World Country Guide

General Information

Area
5765 sq km (2226 sq miles).

Population
332,844 (2001).

Population Density
57.7 per sq km.

Capital
Bandar Seri Begawan. Population: 27,285 (2001).

Geography
Brunei is a small coastal state just 443km (277 miles) north of the equator in the northwest corner of Borneo, bordered on all landward sides by Sarawak (Malaysia), which splits Brunei into two parts. The landscape is mainly equatorial jungle cut by rivers. Most settlements are situated at estuaries. The state is made up of four districts: Brunei-Muara (the capital district), Tutong and Belait (Brunei’s centre of oil and gas exploitation, in the west of the country); and Temburong, the eastern district, which has large areas of virgin rainforest. The islands in Brunei Bay fall within the Brunei-Muara or Temburong districts.

Government
Traditional Islamic monarchy. Gained independence from the UK in 1959. Head of State and Government: Sultan Haji Hassan al Bolkiah Muizaddin Waddaulah since 1967.

Language
Malay is the official language. English is widely used and Chinese dialects are also spoken.

Religion
Most of the Malay population are Sunni Muslims. There are also significant Buddhist, Confucianist, Daoist and Christian minorities. Large numbers of the indigenous groups practise traditional animist forms of religion.

Time
GMT + 8.

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plugs are either round or square three-pin.

Communications

Telephone
Full IDD is available. Country code: 673. Outgoing international code: 00. Public telephones are available in most post office branches and main shopping areas and there is a private internal service. There are both coin and card operated public telephones in Brunei. Telephone cards can be obtained at post offices or at the Telecom office.

Mobile telephone
GSM 900 network. DST Communications Sdn Bhd (website: www.dst-group.com) operates. There is good coverage around main cities and business areas, particularly in the northwest.

Internet
ISPs include BruNet (website: www.brunet.bn). A wireless network supporting ISDN lines is being launched, initially in the Rimba-Gadong area.

Telegram
Facilities are available from the government telecommunications office in Bandar Seri Begawan.

Post
Airmail letters to Europe take two to five days. Registered, recorded and express postal services (‘Speedpost’) are all available. Post office opening hours: Mon-Thurs 0745-1630.

Press
The only independent English-language newspaper is the daily Borneo Bulletin. The Government publishes a Daily News Digest and a fortnightly Brunei Darussalam Newsletter, both in English.

Radio
BBC World Service (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice) and Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov) can be received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most up-to-date can be found online.