Brunei has been deemed by Forbes and the International
Monetary Fund (IMF) as the fifth richest country in the world due to its petroleum
and natural gas fields. It’s actually divided into two areas, three states in
one area, and the state of Temburong separated from the others by a narrow
strip of land belonging to Malaysia (it was lost to them in a war).
Legend has it that when Awang Alak Betatar discovered the
area that later became Brunei, he yelled, “Baru nah!” which has been loosely
translated as “that’s it!” or “there!” and later became Brunei. Another theory is that it was derived from
the Sanskrit word “varun” which means “ocean” (where the word Borneo is also
from). Because Brunei is a majority Muslim nation, the second part of its
official name, Darussalam, means “abode of peace” in Arabic.
The Sultanate of Brunei was at its strongest between the 15th
and 17th centuries and was once a pretty influential power in the area.
However, the Spanish declared war to take over their lands, including many of
the islands that are now part of the Philippines, and Brunei lost several of
those islands to Spain. The British also attacked Brunei a couple of centuries
later over a dispute as to who was the rightful Sultan, but then several years
later, Brunei was placed as a protectorate of Britain in 1888 and remained so
for the next 96 years, until their independence in 1984. During WWII, the
Japanese overpowered the British who were stationed in Brunei and occupied the
small country until it was liberated in 1945. However, through all of these
changes, the same family has ruled Brunei for nearly six centuries.
The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan, probably one
of the longer capital city names. Not only is it the capital city, but it’s the
largest city in Brunei, with almost 297,000 people in the metro area (about the
same size as Cincinnati, Ohio). This city is home to Istana Nurul Iman, the
home of the Sultan of Brunei, one of the wealthiest men in the world. It also
holds the record as being the largest palace in the world. Although it is not
open for tourists, its expansiveness is impressive in that it stands in at over
two million square feet (which is larger than China’s Forbidden City and three
times as large as the palace at Versailles in France)! Among its features are
1700 rooms, a dining room to seat 5000, its own mosque, an air-conditioned
stable for his 200 polo ponies, 5 swimming pools, 18 elevators, 257 bathrooms
(if you can’t find one, you’re not looking hard enough), and his 2000 cars
(including 20 Lamborghinis and 165 Rolls-Royces). His car collection alone
makes Jay Leno seem like an amateur.
While the Sultan is obviously living very well, the people
aren’t hurting that bad either. Citizens in Brunei pay $1 for a consultation
with a doctor through its national health care plan, and if a service or
treatment cannot be done in the country, then they will send you overseas for
the care that you need at the government’s expense. Education from preschool
through high school is also free. There are several trade schools, vocational
schools, and a few universities in Brunei, which are also free to its citizens. And if there is an area of study where there
are no programs in Brunei, the government will send you overseas to get the
education you want – for free. This is what’s called giving back to the
community and to its citizens. If you
give the people access to affordable (or free) healthcare and education so that
they’re not in debt for these basic amenities of life, then they will have more
disposable cash to buy things, putting it back into their own economy,
therefore strengthening it. It’s a symbiotic relationship, and kudos to Brunei
for understanding this.
| Universiti Brunei Darussalam |
Because of Brunei’s proximity to Malaysia, it shouldn’t come
as a surprise that much of its culture is similar. The official language is
Malay, although the most widely-spoken language is Malayu Brunei (or Brunei
Malay). English and Chinese are also widely-spoken languages as well.
The warm tropical weather makes Brunei a wonderful destination
for that perfect unforgettable vacation. The diversity in its cultural influences represents
all of Asia. And since its independence, it has continued to improve upon
itself, like showing progress in women’s rights and equality, for example. But don’t
let the tropical winds fool you – there are some things they take very
seriously. Alcohol is banned (from the Islamic influence on their laws), and drug
trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances carry a mandatory
death penalty. However, although it may be small, the country is much richer
than can be counted monetarily.
Up next: Holidays and Celebrations
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