Wikijunior:Asia/Brunei

Brunei is a country of independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It became a British protectorate in 1888, and in 1906 administration was vested in a British resident. Despite the presence of a foreign administration, Brunei’s significance began to revive with the start of petroleum production in 1929. In 1941–45, during World War II, Brunei was occupied by the Japanese. The British returned after the war, and negotiations began for the eventual independence of Brunei.

The Brunei capital city is Bandar Seri Begawan. The name Bandar means “city” in the Malay language, while Seri Begawan is a royal title held by the sultan of Brunei’s father. The Brunei currency are called Brunei dollar.

Where is Brunei?
Brunei consists of a narrow coastal plain in the north of Borneo island. It shares its international boundary with Malaysia from all around other than northern side (which facing South China Sea).

How many people live in Brunei?
During the national census of 2016, it is estimated at least 417,256 populations living in Brunei. Of these, the 65.7% of populations are Malay, 10.6% of population are Chinese and 23.7% are others minorities races/foreign expatriate.

What are the most common languages in Brunei?
The common language of the state of Brunei is Brunei Malay (Standard Malay). English is also widely used as a business and working language. It is also the language of instruction in secondary and tertiary education. Other languages spoken in Brunei include the Chinese, Indian and Native languages spoken by the minority ethnic groups.

What is the most common religion in Brunei?
The most common religion in Brunei are Muslim (78.8%) followed by Christian (8.7%), Buddhist (7.8%) and other indigenous beliefs. (4.7%)

What is the sport of Brunei?
Main kikik, or kite flying, remains a popular sports in Brunei. Most of the main kikik occurs in an open field or at near the beach.

There are a few types of kikik play. One of them are the game's aim is to fly their kites to extraordinary altitudes and to lead them through spectacular maneuvers, or to keep them airborne for as long as possible.

The other one is more involved competitive game play which in kikik battles; with the strings of their kites coated with ground glass, competitors strive to sever in midair the strings of their opponents’ kikik. The string that are successfully being cut is loser.

What are some important sites?
Royal Regalia Museum - It is a museum that houses the regalia of the Sultan and the royalty together with commemorations of the Silver and Golden Jubilee celebrations of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah’s rule. The building itself is a very impressive artistic architectural work, as it is a large golden dome building that is fitted with specially-designed mosaics.