Brunei. Brunei Darussalam
A state in Southeast Asia, located on the northern part of the island of Borneo. It consists of two enclaves, separated by the Malaysian state of Sarawak. Additionally, Brunei owns 33 small islands. The territory is approximately 5.8 thousand km². The capital is Bandar Seri Begawan (approximately 50 thousand).
Administratively, it is divided into 4 districts (Brunei-Muara, Tutong, Belait, and Temburong). The population is 340.8 thousand (2004); including Malays - 73.8%, Chinese - 15%, and the rest are indigenous peoples of Borneo (Iban, Dayak, Kelabit, etc.), as well as Indians, Europeans, and others.
The official languages are Malay and English. The dominant religion is Islam (Sunni), which is practiced by 2/3 of the population. The currency is the Brunei dollar = 100 cents.
Diplomatic relations with the Russian Federation were established on October 1, 1991.
The national holiday is February 23 - Independence Day (1984).
Brunei Darussalam is an absolute monarchy (part of the Commonwealth led by the United Kingdom). Since 1967, the head of state has been Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Muizzaddin Waddaulah, who holds the positions of Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Defense.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is headed by the Sultan's brother. The Sultan is the religious leader of Bruneian Muslims.
In translation, Brunei Darussalam means "Brunei - the abode of peace." Brunei is first mentioned in Chinese chronicles at the end of the 5th century AD, where the country of Pupi (the ancient name of Brunei) is noted as a trading partner of China and India in the region. Since 1888, Brunei has been a sultanate under British protection. In 1959, influenced by the national liberation movement, Britain granted Brunei autonomy in internal self-governance (issues of foreign policy and defense remained under the jurisdiction of the British High Commissioner until the end of the 1970s). In January 1979, Britain signed an agreement with Brunei granting it full independence, which was proclaimed on January 1, 1984. In 1962, after the failure of an armed uprising attempt in the country, the constitution was abolished, a state of emergency was declared, the Legislative Council was dissolved, and governance was primarily carried out by decrees of the Sultan.
In 1986, the Brunei National Unity Party was established, supporting the monarchy. There are sectoral trade unions.
In 1992, the concept of "Malay Islamic Monarchy" was finalized, which determined that the basis for the development of the state is Islamic laws, a monarchical system of governance, and the values of Malay culture.
The economy is primarily focused on oil extraction (over 9 million tons per year) and gas (more than 10.9 billion m³), the export of which, controlled by the Sultan's family, accounts for almost 95% of foreign currency earnings.
Agricultural land accounts for 5.5% of the country's territory. 80% of food products are imported.
Foreign exchange reserves are estimated at 70 billion USD.
Per capita income is 26 thousand USD per year. Citizens are not subject to income tax. Education and healthcare are free.
Foreign policy is personally formulated by the Sultan. The regional direction is a priority. As a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Brunei seeks to enhance relations with its member countries. The foreign policy course is also defined by its membership in the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth, and close economic ties with leading foreign countries. Since 1984, it has been a member of the UN.
The armed forces of Brunei were established in 1961 (approximately 5 thousand personnel).
Weekly publications include the newspaper "Pelita Brunei" (in Malay, 45 thousand copies) and the bulletin "Borneo Bulletin" (in English, 30 thousand copies).
There are also "Media Permata" (in Malay) and a relatively independent English-language "News Express." There is a government radio and television service ("RTB").