and [[Sabah]], [[East Malaysia]]. Brunei, the remnant of a very powerful [[sultanate]], became independent from the [[United Kingdom]] in [[1984]].
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'''Brunei''', officially the '''State of Brunei, Abode of Peace''' (Negara Brunei Darussalam), [[Jawi (script)|Jawi]]:<big> برني دارالسلام </big>), is a country located on the island of [[Borneo]], in [[Southeast Asia]]. Apart from its coastline with the [[South China Sea]], it is surrounded by the states of [[Sarawak]] and [[Sabah]], [[East Malaysia]]. Brunei, the remnant of a powerful sultanate, became independent from the [[United Kingdom]] in 1984.
  
 
Brunei was, in 2007, the only country in the world that does not hold elections.
 
Brunei was, in 2007, the only country in the world that does not hold elections.
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== References  ==
 
== References  ==
* L. W. W. Gudgeon, ''British North Borneo'', Adam and Charles Black: London, 1913.
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* L. W. W. Gudgeon, ''British North Borneo,'', Adam and Charles Black, London, 1913.
* Saunders, Graham.  ''A History of Brunei.'' London and New York: RoutledgeCurzon, 2002.
+
* Saunders, Graham.  ''A History of Brunei,'' Routledge Curzon, London and New York, 2002.
* Wright, Leigh.  "Brunei: An Historical Relic."  ''Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.'' Vol. 17 (1977).
+
* Wright, Leigh.  "Brunei: An Historical Relic."  ''Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society.'' Vol. 17 (1977).
 
* Brown, Donald E. Brunei: The Structure and History of a Bornean Malay Sultanate, 1970.
 
* Brown, Donald E. Brunei: The Structure and History of a Bornean Malay Sultanate, 1970.
 
* Principles of Social Structure: Southeast Asia, 1976.
 
* Principles of Social Structure: Southeast Asia, 1976.
* "The Origin of the Brunei Kadayan in Ethno-historic Perspective." In Robert L. Winzeler, ed., Indigenous Peoples and the State: Politics, Land, and Ethnicity in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo, 1997.
+
* "The Origin of the Brunei Kadayan in Ethno-historic Perspective." In Robert L. Winzeler, ed., ''Indigenous Peoples and the State: Politics, Land, and Ethnicity in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo,'' 1997.
* Cleary, Mark, and Hairuni H. M. Ali Maricar. "Aging, Islam and the Provision of Services for Elderly People in Brunei Darussalam. David R. Phillips, ed., in Aging in East and South-East Asia, 1992.
+
* Cleary, Mark, and Hairuni H. M. Ali Maricar, "Aging, Islam and the Provision of Services for Elderly People in Brunei Darussalam. David R. Phillips, ed., in ''Aging in East and South-East Asia,'' 1992.
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
The external link format follows this order: Name of author and date written when available. Name of story within the brackets following the URL, and exact website name (not description) following brackets, along with date we viewed or retrieved the site. The website name should be italicized.
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* [http://www.everyculture.com/Bo-Co/Brunei-Darussalam.html The Culture of Brunei-Darussalam] Countries and Their Cultures, observed February 18, 2007.
* U.S. Department of State website (2003)
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* [http://www.bruneiresources.blogspot.html Brunei Resources] The Daily Brunei Resources, observed February 18, 2007.
 
* [http://www.brunei.gov.bn/index.htm Government of Brunei] The Government of Brunei Darussalam Official Website, observed February 15, 2007.
 
* [http://www.brunei.gov.bn/index.htm Government of Brunei] The Government of Brunei Darussalam Official Website, observed February 15, 2007.
 
* [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bx.html Brunei] World Fact Book 2007, observed February 15, 2007.
 
* [https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/bx.html Brunei] World Fact Book 2007, observed February 15, 2007.
* [http://www.bruneiresources.blogspot.com/ The Daily Brunei Resources] blog. Contains extra information on the country through the eyes of a Bruneian.
 
  
 
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{{credit|104602274}}

Revision as of 00:59, 18 February 2007


بروني دارالسلام
Negara Brunei Darussalam
State of Brunei Darussalam
Flag of Brunei Darussalam Coat of arms of Brunei Darussalam
Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Always in service with God's guidance"  (translation)
Anthem: Allah Peliharakan Sultan
"God Bless the Sultan"
Location of Brunei Darussalam
Capital
(and largest city)
Bandar Seri Begawan
4°55′N 114°55′E
Official languages Malay (national), English
Government Absolute monarchy
 - Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Independence  
 - British protectorate ended January 1 1984 
Area
 - Total 5,765 km² (170th)
2,226 sq mi 
 - Water (%) 8.6
Population
 - 2005 estimate 374,000
 - 2001 census 332,844
 - Density 65/km²
168/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2005 estimate
 - Total $9.009 billion
 - Per capita $24,826
HDI  (2004) Green Arrow Up Darker.svg 0.871 (high)
Currency Brunei ringgit (BND)
Internet TLD .bn
Calling code +6731
1 Also 080 from Malaysia.

Brunei, officially the State of Brunei, Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam), 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 surrounded by the states of Sarawak and Sabah, East Malaysia. Brunei, the remnant of a powerful sultanate, became independent from the United Kingdom in 1984.

Brunei was, in 2007, the only country in the world that does not hold elections.

Petroleum wealth has allowed the Brunei Government to provide the population with one of Asia's finest health care systems.

Geography

Bx-map.gif

Brunei consists of two unconnected parts. About 97 percent of the population lives in the larger western part, while only about 10,000 live in the mountainous eastern part (the district of Temburong). It is close to vital sea lanes through the South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans. Its two parts are physically separated by Malaysia, making is almost an enclave within Malaysia

Located on the island of Borneo in Southeastern Asia, Brunei borders the South China Sea and Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak. The total land area is 2228 square miles (5770 square kilometres), which is slightly smaller than the United States of America state of Delaware.

The terrain comprises a flat coastal plain rises to mountains in the east, and hilly lowland in the west. The highest point is Bukit Pagon at 6069 feet (1850 meters). Its natural resources include petroleum, natural gas, and timber.

About 75 percent of the country is covered with mangrove, heath, peat swamp, mixed dipterocarp, and montane forests. Log exports have been banned. There are numerous rivers, whose broad valleys contain most settlements. The southern part of Temburong is mountainous and sparsely populated.

The climate in Brunei is equatorial tropical, with high temperatures, high humidity, abundant sunshine and heavy rainfall throughout the year. A tropical climate is one in which all 12 months have mean temperatures above 64.4 °F (18°C).

Typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare. The only environmental issue relates to seasonal smoke and haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia.

The total population of Brunei is 383,000, of which around 46,000 live in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. Other towns include the port Muara, the oil producing town of Seria and its neighboring town, Kuala Belait. 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.

History

The origins of the nation are only dimly known. Chinese and Arabic records indicate that the trading kingdom of Po-ni existed at the mouth of the Brunei River as early as the seventh or eighth century C.E. By the tenth century, Po-ni had a close mercantile relationship with first China’s Song Dynasty and later the Ming Dynasty.

Traditions speak of local Bornean culture heroes, including Hawang Halak Batatar, who adopted Islam and became the first Muslim sultan of Brunei. Muhammad Shah was recorded as the first ruler, from 1363 to 1402. He and his brother, the second sultan, were the start of the Barunay aristocrats, who trace their origins to the Pagar Uyung area of the Minangakabau highlands of Sumatra.

By the fourteenth century, Po-ni also fell under the influence of the Javanese Majapahit Empire. In 1408, the Po-ni ruler Kala visited China and died there. At that time, the Chinese admiral Zheng He found a large trading port at Po-Ni with numerous Chinese traders. In 1424 the Hongxi Emperor ended China's maritime program, and the mainland's relationship with Po-li ended.

The third sultan, Sharif Ali (who reigned 1425–1433), who married a daughter of Sultan Ahmad, came from Arabia and was a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed. By the middle of the fifteenth century the state entered into a close relationship with the Sultanate of Malacca.

The sultanate was a thalassocracy, a realm based more on controlling trade than land. Situated in a strategic location between China and the trading networks of south-east Asia, the state served as an entrepot and collected tolls on water traffic. The society was hierarchical, with the sultan serving as despot. His powers were limited, however, by a council of princes of royal blood. One of the council's duties was to arrange for royal succession.

The reign of the fifth sultan, Bolkiah (1485 to 1521), who started the dynasty that continues to this day, is often marked as Brunei's "golden age." The conquest of Malacca by the Portuguese in 1511 meant Brunei benefited from the scattering of Muslim merchants and traders who were forced to use other ports. The sultanate's control extended over the coastal regions of modern-day Sarawak and Sabah, the Sulu archipelago, and the islands off the northwest tip of Borneo. The sultanate's influence also spread north into the Philippines, where colonies were planted in Manila Bay.

Ferdinand Magellan arrived in the Philippines in 1521.

At the end of Bolkiah's reign, in 1521, the first Europeans visited Brunei when Magellen's expedition arrived at the port. Antonio Pigafetta, a navigator on the trip, described an amazing city. The Europeans rode to visit the sultan on top of "elephants, caparisoned in silk-cloth." The inhabitants of the palace "had their loins covered with gold-embroidered cloth and silk, wore poniards with golden hilts, ornamented with pearls and precious stones, and had many rings on their fingers." The visitors were fed meals on porcelain plates. The sultan's palace was surrounded by brick ramparts and protected by numerous brass and iron cannons.

This prosperous era continued through the reign of the ninth sultan, Hassan (1582 to 1598), who is credited with developing an elaborate Royal Court structure, elements of which remain today.

The Portuguese, for the most part, were more interested in economic and trading relations and did little to interfere with Brunei's development. Relations with the Spanish were more hostile. From 1565 on, Spanish and Brunei forces engaged in a number of naval skirmishes, and in 1571 the Spanish captured Manila from the Brunei aristocracy established there. In 1578, the Spanish took Sulu and late in the year attacked and captured Brunei itself, after demanding that the sultan cease sending missionaries to the Philippines and, in turn, allow Christian missionaries to visit his kingdom. Sulu was recaptured soon after.

After Sultan Hassan, Brunei entered a period of decline, due to internal battles over royal succession. A twelve-year civil war occurred in 1661–1673. The rising influence of European colonial powers, that disrupted traditional trading patterns, destroying Brunei’s economic base.

In 1839, the English adventurer James Brooke arrived in Borneo and helped the Sultan put down a rebellion. As a reward, he became governor and later "White Rajah" of Sarawak in northwest Borneo and gradually expanded the territory under his control. Brooke never gained control of Brunei, though he did attempt to. The White Rajah period resulted in Brunei’s small landmass and separation into two parts.

Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984. In 1959, a new constitution was written declaring Brunei a self-governing state, while its foreign affairs, security, and defence remained the responsibility of the United Kingdom, represented by a High Commissioner. An attempt in 1962 to introduce a partially elected legislative body with limited powers was abandoned after the opposition political party, Parti Rakyat Brunei, launched an armed uprising, which the government put down with the help of British forces. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the government also resisted pressures to join neighbouring Sabah and Sarawak in the newly formed Malaysia. The Sultan eventually decided that Brunei would remain a separate state.

In 1967, Omar Ali Saifuddin III abdicated in favour of his eldest son, Hassanal Bolkiah, who became the 29th ruler. The former Sultan remained as Defence Minister and assumed the royal title Seri Begawan. In 1970, the national capital, Brunei Town, was renamed Bandar Seri Begawan in his honour. The Seri Begawan died in 1986.

On January 4, 1979, Brunei and the United Kingdom signed a new treaty of friendship and cooperation. On January 1, 1984, Brunei Darussalam became a fully independent state.

Politics

Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei, whose title has passed within the same dynasty since the fifteenth century, is the head of state and head of government in Brunei. Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, the Sultan has full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. 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. The Sultan's role is enshrined in the national philosophy known as Malay Islamic monarchy.

To carry out the executive function of government, the Sultan is assisted and advised by five councils, which he appoints. A Council of Ministers, or cabinet, which consists of nine members (including the Sultan himself), assists in the administration of the government. The Sultan presides over the cabinet as Prime Minister and also holds the positions of Minister of Defence and Minister of Finance. One of the Sultan's brothers, Prince Mohamed, serves as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Three councils appointed by the Sultan include: a religious council, a privy council, dealing with constitutional matters, and the council of succession.

Brunei was, in 2007, the only country in the world that does not hold elections. Therefore, there is no elected legislative body. Under the 1959 constitution there was an elected legislative council, but the last elections were held in 1962, after which it was dissolved following a state of emergency, which saw the banning of the Brunei People's Party. In 1970 the council was changed to an appointed body by decree of the Sultan. In September 2004, the Sultan convened an appointed parliament that had not met since independence in 1984. A legislative council with 20 appointed members has only consultative tasks. An elected legislative council is being considered as part of constitutional reforms.

Districts of Brunei.

Brunei doesn't allow political parties to take part in elections. The following legal parties exist: the Brunei National Solidarity Party, the Brunei People's Awareness Party, and the National Development Party. The news media is extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains a venerated status within the country. Due to the absolute rule of the Sultan, Brunei is one of the most politically stable countries in Asia.

For all Muslims, matters of marriage, divorce, and the family as well as some sexual crimes are governed by Islamic law and fall under the jurisdiction of the religious court system.

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.

Brunei is divided into four districts (daerah): Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, and Tutong. The districts are subdivided into 38 mukims.

Economy

File:Istananuruliman.jpg
The Istana Nurul Iman Palace, the Sultan’s official residence.

With the exception of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, the per capita GDP is higher than any other nation in Asia. This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude petroleum and natural gas production account for nearly half of gross domestic product. Brunei is the third-largest oil producer in Southeast Asia, averaging about 180,000 barrels a day. It also is the fourth-largest producer of liquefied natural gas in the world.

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 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 Airlines is trying to make Brunei a hub for international travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand. It also has services to major Asian destinations.

Exports totalled $4.514 billion in 2004. Export commodities included crude oil, natural gas, and refined products. Export partners were Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US 9.5%, Australia 9.3% (2005)

Imports totalled $1.641-billion in 2004. Import commodities included machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, and chemicals. Import partners were Singapore 32.7 percent, Malaysia 23.3 percent, Japan 6.9 percent, UK 5.3 percent, Thailand 4.5 percent, and South Korea four percent.

Per capita GDP was $24,826 in 2005, putting Brunei at 26th place on a list of 181 nations. In 2003, 2.9 percent of the labour force worked in agriculture, 61.1 percent in industry, and 36 percent in services. The unemployment rate was 4.8 percent in 2004.

Demographics

Demographics of Brunei, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

With an estimated population of 379,444 in July 2006, Brunei is a multiethnic society in which one ethnic group, the Barunay, has a monopoly of political power. Like neighbouring countries, with 67 percent of the population listed as Malay, Brunei is a Malay-dominated country. Many cultural and linguistic differences make Brunei Malays distinct from the larger Malay populations in nearby Malaysia and Indonesia, even though they are ethnically related and share the Muslim religion. In other ethnic groups, Chinese make up 15 percent, six percent are classified as indigenous (Iban, Dayak, and Kelabit, all mainly from Sarawak), and 12 percent ar classified as “other.”

Brunei has a hereditary nobility with the title “Pengiran.” These are, more often than not, related to the Sultan by blood. The Sultan can award to commoners the title “Pehin,” the equivalent of a life peerage awarded in the United Kingdom. The Sultan also can award his subjects the Malay title “Dato,” the equivalent of a knighthood in the United Kingdom, and “Datin,” the equivalent of a damehood.

Bruneians adhere to the practice of using complete full names with all titles, including the title “Haji” (for men) or “Hajjah” (for women) for those who have made the Haj pilgrimage to Mecca. Many Brunei Malay women wear the “tudong,” a traditional head covering. Men wear the “songkok,” a traditional Malay cap. Men who have completed the Haj wear a white songkok.

Petroleum wealth allows the Brunei Government to provide the population with one of Asia's finest health care systems. The Brunei Medical and Health Department introduced the region's first government "flying doctor service" in early 1965. Malaria has been eradicated, and cholera is virtually non-existent. There are three general hospitals—in Bandar Seri Begawan, Tutong, and Kuala Belait—and there are numerous health clinics throughout the country. The life expectancy for the total population in 2006 was 75.01 years.

Since 1955, citizens, permanent residents, and persons who have worked in Brunei for thirty years have been entitled to a monthly pension. Elderly persons with dependents below working age receive additional allowances.

The Great Mosque in Brunei

Islam is Brunei's official religion, and 67 percent of the population is Muslim, mostly Sunnis of Malay origin who follow the Shafi school of Islamic law. Most of the other Muslims groups are Kedayans (converts from indigenous tribal groups) and Chinese converts. Islam was adopted in the fifteenth century when a Malay Muslim was installed as sultan. The sultan traditionally was responsible for upholding Islamic traditions, although the responsibility was usually delegated to appointed officials. Since the 1930s sultans have used rising oil revenues to provide an extensive social welfare system and promote Islam, including subsidizing the Hajj, building mosques, and expanding the Department of Religious Affairs. Religious freedom is guaranteed under the constitution. Other faiths practised are Buddhism 13 percent (mainly by the Chinese), Christianity 10 percent, and primarily in isolated and very small communities, and indigenous religions 10 percent.

The requirements to attain Brunei citizenship include passing tests in Malay culture, customs, and language. Stateless permanent residents of Brunei are given international certificates of identity, which allow them to travel overseas. The majority of Brunei's Chinese are permanent residents, and many are stateless.

Marriages are arranged, usually by the parents of a young man with those of a young woman. Many men convert to Islam in order to marry a Muslim woman. Interethnic group marriages are common. The family is the domestic unit, either nuclear or extended. A newly married couple joins the household of the bride's parents, and after some time, the young couples may establish their own independent household. Islamic inheritance law applies to Muslims. For non-Muslims, traditional practices apply. The kinship network of relatives may be wide. The Kadayan treat relatives by marriage the same as a blood relatives.

Only citizens are allowed to own land. Any land not under private title is state land. Rural villages have rights to state land for agricultural use. Before the 1909 land code, all land was either Crown Land, appanage land ("sacred" titles awarded by the sultan to high ranking nobles), or private-heirloom land (held by high-ranking nobles).

Malay is the official language, and is in the Western Malayo-Polynesian subgroup of the Austronesian language family, which includes the other languages spoken in Brunei. The Brunei dialect of Malay has many unique words and a distinctive syntax. English is widely understood and used in business. Significant numbers of British and Australian citizens live there. Other languages spoken are several Chinese dialects, Iban, and a number of native dialects. Many individuals are multilingual.

The dominant ethnic group, the Barunay, is has four ranked social classes — nobles, aristocrats, ordinary people, and slaves (although slavery is no longer practiced). A person is born into the class of his or her father and cannot rise or fall into any other class. There are no castes. The Kadayan have no social classes. The only signs of social stratification are the honorific titles used in addressing nobles.

File:December 06 073.jpg
A rather common sight in Kampong Ayer

The 'Water Village is a district of Bandar Seri Begawan where 30,000 people, or 10 percent of the nation’s total population live. All of the Water Village buildings are constructed on stilts above the Brunei River.

The Water Village consists of over 3000 structures including homes, mosques, restaurants, shops, a school, and a hospital. About 23 miles (36 kilometers) of boardwalks connect the buildings. Private water taxis, resembling long wooden speed boats, provide rapid transit. From a distance the water village looks like a slum. It actually enjoys modern amenities including air conditioning, satellite television, Internet access, plumbing, and electricity. Some of the residents keep potted plants and chickens. The district has a unique architectural heritage of wooden homes with ornate interiors.

People have lived in Kampong Ayer for over 1300 years. Antonio Pigafetta dubbed it the Venice of the East when the fleet of Ferdinand Magellan visited in 1521. The district is a culturally important part of Brunei that preserves the nation's river dwelling origins. According to geography professor Abdul Aziz of the Universiti Brunei Darussalam, this is the largest and most famous water settlement of Southeast Asia.

Culture

The culture of Brunei is predominantly Malay, 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 twelve cans of beer and two bottles of spirits every time they enter the country. After the introduction of prohibition in the early 1990s, all pubs and nightclubs were forced to close.[1]

Rice and curries of vegetables, fish, shellfish, and fruits make up the diet. Curried water buffalo, chicken, and beef are eatenon special occasions. Game birds and animals (especially mouse deer, barking deer, and sambar) are eaten in rural areas. Rice cakes and confections are eaten. Muslims don’t eat pork or drink alcohol. There are many open-air markets and restaurants in the towns. A popular local drink is iced unripe coconut milk, as well as coffee. Rice and coconut cream-based meat curries (santan) are served at large wedding feasts and the 40-day funeral feast.

Parents constantly watch over infants and take them to the tasks in which they are engaged. Young children are given responsibility to care for infant siblings at an early age. Education starts with pre-school, followed by six years of primary education and up to six years of secondary education. Nine years of education are mandatory. Most of Brunei's college students attend universities and other institutions abroad, but approximately 2542 study at the University of Brunei Darussalam. Opened in 1985, the university has a faculty of over 300 instructors and is located on a sprawling campus at Tungku, overlooking the South China Sea. It offers a number of undergraduate degree programs, a few master's degrees, and a few certificate programs.

The Istana Nurul Iman palace is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah. The palace is located on a leafy, riverside sprawl of hills on the banks of the Brunei River directly south of Brunei's capital, no more than a few miles outside the city center. At 2,152,782 square feet, it is the largest residential palace in the world and the world's largest residence of any type. By comparison, it is nearly three times the size of Britain’s Buckingham Palace. It was designed by National Artist of the Philippines for Architecture, Leandro V. Locsin.

The palace is used for all state functions. It is both the seat of Brunei's government and the location of the prime minister's office. In addition to audience and state rooms, there is a throne chamber used for various occasions such as the proclamation of the Crown Prince and the annual birthday investiture.


The Language and Literature Bureau promotes the development of literature and folklore and publishes textbooks in Malay and English for primary and secondary schools. Poetry known as sajak is popular with schoolchildren. A number of local authors have become well known. The most famous work of traditional literature is the epic poem Sya'ir Awang Simawn, which recounts the exploits of the culture hero.

There is a wide array of native folk music, and dance in Brunei. Adai-adai is a group work song sung by fisherpeople while they fished. Another folk dance is the Benari, or Joget Baju Putih, performed during numerous festivals, usually by three men and three women.

Aduk-Aduk is a ceremonial dance performed by the Kedayan people during holidays, especially at the end of the harvest season. Dancers wear traditional warrior's attire, in tengkolok, red belt and black clothing, and dance to the beat of silat, a Malay martial art. This dance is accompanied by percussion instruments, including drums and coconut shells.

The Malay people are known for the Jipin dance, performed by six men and women, accompanied by instruments that include the gambus dan biola, dombak and rebana. Gongs like the Guling tangan (a set of small gongs), duck gongs and other styles are played. Malay folk music is played at special feats and celebrations. Responsive singing is sometimes performed at weddings, with the guests joining in. The song "Alus Jua Dindang" is also an important part of Bruneian wedding music.

Brunei is one of the weakest nations in sport terms but has greatly improved since 1999. The soccer league or B-League started in 2002 and DPMM is the most important team. In basketball the most prominent competition is a six-date tournament, the Shell Rimula Challenge Trophy, won by Suncity Dragons in 2005. The Sultan's Cup is an invitational tournament for teams of East Asia. The Philippines club San Miguel won it in 2005.

Brunei is the host to one of the richest marathon in Asia, offering more than $500,000 in prize money. Also, Brunei hosts the Brunei Open, a part of the Asian Golf Tour, which the winners includes Terry Pilkadiris.


References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • L. W. W. Gudgeon, British North Borneo,, Adam and Charles Black, London, 1913.
  • Saunders, Graham. A History of Brunei, Routledge Curzon, London and New York, 2002.
  • Wright, Leigh. "Brunei: An Historical Relic." Journal of the Hong Kong Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Vol. 17 (1977).
  • Brown, Donald E. Brunei: The Structure and History of a Bornean Malay Sultanate, 1970.
  • Principles of Social Structure: Southeast Asia, 1976.
  • "The Origin of the Brunei Kadayan in Ethno-historic Perspective." In Robert L. Winzeler, ed., Indigenous Peoples and the State: Politics, Land, and Ethnicity in the Malayan Peninsula and Borneo, 1997.
  • Cleary, Mark, and Hairuni H. M. Ali Maricar, "Aging, Islam and the Provision of Services for Elderly People in Brunei Darussalam. David R. Phillips, ed., in Aging in East and South-East Asia, 1992.

External links

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  1. For a discussion of religious freedom, see http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71334.htm (United States Department of State).