Capital Bandar Seri Begawan
Largest city Bandar Seri Begawan
Official language(s) Malay
Population
374,000
Currency Brunei Ringgit
Calling code +673

The Sultanate of Brunei was super potent from the 14th through the 16th century. Its realm covered up the whole island of Borneo & the southern Philippines. European influence gradually brought an end to this regional ability. Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei was victorious.

The declination of the Bruneian Empire culminated in the 19th century when Brunei lost much of its province to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, following in its todays small landmass & detachment into two parts. Brunei was a British associated state from 1888 to 1984.

There was a small rebellion against the monarchy during the 1960s, which one was kept along the United Kingdom. This event turned known as the Brunei Revolt & was partly responsible for the failure to produce the North Borneo Federation. The rebellion also affected Brunei's guide to opt out of the Malaysian Federation & was the first stage of the Indonesia-Malaysia opposition.

The culture of Brunei is alike to Malayan culture, with heavy determines from Hinduism and Islam, but is seen as more conservative than Malaysia. The sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned, with foreigners & non-Muslims allowed to bring in 12 cans of beer & two bottles of spirits every time they enter the country. After the introduction of prohibition in the early 1990's, all pubs & nightclubs were forced to close.

Brunei lies in of two unconnected parts; 97% of the population resides in the larger western part, just about 10,000 live in the hilly eastern part, the district of Temburong. Major towns are the capital Bandar Seri Begawan (about 46,000 inhabitants), the port town Muara, the oil developing 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 Shell and British Army housing and recreational facilities. The well-known Panaga Club is situated here.