Brunei Darussalam , independent Islamic sultanate on the northern coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. It is bounded to the north by the South China Sea and on all other sides by the East Malaysian state of Sarawak, which also divides the state into two disconnected segments of unequal size. The western segment is the larger of the two and contains the capital city of Bandar Seri Begawan. 

Brunei achieved independence in 1984, having been a British protectorate since 1888. Since gaining independence from the British in 1984, Brunei has continued to strive forward, becoming a member of a number of regional and international organisations, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. 

Early History

According to early history, Brunei was discovered by a group of fourteen brothers travelling in search of a new place to live, which would be the beginnings of today’s Brunei.

When a group of brothers went on a journey for a new place to call home, they came across an area at the Brunei River and settled there because of the flanking hills, the water supply and the generous supply of fish, close to the country’s present capital. One of them was Awang Alak Betatar, who became the first Sultan of Brunei and took on the name Sultan Muhammad Shah when he embraced Islam.

Malay Islamic Monarchy

On January 1st, 1984, Brunei became a new nation, celebrating its independence and affirming its identity as a Malay and Islamic state governed by a monarchy. The philosophy of the Malay Islamic Monarchy, known as ‘Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB)’ in Malay, encapsulates Brunei’s culture and beliefs in a nutshell making it uniquely Bruneian.

Cultural Diversity

Brunei is predominantly made up of Malays (65.8%), with significant Chinese (10.2%), Indian and indigenous populations (23.9%). 

However, ask a Bruneian Malay what their ethnicity is, and you’ll most likely get either one of these seven answers: Melayu Brunei, Kedayan, Dusun, Tutong, Belait, Murut and Bisaya. (Note that two of them are actually named after two of Brunei’s districts, which gives you a hint as to where most of them live.) The Malay population is divided into these seven ethnic groups and are each characterised by distinct aspects of its culture and lifestyle with their own native language as well as customs and traditions.