Brunei

Where the name comes from

Brunei’s origin is uncertain, though early Chinese records mention Boni; Darussalam in its full name is Arabic for “abode of peace”.

First people

A Malay sea-trading sultanate thrived on Borneo by the 1500s.¹

Known for

Brunei is known for Kampong Ayer, a village of houses on stilts over the Brunei River, and for the golden-domed Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque.²

Outside contact

British protection began in 1888, and Japan occupied it in 1941–1945.¹

The modern country

Brunei stayed a sultanate while most of Borneo became part of Malaysia or Indonesia, and regained full independence from Britain in 1984, with oil and gas already central to its economy.^3,4