Brunei, an independent Islamic kingdom on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is bounded on the north by the South China Sea and on all sides by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, which also divides the state into two separate parts of unequal size. The western part is the larger of the two and houses the city center of Bandar Sri Begawan. Brunei gained independence in 1984 and was a British protectorate since 1888. It is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Physical features of Brunei

Brunei consists of a narrow coastal plain in the north that gives way to rugged hills in the south. The highest point of the country is Pagon peak (1850 meters) in the southeast. Brunei is drained by the Belait, Tutong and Brunei rivers in the western part and by the Pandaruan and Temburong rivers in the east. All generally flow northward into the South China Sea. Blit is the biggest river in the country. Brunei's soils are deeply weathered, highly washed, and generally infertile. Richer alluvial soils are found along rivers and in some parts of the coastal floodplain, and these offer the best agricultural potential. White quartz sands are common in some areas.

Ethnic groups

Almost two-thirds of Brunei's population is officially classified as Malay. However, this category includes not only ethnic Malays, but also a number of indigenous peoples, namely Dusun, Blit, Kedayan, Murot, and Bisaya (Bisayeh). Chinese make up about a tenth of the population. The rest of Brunei's population consists of other indigenous (non-Malay) peoples such as the Iban (or Darya Dayak). different peoples of South Asian origin; and temporary workers, mainly from Asia and Europe.

Languages

The official language is Malay and English is the main second language. Many Chinese speak southern varieties of Chinese, and many learn Mandarin in school.

religion

The population of Brunei is predominantly Sunni Muslim, although the Chinese are usually followers of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism, or Christianity. Some of the indigenous people are Christians, while others follow their local religions.