Brunei: landmarks, animals & facts for kids

Brunei is a small country on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia, facing the South China Sea. It is split into two parts, separated by a strip of Malaysia. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan, and fewer than half a million people live there. Brunei is a sultanate, ruled by a sultan, and it is known for its rainforests, golden-domed mosques, a village built on water and wealth from oil and gas.

On My Earth Toy you can see the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, completed in 1958. Its golden dome rises above an artificial lagoon, where a stone copy of a royal barge seems to float.

Geography and nature

Brunei has a narrow coastal plain and hilly land inland, crossed by rivers that flow to Brunei Bay and the sea. More than half the country is still covered by tropical rainforest. Ulu Temburong National Park, in the eastern part, protects untouched jungle that visitors explore by longboat and canopy walkways high in the trees. Proboscis monkeys, with their big droopy noses, live in the mangroves, along with hornbills and crocodiles.

People, languages and culture

Malay is the official language, and English is widely used in business and schools. Most people are Malay, and there is also a large Chinese community. Islam is the official religion and shapes daily life and holidays. Kampong Ayer, the 'water village', is a cluster of wooden houses on stilts over the Brunei River, linked by walkways and water taxis. A traditional dish is ambuyat, a sticky starch from the sago palm eaten with dipping sauces.

History in a nutshell

Brunei was once a powerful sultanate. Around the 1400s and 1500s it controlled much of Borneo's coast and parts of the Philippines. Over time it lost territory, and in 1888 it became a British protectorate. Oil was discovered in 1929, which changed the economy. Brunei became fully independent on 1 January 1984. The same royal family has ruled for many centuries.