The most interesting facts about Brunei, from the world’s biggest palace to the monument built for the billionth barrel of oil.
Fast facts
Official name: Brunei Darussalam
Capital city: Bandar Seri Begawan
Population: 491,900
Area: 5,765 sq km
Major languages: Malay, English
Time zone: UTC+8 (Brunei Darussalam Time)
Interesting facts about Brunei
1. Brunei is a tiny country located on the island of Borneo in Asia. It is Asia’s fourth-smallest country after the Maldives, Singapore and Bahrain.
2. Brunei is Asia’s least populous sovereign country.
3. Brunei is the fifth-richest country in Asia (after Singapore) when measured by GDP per capita based on purchasing power parity (PPP). It is the 13th richest country in the world.
4. Brunei has huge oil and gas reserves. Oil and gas exports account for over 90% of Brunei’s total exports.
5. Brunei has the largest oilfields in Southeast Asia, although they are expected to run dry within 30 years.
6. This reliance on oil and gas contributes to Brunei’s high CO₂ emissions. The country ranks as the world’s second-highest emitter per capita, with each person producing about 25.6 metric tons annually.
7. One of Brunei’s famous landmarks is the Billionth Barrel Monument, which commemorates the billionth barrel of oil produced at the Seria oilfield. The milestone was reached in 1991.
8. The country’s full name is Brunei Darussalam, which is Arabic for “Brunei, abode of peace”.
9. The Sultanate of Brunei once controlled large areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines between the 15th and 17th centuries.
10. Brunei became a British protectorate in 1888. In 1963, it was the only Malay state that decided not to join the federation that would later become Malaysia.
11. Brunei is home to the largest stilt settlement in the world. Founded over 1,000 years ago, Kampong Ayer consists of 42 adjoining stilt villages which house around 30,000 people. The settlement has been nicknamed the ‘Venice of the East’.
12. In 2014, Brunei became the first East Asian country to adopt strict Islamic Sharia law. It allows punishments such as stoning for adultery and amputation for theft.
13. In 2019, the new penal code was fully implemented. The code designates death by stoning for adultery and gay sex in certain circumstances.
14. The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, is one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchs. Absolute monarchies are countries where monarchs (or dictators) still maintain complete power. The only other absolute monarchies are Eswatini, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Vatican City with Qatar and North Korea de-facto absolute monarchies.
15. The Sultan is the world’s second-longest-reigning royal after Britain’s Queen Elizabeth of the UK. He has been in power since 1967.
16. The same royal family have ruled Brunei since the 14th century – for over 600 years – meaning the current Sultan also represents one of the world’s oldest continuously ruling dynasties.
17. Brunei’s flag has a yellow background which represented the Sultan, with one black and one white diagonal stripe representing his two chief ministers.
See how Brunei’s flag compares to other Asian flags.
18. There are two inscriptions on the coat of arms in Arabic. “Always render service by the guidance of God” is on the crescent and “Brunei Darussalam” on the banner.
19. The Sultan is the second-richest monarch in the world after the King of Thailand. He is believed to have a net worth of at least $25 billion (USD).
20. He also lives in the world’s largest residential palace, the Istana Nurul Iman, near Bandar Seri Begawan. The palace covers 200,000m², contains 1,788 rooms, has 257 bathrooms, a banqueting hall for 5,000 guests, a garage for 110 cars, an air-conditioned stable for 200 ponies and five swimming pools.
21. The Sultan has two honorary appointments awarded by the British Queen: he is an air chief marshal in the RAF and an admiral of the Royal Navy. The Sultan has also been given honorary degrees by Oxford University, the University of Aberdeen and King’s College London.
22. One of Brunei’s most famous landmarks is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. The main dome is made of 3.5-million-pieces of glass mosaic overlayed with real gold leaf.
23. The mosque’s 52m-high minaret makes it the tallest building in central Bandar Seri Begawan. Apparently, the nearby Islamic Bank of Brunei building was originally higher but had the top storey removed by order of the Sultan.
24. Brunei ranks fifth among East and South-East Asian countries in the Human Development Index.
25. Citizens of Brunei do not pay income tax. Brunei is one of just 13 countries which have an individual income tax rate of zero (0%).
26. Brunei has the cleanest air record in Asia. Only about 3.4% of deaths are linked to air pollution, which is a stark contrast to many of its regional neighbors.
27. Despite its tiny size, Brunei is home to an array of rare wildlife. 70% of the country is covered by forest with much of it protected. Notable species include pangolins, proboscis monkeys, Sunda clouded leopards, several species of rare hornbill and the slow loris primates.
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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and owner of The Facts Institute. With seven years of teaching experience and a background in educational content, she specialises in creating clear reference resources about countries, geography and global topics.