Brunei

A sultanate that once claimed most of Borneo and now occupies two small pieces of its coast, kept wealthy by oil. The Bruneian empire dominated the island and reached into the Philippines in the sixteenth century, before Spanish attack, piracy and internal conflict reduced it. The decisive losses were to a single Englishman: James Brooke helped suppress a rebellion in 1841 and was rewarded with Sarawak, which he and his heirs ruled as the White Rajahs for a century, expanding at Brunei's expense until the sultanate was cut into two enclaves surrounded by it. Britain took over foreign relations in 1888. Oil found at Seria in 1929 changed everything. Brunei declined to join Malaysia in 1963, partly over oil revenue and precedence among rulers, and a revolt that year was put down with British Gurkhas; a state of emergency declared then has been renewed ever since. Full independence came only in 1984. The sultan has ruled since 1967 and is both head of state and prime minister. Citizens pay no income tax and receive free healthcare and education. Sharia criminal penalties introduced in 2014 drew international boycotts. Most of the country is still rainforest. The country has about 460 thousand people on 5,765 square kilometres. Malay is the official language and Islam the state religion. Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital, with a large stilt village, Kampong Ayer, in the river beside it. Brunei has among the highest incomes per head in Asia. Its full name means abode of peace.

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