se Muslim Admiral Zheng He. Most likely there were two waves of Islamic teachings that came to Brunei. The first was brought by traders from Arabia, Persia, India and China. The second wave was brought about by the conversion of Sultan Muhammad Shah. With the coming of the second wave, Brunei’s Islamisation hastened. !The propagation of Islam in Brunei was led by a Syarif with the name of Syarif Ali who was a descendant from The Prophet Muhammad. through his grandsons Sayydinia Hassan or Sayydinia Hussin. Syarif Ali arrived from Taif. Not long after he arrived in Brunei, he was married to a daughter of Sultan Ahmad. Syarif Ali built a mosque in Brunei. Syarif Ali was closely connected to a few other well known Islam propogationist in the region such as Malik Ibrahim who went to Java, Syarif Zainal Abidin in Malacca, Syarif Abu Bakar or Syariful Hashim in Sulu and Syarif Kebungsuan in Mindanoa. Syarif Ali ascended the throne as the third Sultan of Brunei when he took over from his father-in-law. Because of his piousness, he was known as Sultan Berkat (Berkat means ‘blessed). The mosque especially the pulpit was used by Sultan Syarif Ali himself. Sultan Syarif Ali himself conducted the sermons during Friday prayers. So he was not only the Sultan but he was also the Imam and brought the religion directly to the Brunei people. According to Thomas Stamford Raffles in his book “The History of Java”, the Islamic activities of Sultan Syarif Ali was not limited to Brunei. He was also known to have gone over to Java to propagate Islam where he was known as Raja Chermin. He tried hard to convert the Majapahit King named Prabu Angka Wijaya. The efforts of the Brunei Sultans in spreading Islam helped to spread Islam not only in Borneo but also as far north as to the southern Philippines islands. When Malacca fell to the Portuguese in 1511, it was Brunei which played a major role in the spread of Islam in the region[7] (see also: Ottoman expedition to Aceh). By the 16th century, Brunei had built one of her biggest mosques. In 1578, Alonso Beltran, a Spanish traveler described it as one of five stores tall built on the water. Most likely it had five layers of roofs to represent the five pillars of Islam. Islam was firmly rooted in Brunei by the 16th century. This mosque was destroyed by the Spanish in June that same year. European influence gradually brought an end to this regional power. Later, there was a brief war with Spain, in which Brunei's capital was occupied. Eventually the sultanate was victorious but lost territories to Spain. The decline of the Bruneian Empire culminated in the 19th century when Brunei lost much of its territory to the White Rajahs of Sarawak, resulting in its current small landmass and separation into two parts. Brunei was a British protectorate from 1888 to 1984, and occupied by Japan from 1941 to 1945 during World War II. There was a small rebellion against the monarchy during the 1960s, which was suppressed with help from the United Kingdom. This event became known as the Brunei Revolt and was partly responsible for the failure to create the North Borneo Federation. The rebellion partially affected Brunei's decision to opt out of the Malaysian Federation. Politics and government Main article: Politics of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan of Brunei. Under Brunei's 1959 constitution, His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah is the head of state with full executive authority, including emergency powers since 1962. The Sultan's role is enshrined in the national ideology known as Melayu Islam Beraja (MIB), or Malay Muslim Monarchy. The country has been under hypothetical martial law since Brunei Revolt of 1962. The media are extremely pro-government and the Royal family retains a venerated status within the country. International organizations and Brunei Brunei is a member of the United Nations, Commonwealth of Nations, ASEAN, APEC and Organization of the Islamic Conference, and other regional and international forum. Press freedom Brunei has been given "Not Free" status by Freedom House; press criticism of the government and monarchy is rare.[8] The government allowed a printing and publishing company, Brunei Press SDN BHD, to form in 1953. It continues to print the leading English daily Borneo Bulletin. This paper began as a weekly community paper, became the country's daily paper in 1990 and "remains the foremost source of information on local and foreign affairs."[9] Apart from The Borneo Bulletin, there is also the Media Permata, the local Malay newspaper which is circulated daily. The Brunei Times, another newspaper written in English is an independent newspaper published in Brunei Darussalam. It is owned by the company, Brunei Times Sdn Bhd, which consist of a group of prominent local businessmen. As for mass media, the Brunei government owns and operates one television channel and three radio stations. A private company has made cable television available as well as one private radio station, Kristal FM.[9] International rankings Political and economic rankings GDP per capita – 5th highest, at I$50,117 Human Development Index – 30th high, at 0.919 Literacy Rate – 75th, at 92.7% Unemployment rate – 158th, at 4.00% Health rankings Fertility rate- 105th most fertile, at 2.29 per woman Birth rate – 87th most births, at 21.58 per 1000 people Infant mortality – 30th least deaths, at 5.5 per 1000 live births Death rate – 191st highest death rate, at 2.8 per 1000 people Life Expectancy – 74th highest, at 75.74 years HIV/AIDS rate – 123rd most cases, at 1000 people Territorial disputes Brunei claims some territories in Sarawak and it is one of many nations to lay claim to some of the disputed Spratly Islands, specifically small rocks exposed at low tide on Louisa Reef. However, Kuraman Island is recognized as Malaysia territory by Brunei. The status of Limbang as part of Sarawak was disputed by Brunei since the area was first annexed in 1890.[10] Districts and mukims Districts of Brunei Main articles: Districts of Brunei and Mukims of Brunei Brunei is divided into four districts (daerah): Belait Brunei and Muara Temburong Tutong The districts are subdivided into thirty-eight mukims. Geography Main article: Geography of Brunei Brunei Darussalam consists of two unconnected parts with a total area of 5,766 sq. kilometers (2,226 sq. miles). 97% of the population lives in the larger western part, while only about 10,000 live in the mountainous eastern part (the district of Temburong). The total population of Brunei Darussalam is approximately 400,000 (2010) of which around 130,000 live in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan[11]. Other major towns are the port town of Muara, the oil producing town of Seria and its neighboring town, Kuala Belait. In the Belait district, the Panaga area is home to large numbers of expatriates due to Royal Dutch Shell and British Army housing and recreational facilities. Jerudong Park, a well known amusement park, is located on the west of Bandar Seri Begawan. Climate Brunei Darussalam has a tropical rainforest climate. The average annual temperature is 27.1°C, with the April–May average of 27.7°C and the October–December average of 26.8°C[12]. Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year Mean Maximum (°C) 27.8 27.8 29.2 29.1 29.5 28.1 28.4 28.3 28.0 27.5 27.4 28.0 28.3 Mean Minimum (°C) 25.1 26.0 26.5 26.9 26.9 26.7 26.1 26.3 26.3 26.1 26.2 25.6 26.2 Average Rainfall (mm) 277.7 138.3 113.0 200.3 239.0 214.2 228.8 215.8 257.7 319.9 329.4 343.5 2873.9 Economy Main article: Economy of Brunei This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of its GDP. Substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. Stated plans for the future include upgrading the labour force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourism sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base. The national airline, Royal Brunei, is trying to make Brunei a hub for international travel between Europe and Australia/New Zealand, and also has services to major Asian destinations. Brunei is increasingly importing from other countries. The Brunei Halal brand[13] Brunei Darussalam in July 2009 launched its national halal branding scheme which allows manufacturers in Brunei and in other countries to use the premium Brunei Halal trademark to help them penetrate lucrative markets in countries with significant numbers of Muslim consumers. As envisioned by the Sultanate, the use of the Brunei Halal brand would signify to Muslim consumers the manufacturers' strict compliance with laws relating to Islamic teachings. Brunei also aims to build confidence in the brand through strategies that will both ensure the halal integrity of the products and unfaltering compliance with set rules governing the sourcing of raw materials, manufacturing process, logistics and distribution. The Brunei Halal brand is said to be the first proper attempt to put together a global halal brand that will reap the potential commercial returns of catering to the consumption needs of Muslims worldwide. A new company, government-owned Brunei Wafirah Holdings Sdn Bhd, has been established as the owner of the Brunei Halal brand. Wafirah has entered into a joint venture with Brunei Global Islamic Investment and Hong Kong-based logistics firm Kerry FSDA Limited to form Ghanim International Food Corporation Sdn Bhd. Ghanim International manages the use of the Brunei Halal trademark. Producers that want to use the brand are required to first acquire the Brunei halal label (or the certification for compliance with accepted manufacturing and slaughtering practices under Islam) through the Department of Syariah Affairs' Halal Food Control Section. They can then approach Ghanim for their application to use the brand. Agriculture To achieve its target for food self-sufficiency, Brunei renamed its Brunei Darussalam Rice 1 to Laila Rice during the launch of the "Padi Planting Towards Achieving Self-Sufficiency of Rice Production in Brunei Darussalam" ceremony at the Wasan padi fields in April 2009.[14] In August 2009, the Royal Family reaped the first few Laila padi stalks, after years of multiple attempts to boost local rice production, a goal which was envisioned about half a century ago.[15] Healthcare All Brunei citizens have access to free healthcare from public hospitals. The largest hospital in Brunei is Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital, and there is a private medical centre, the Jerudong Park Medical Centre. As of 2008, no hospitals in Brunei were undergoing international healthcare accreditation. There is currently no medical school in Brunei, and Bruneians wishing to study to become doctors must attend university overseas. However, the Institute of Medicines had been introduced at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and a new building has been built for the faculty. The building, including research lab facilities, was completed in 2009. There has been a School of Nursing since 1951.[16] 58 nurse managers were appointed in RIPAS to improve service and provide better medical care.[17] In December 2008, The nursing college merged with the Institute of Medicines at the Universiti Brunei Darussalam to produce more nurses and midwives.[18] The Health Promotion Centre opened in November 2008 and serves to educate the public on the importance of having a healthy lifestyle.[19] Transport Main article: Transport in Brunei Brunei is accessible by air, sea and land transport. Brunei International Airport is the main entry point to the country. Royal Brunei Airlines[20] is the national carrier. The ferry terminal at Muara services regular connections to Labuan island (Malaysia). The speedboats provide passenger and goods transportation to the Temburong district. The main highway running across Brunei is the Tutong-Muara Highway. The country's road network is well developed. Brunei has one main sea port located at Muara. The export of its petroleum products is carried out through dedicated terminals. Demographics Main article: Demographics of Brunei See also: Islam in Brunei, Buddhism in Brunei, and Christianity in Brunei The official language of the nation is Malay (Malay: Bahasa Melayu), although an important minority speak Chinese language. The local variety of Malay (Kedayan or Bukit Malay), spoken natively by two thirds of the population, is quite divergent from and unintelligible to Standard Malay. The most important aboriginal languages are Iban, and two languages called Tutong, each with about 20,000 speakers. English is also widely spoken and there is a relatively large expatriate community with significant numbers of British and Australian citizens. The foreign population is around 220,000 people. The non expatriate population is around 399,290. Ethnicity Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, Indigenous 3.4%, Other 19.1% (2004 est.)[21] Religion Brunei religiosity religion percent Islam  ? 67% Buddhism  ? 13% Christianity  ? 11% Free Thinkers  ? 7% Indigenous  ? 2% Islam is the official religion of Brunei at 67 percent, and the sultan is the head of the religion in the country. Other faiths practised are Buddhism (13 percent, mainly by the Chinese) and Christianity (11 percent). Free Thinkers are mostly Chinese at about 7 percent, although most of them practice some forms of religion with elements of Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism, they prefer to present themselves as having professed no religion officially, hence regarded as Atheists in official censuses. Indigenous religions are about 2 percent. Culture Main article: Culture of Brunei The culture of Brunei is predominantly Malay (reflecting its ethnicity), with heavy influences from Islam, but is seen as more conservative than Malaysia.[22] Brunei also has a large number of foreign workers, including Indonesian and Filipino workers, labourers from Thailand, Indonesia and the Indian subcontinent (particularly India and Bangladesh), and American and British professionals working in industry and education. Prohibition of alcohol As a Sharia country, the sale and public consumption of alcohol is banned.[23] Foreigners and non-Muslims are allowed to bring in 12 cans of beer and two bottles of other alcohol (e.g., wine or spirits; no distinction is made for alcohol content). This limit used to apply to every entry; in 2007, however, this was changed to one limit every 48 hours. After the introduction of prohibition in the early 1990s, all pubs and nightclubs were forced to close. Bruneian celebrities Dk Najibah Era Al-Sufri, a member of the Kaspersky Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition Wu Chun, member of Fahrenheit Hill, male singer and actor Zul F, winner of 2005 Brunei Idol Maria, local female singer D'Hask, rock band See also Main article: Outline of Brunei Asia portal Bahasa Brunei language edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Astronomy in Brunei Brooketon Brunei Revolt Communications in Brunei Foreign relations of Brunei Girl Guides in Brunei History of Brunei Hospitals in Brunei Istana Nurul Iman  (Sultan's Palace) Jerudong Park Medical Centre List of Bruneians List of Brunei-related topics Media of Brunei Military of Brunei Music of Brunei North Borneo Federation Royal Brunei Airlines Scouting in Brunei Sport in Brunei Transport in Brunei Universiti Brunei Darussalam Water Village (Brunei) List of Sunni Muslim dynasties Notes and references ^ "Brunei Tourism". Tourismbrunei.com. http://www.tourismbrunei.com/facts/facts.html. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Brunei. CIA World Factbook. 2009. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bx.html.  ^ a b c d "Brunei". International Monetary Fund. http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/weo/2009/02/weodata/weorept.aspx?sy=2006&ey=2009&scsm=1&ssd=1&sort=country&ds=.&br=1&c=516&s=NGDPD%2CNGDPDPC%2CPPPGDP%2CPPPPC%2CLP&grp=0&a=&pr.x=37&pr.y=19. Retrieved 2009-10-01.  ^ "Human Development Report 2009. Human development index trends: Table G". The United Nations. http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/HDR_2009_EN_Complete.pdf. Retrieved 2009-10-05.  ^ "Human Development Reports". United Nations. http://hdr.undp.org/en/statistics/. Retrieved 2009-10-05.  ^ "Background Note: Brunei Darussalam". US State Department. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2700.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-16.  ^ The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia by Nicholas Tarling p.39 [1] ^ "Freedom Of The Press – Brunei (2006)". Freedomhouse.org. http://www.freedomhouse.org/inc/content/pubs/pfs/inc_country_detail.cfm?country=6929&year=2007&pf. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ a b "About Brunei". Bruneipress.com.bn. 1998-07-30. http://www.bruneipress.com.bn/brunei/brunei.html. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ the CIA World Fact Book ^ 2001 Summary Tables of the Population Census. Department of Statistics, Brunei Darussalam ^ http://www.bruneiweather.com.bn/content/summary3pix.php ^ Hadi Dp Mahmudbandar Seri Begawan (2009-08-01). "Brunei pioneers national halal branding | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/local_business/2009/08/01/brunei_pioneers_national_halal_branding. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Ubaidillah Masli, Goh De Noand Faez Hani BRUNEI-MUARA (2009-04-28). "'Laila Rice' to Brunei's rescue | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2009/04/28/laila_rice_to_bruneis_rescue. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Ubaidillah Masli, Deno Gohand Faez HaniBRUNEI-MUARA (2009-08-04). "HM inaugurates Laila harvest | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2009/08/04/hm_inaugurates_laila_harvest. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ "FHA – [Nursing staff education in Brunei – Article Summary". Find-health-articles.com. http://www.find-health-articles.com/rec_pub_17004384-nursing-staff-education-brunei.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Bandar Seri Begawan (2009-03-19). "58 nurse managers appointed | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2009/03/19/58_nurse_managers_appointed. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Hadi Dp Mahmudbandar Seri Begawan (2008-12-06). "Problem needs nursing with care | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2008/12/06/problem_needs_nursing_with_care. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ Bandar Seri Begawan (2009-04-17). "HRH visits Health Promotion Centre | The Brunei Times". Bt.com.bn. http://www.bt.com.bn/en/home_news/2009/04/17/hrh_visits_health_promotion_centre. Retrieved 2009-12-30.  ^ http://www.bruneiair.com/ ^ "Brunei". CIA – The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bx.html. This comes to 90%, we're not sure about the last 10%. ^ For a discussion of religious freedom, see http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71334.htm (United States Department of State). ^ Brunei Tourism Website (Government appointed) Bibliography Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Brunei.  This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the CIA World Factbook. U.S. Department of State website (2003) L. W. W. Gudgeon, British North Borneo, Adam and Charles Black: London, 1913. External links Find more about Brunei on Wikipedia's sister projects: D