Brunei
Brunei - the country floats on oil
Brunei is in Southeast Asia, on the northern island of Kalimantan,
also known as Brunei Darussalam. The country occupies an area of
5765 square km and has a population of 348,000. 676% of the
population is Malay; the rest is Chinese, Dayak, Indians and others.
Many residents believe the state religion of Islam. Malay is the
official language, Mandarin and English are also spoken. Currency is
the Brunei Dollar. Seri Begawan (Bandar seri Begawan) is the
capital.
National Flag
The flag is yellow, crossed with black and white stripes and a
central painted emblem. Yellow represents the supremacy of the
Sudan. Black and white stripes symbolized the two active Wales.
History
In the 15th century, Islam spread with the establishment of the
Sultanate. From the mid-16th century onwards, Portugal, Spain, the
Netherlands, and the United Kingdom invaded Brunei. In 1888, Brunei
became a British "protectorate." In 1941, it was occupied by Japan.
In 1946, the British resumed control of Brunei. In 1959, Brunei
signed an agreement with Britain to provide that national defense,
security, and foreign affairs would be managed by the British, with
other services managed by Sudan. The agreement was re-signed with
Britain in 1971, providing that Britain would have authority over
part of foreign affairs and affairs of national defense, while Sudan
would resume the exercise of internal autonomy. On January 1, 1984,
Brunei announced its full independence.
Economic and Cultural Customs
Oil and natural gas are Brunei's economic pillars, enriching
people's lives; Brunei is said to be the "South Seas Paradise." Oil
and gas extraction and refining is the main industrial sector, with
modern refineries and chemical plants. The second wave of
construction is new industry,s including food processing, furniture
manufacturing, ceramics, and textiles.
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