Bandar Seri Begawan (BSB;
Jawi: بندر سري بڬاوان; ) is the
capital city
A capital city or capital is the municipality holding primary status in a country, state, province, Department (country subdivision), department, or other subnational entity, usually as its seat of the government. A capital is typically a city ...
of
Brunei
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi alphabet, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely sur ...
. It is officially a
municipal area () with an area of and an estimated population of 100,700 as of 2007.
It is part of
Brunei-Muara District
Brunei-Muara District ( ms, Daerah Brunei dan Muara; Jawi: برونائی-موارا ضلع) or simply Brunei-Muara is one of the four districts of Brunei. It has the smallest area among the four districts, with , yet is the most populous, wi ...
, the smallest yet most populous district which is home to over 70 per cent of the country's population.
It is the country's largest urban centre and nominally the country's only city. The capital is home to Brunei's seat of government, as well as a commercial and cultural centre. It was formerly known as Brunei Town until it was renamed in 1970 in honour of
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967.
He was also Brunei's fir ...
, the 28th
Sultan of Brunei
The sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...
and the father of the current
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
.
The history of Bandar Seri Begawan can be traced back to the establishment of a
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
stilt settlement on the waters of the
Brunei River
The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brun ...
which became the predecessor of
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
today. It became the capital of the
Bruneian Sultanate
Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by the ...
from the 16th century onwards, as well as in the 19th century when it became a British protectorate. The establishment of a British Residency in the 20th century saw the establishment of modern-day administration on land, as well as the gradual resettlement of the riverine dwellers to the land. During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the capital was
occupied by the Japanese forces from 1941 and bombed in 1945 upon liberation by Allied forces. Brunei's independence from the British was declared on 1 January 1984 on a square in the
city centre
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
.
Bandar Seri Begawan is home to
Istana Nurul Iman
The Istana Nurul Iman ( Jawi: ايستان نور الإيمان; English: The Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a lea ...
, the largest residential palace in the world by the
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
,
and
Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, Brunei's iconic landmark. It is also home to
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
, the largest 'water village' in the world and nicknamed
Venice of the East
The following is an incomplete list of places which have been nicknamed Venice of the East.
List
See also
* Venezuela, country whose name means "Little Venice"
* Venice of the North
* Little Venice
* Paris of the East
* Paris of the West
* Li ...
.
It was once the host city of the
20th Southeast Asian Games in 1999 and 8th
APEC
The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC ) is an inter-governmental forum for 21 member economies in the Pacific Rim that promotes free trade throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Summit in 2000.
Name
The name Bandar Seri Begawan is derived from the official
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
name, which translates to Seri Begawan City. It was named after
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967.
He was also Brunei's fir ...
, the 28th
Sultan of Brunei
The sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...
and the late father of the current
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
.
Seri Begawan is part of the royal title bestowed on the late sultan upon his abdication from the throne in 1967.
The city was renamed on 4 October 1970 to commemorate his contribution to the modernisation of the country during his reign in the 20th century. Prior to this, the city had been known as Brunei Town or in
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
(literally "Brunei City").
It is the only urban centre in the country which has the title ('city') in its official native name.
The capital is colloquially known by the locals as simply , meaning 'The City'. However, the name may not necessarily refer to the same area as encompassed by the city's official boundary. It may only refer to the
city centre
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
of the capital. Its reference may also extend beyond the official boundary, that is referring to the urbanised areas on the outskirts and even the entire
Brunei-Muara District
Brunei-Muara District ( ms, Daerah Brunei dan Muara; Jawi: برونائی-موارا ضلع) or simply Brunei-Muara is one of the four districts of Brunei. It has the smallest area among the four districts, with , yet is the most populous, wi ...
, which is more common among residents who live outside of the district.
History
Human settlement in Brunei can be traced back to the sixth and seventh century with a
Malay
Malay may refer to:
Languages
* Malay language or Bahasa Melayu, a major Austronesian language spoken in Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore
** History of the Malay language, the Malay language from the 4th to the 14th century
** Indonesi ...
trading centre and fishing port near the current site of the city.
The first settlement on the banks of the
Brunei River
The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brun ...
can be traced to the eighth century where there had been settlements similar to those in
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
, near the present site of the
Brunei Museum
The Brunei Museum ( ms, Muzium Brunei) is the national museum of Brunei. It is located in Kota Batu in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The museum has exhibits of Islamic art, historical period of the 16th century and archaeology and ethnograph ...
with the modern city on the opposite shore.
![Bandar Seri Begawan in 1844](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/38/Bandar_Seri_Begawan_in_1844.jpg)
During the
Bruneian Empire
Bruneian may refer to:
* Something of, or related to Brunei
* A person from Brunei, or of Bruneian descent. For information about the Bruneian people, see Demographics of Brunei and Culture of Brunei. For specific Bruneians, see List of Bruneians.
...
period from 15th–17th century, the Sultanate ruled part of
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
including the southern part of the Philippines and its capital of
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populate ...
, with the water settlement near the city area becoming the third centre of the administration, after moving twice from
Kota Batu and Kampong Ayer.
When the Sultanate rule declined through the 18th century due to the arrival of Western powers such as the Spanish, Dutch, and the British, the settlement population decreased from its peak of 20,000 inhabitants.
From 1888 until its independence in 1984, Brunei was a British protectorate and land development began in 1906 when the British resident encouraged the Sultanate citizens to move onto
reclaimed land
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a waste landfill), is the process of creating new Terrestrial ecoregion, land from oceans, list of seas, seas, Stream bed, riverbeds or lak ...
on the western bank of the inlet.
In 1899, first oil well was drilled at Ayer Bekunchi near Kampung Kasat, Bandar Seri Begawan. Although the well was drilled to a depth of 259 metres (850 feet), no oil was found. Oil exploration in Brunei later shifted to
Seria
Seria () is a town in Belait District, Brunei, about west from the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The total population was 3,625 in 2016. It was where oil was first struck in Brunei in 1929 and has since become a centre for the countr ...
and
Belait District
Belait District (; Jawi: دأيره بلأيت), or simply Belait (), is the largest as well as the westernmost district in Brunei. It has an area of and the population of 69,062 as of 2016. The administrative town is Kuala Belait, located at ...
in 1924. Sultan
Muhammad Jamalul Alam II
Jamalul Alam II (; ; 1889 – September 11, 1924) was the 26th Sultan of Brunei from 10 May 1906 until his death in 1924.
Early life
Born in 1889 at Istana Kampong Ayer, Bandar Brunei, he was the eldest surviving son of Sultan Hashim Jalilu ...
established a new palace on the west bank in 1909 after being persuaded by the British,
along with the arrival of
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
traders to boost the economy. A mosque and government buildings were built along the western shores in 1920.
In the same year, the new settlement was declared the new capital of Brunei and became a municipal area.
![Brunei Town in 1950](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Brunei_Town_in_1950.jpg)
However, the city's prosperity was almost ended when it was captured by the
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
in 1941, before being recaptured by the
Allied
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
forces in 1945. During the war, most infrastructure was destroyed by Japanese and Allied bombing.
The British began reconstructing most of their possessions in
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
at the end of 1945 with the restoration of law and order and the reopening of schools.
In 1950, Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, upon his ascension to the throne, negotiated with the British for an increase in corporate taxes, growing from 10% to 30% in 1953. A
M$1.2 million (US$0.39 million) allotment to Brunei for war damages during the
Japanese occupation increased from M$1 million in 1946 to M$100 million (US$32.6 million) in 1952. A five-year development plan with a budget of M$100 million was also implemented in 1953, with infrastructure receiving the largest percentage (80%) and the rest going toward social programmes.
Together with the expansion of the oil and gas industry, commercialisation began to transform Brunei's capital and a large number of public buildings were constructed, along with the development of a central business district in the 1970s and 1980s.
On 1 August 2007, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah gave consent for the expansion of the city from to .
Administration
City administration
The city is administered by the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board within Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Department, a government department within the
Ministry of Home Affairs
An interior ministry (sometimes called a ministry of internal affairs or ministry of home affairs) is a government department that is responsible for internal affairs.
Lists of current ministries of internal affairs
Named "ministry"
* Ministry ...
. The Municipal Board was established in 1921, originally as a Sanitary Board (') which was, and is still, responsible for maintaining the cleanliness to the then Brunei Town.
It achieved the status of ' (municipality) in 1935 with the conversion of the Sanitary Board into the current Municipal Board (').
Bandar Seri Begawan is de facto a city but it is officially a
municipality
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
, thus has the same status as the towns of
Tutong,
Kuala Belait
Kuala Belait (KB; Jawi: ) is the administrative town of Belait District, Brunei. The population of the town proper was 4,259 in 2016. Kuala Belait is officially a municipal area (), as well as a village under the mukim of the same name. The t ...
and
Seria
Seria () is a town in Belait District, Brunei, about west from the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The total population was 3,625 in 2016. It was where oil was first struck in Brunei in 1929 and has since become a centre for the countr ...
.
The city is located in
Brunei-Muara District
Brunei-Muara District ( ms, Daerah Brunei dan Muara; Jawi: برونائی-موارا ضلع) or simply Brunei-Muara is one of the four districts of Brunei. It has the smallest area among the four districts, with , yet is the most populous, wi ...
, the smallest yet the most populous
district
A district is a type of administrative division that, in some countries, is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions o ...
in the country. As of 1 August 2007, the municipal area has been expanded from to . The area overlaps with several of the district's
mukims
A mukim is a type of administrative division used in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. The word ''mukim'' is a loanword in English. However, it was also originally a loanword in Malay from the Arabic word: (meaning ''resident''). The clo ...
and
villages
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town (although the word is often used to describe both hamlets and smaller towns), with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to ...
, which include:
The mukims of Burong Pingai Ayer, Peramu, Saba, Sungai Kebun, Sungai Kedayan and Tamoi, as well as their constituent villages, make up
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
, the traditional stilted settlement on the Brunei River in the capital.
National government
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital city of Brunei and the seat of the
Brunei Government. It houses
Istana Nurul Iman
The Istana Nurul Iman ( Jawi: ايستان نور الإيمان; English: The Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a lea ...
, whereby aside from the residential palace of
Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
, the current
Sultan of Brunei
The sultan of Brunei is the monarchical head of state of Brunei and head of government in his capacity as prime minister of Brunei. Since independence from the British in 1984, only one sultan has reigned, though the royal institution dates bac ...
, it is also a seat of the
Prime Minister's Office, in which the Prime Minister is also the Sultan himself. The Prime Minister's Office also has a second seat within the capital, that is located at Jalan Perdana Menteri. Bandar Seri Begawan also houses the headquarters of all government ministries and most departments and agencies.
Geography
Bandar Seri Begawan is located at 4°53'25"N, 114°56'32"E, on the northern bank of the
Brunei River
The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brun ...
.
Climate
Brunei has an equatorial,
tropical rainforest climate
A tropical rainforest climate, humid tropical climate or equatorial climate is a tropical climate sub-type usually found within 10 to 15 degrees latitude of the equator. There are some other areas at higher latitudes, such as the coast of southea ...
more subject to the
Intertropical Convergence Zone
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ ), known by sailors as the doldrums or the calms because of its monotonous windless weather, is the area where the northeast and the southeast trade winds converge. It encircles Earth near the thermal e ...
than to the
trade wind
The trade winds or easterlies are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the Earth's equatorial region. The trade winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisph ...
s and rare
cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an anti ...
s. The climate is hot and wet. The city sees heavy precipitation throughout the year, with the northeast
monsoon
A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...
blowing from December to March and the southeast monsoon from around June to October.
The wettest day on record is 9 July 2020, when of rainfall was reported at the airport.
Demography
Ethnicity and religion
The Bruneian Census 2011 Report estimated the population of Bandar Seri Begawan to be approximately 20,000, while the metropolitan area has around 279,924.
The majority of Bruneians are
Malays
Malays may refer to:
* Malay race, a racial category encompassing peoples of Southeast Asia and sometimes the Pacific Islands
** Overseas Malays, people of Malay race ancestry living outside Malay archipelago home areas
** Cape Malays, a communit ...
, with
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
being the most significant minority group.
Aboriginal groups such as the
Bisaya
Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
,
Belait,
Dusun
Dusun is the collective name of a tribe or ethnic and linguistic group in the Malaysian state of Sabah of North Borneo. Collectively, they form the largest ethnic group in Sabah. Dusun has been recognised as among the indigenous community of ...
,
Kedayan
The Kedayan (also known as Kadayan, Kadaian or Kadyan) are an ethnic group residing in Brunei, Federal Territory of Labuan, southwest of Sabah, and north of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. According to the Language and Literature Bureau of Br ...
,
Lun Bawang
The Lun Bawang (formerly known as Trusan Murut or Southern Murut) is an ethnic group found in Central Northern Borneo. They are indigenous to the southwest of Sabah (Interior Division), and the northern region of Sarawak (Limbang Division), high ...
,
Murut Murut may refer to:
* Murut people
The Murut are an indigenous ethnic group, comprising 29 sub-ethnic groups inhabiting the northern inland regions of Borneo. The Murutic languages are a family of half a dozen closely related Austronesian lan ...
, and
Tutong also exist. They are classified as part of the Malay ethnic groups and have been given the
Bumiputera Bumiputera or Bumiputra, which is a Malay word, comes from the Sanskrit word ''Bhumiputra'' which may be transliterated as "son of earth" or "son of the soil" (Bhūmi; भूमि = earth; putra = son). It has different definitions in Brunei and Ma ...
privileges.
Large numbers of foreign workers are also found within Brunei and the capital city, with the majority being from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia (mostly Betawi, Batak, Ambon, Minahasa, and Minangkabau), and the
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent is a list of the physiographic regions of the world, physiographical region in United Nations geoscheme for Asia#Southern Asia, Southern Asia. It is situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian O ...
.
Places of interest
Mosques
![Beside the Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque BSB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Beside_the_Omar_Ali_Saifuddin_Mosque_BSB.jpg)
*
Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque – Built in 1958, it features a golden dome and an interior of Italian marble walls, carpeting and an elevator. It has tunnels that are used by the sultan on journeys through the town. It is considered by some to be one of the world's most beautiful mosques.
*
Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque
Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah Mosque ( ms, Masjid Jame' Asr Hassanil Bolkiah), ( Jawi: جامع عصر حسن البلقية) is a mosque in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It is named after Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th and curr ...
– This is the largest mosque in Brunei. It was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the sultan's reign. It is known locally as the Kiarong mosque.
*
Al-Ameerah Al-Hajjah Maryam Mosque – This green mosque is next to Jalan Jerudong.
*
Ash-Shaliheen Mosque
The Ash Shaliheen Mosque ( ms, Masjid Ash-Shaliheen) is a mosque located besides the Prime Minister's Office Complex in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.
Structure
The mosque is built in the Moroccan style by Egyptian architect Abdel-Wahed El-Wakil ...
– This mosque is next to the prime minister's office in Bandar Seri Begawan. Its architecture is inspired by
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (), known in English as the Prophet's Mosque, is a mosque built by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the city of Medina in the Al Madinah Province of Saudi Arabia. It was the second mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, after Qub ...
in Saudi Arabia and Spain's
Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba
The Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba ( es, Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba), officially known by its ecclesiastical name, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption ( es, Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción), is the cathedral of the Roman ...
.
Historical sites
* Late sultan
Bolkiah
Bolkiah, also known as Nakhoda Ragam, was the 5th Sultan of Brunei. He ascended the throne upon the abdication of his father, Sultan Sulaiman, and ruled Brunei from 1485 to 1524. His reign marked the Golden Age of Brunei and saw the Sultanat ...
's tomb in Kota Batu
* Late sultan
Sharif Ali
Sharīf ʿAlī ibn ʿAjlān ibn Rumaithah ibn Muḥammad ( ar, ٱلشَّرِيْف عَلِي ٱبْن عَجْلَان ٱبْن رُمَيْثَة ٱبْن مُحَمَّد), also known as ''Barkat Ali'' or "Blessed Ali", was the third Sult ...
's tomb in Kota Batu
* Royal Wharf
The Royal Ceremonial Hall or Lapau
Located in Jalan Kianggeh, the
Lapau
The Lapau, also known as the Royal Ceremonial Hall, is a ceremonial hall in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It is where the royal ceremonies, state investiture and some state events are traditionally held. It was the place where the present Sult ...
(Royal Ceremonial Hall) is used for royal traditional ceremonies. It was here that the sultan
Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
was crowned on 1 August 1968. The interior of the Lapau and sultan's throne are decorated in exquisite gold. Within the precincts of the Lapau is the Dewan Majlis where the legislative assembly used to sit. Official permission is required by visitors to enter this building. With the completion of the new legislative council building in Jalan Mabohai, the Lapau will soon become a symbol of the sultanate's constitutional history.
The Royal Mausoleum (
Kubah Makam Di Raja
The Royal Brunei Mausoleum ( ms, Kubah Makam Diraja Brunei) is a Royal Mausoleum of Brunei located at Jalan Tutong, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. The Mausoleum is the main resting place and burial ground for several Sultans of Brunei and member ...
)
Located away from the banks of Brunei River, behind the Freshco Shopping Centre at Mile One, Jalan Tutong, the Royal Mausoleum and the graveyard have been used by succeeding generations of sultans. Inside the Mausoleum itself are the remains of the last ten sultans,
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin
Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967.
He was also Brunei's fi ...
(1950–1967), who died in 1986,
Sultan Ahmad Tajuddin
Ahmad Tajuddin Akhazul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; August 22, 1913 – June 4, 1950) was the 27th Sultan of Brunei from 11 September 1924 until his death. After his death in 1950, he was then succeeded by his younger brother Omar Ali Saifuddien ...
(1924–1950),
Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam II (1906–1924),
Sultan Hashim
Sulṭān Hāshim Aḥmad Muḥammad al-Ṭāʾī ( ar, سلطان هاشم أحمد محمد الطائي; 1945 – 19 July 2020) was an Iraqi military commander, who served as Minister of Defense under Saddam Hussein's regime. Considered one ...
(1885–1906),
Sultan Abdul Momin (1852–1885),
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin II (1828–1852),
Sultan Muhammad Kanzul Alam (1807–1826),
Sultan Muhammad Jamalul Alam I who ruled less than a year in 1804,
Sultan Muhammad Tajuddin (1778-1804,1804-1807), and
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin I (1740–1778). Other members of the royal families from those times are also buried there.
Dang Ayang Mausoleum
A legendary figure who was chased away from
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
for committing adultery. Adultery was a taboo in Bruneian society. She died in what we know today as Pusat Bandar (Central City). However some sources say that she was a Queen of Brunei.
Pulau Chermin Royal Cemetery
The Pulau Chermin Royal Cemetery ( ms, Makam Diraja Pulau Chermin) is a Royal burial ground located at Pulau Chermin, one of the islands on the
Brunei River
The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brun ...
. The cemetery served as the resting place of
Sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin, the 13th Sultan of Brunei who ruled from 1660 to 1673. He was buried there along with members of his family who also perished during the outbreak of
Brunei Civil War
The Brunei Civil War was a civil war fought in the Bruneian Empire from 1660 to 1673.
Causes
During the reign of the thirteenth Sultan Muhammad Ali, there was a disagreement between the son of the Sultan, ''Pengiran Muda'' ("prince") Bong ...
in 1660. They were killed there on the island during the final days of the civil war in 1673.
The Royal Cemetery is gazetted as one of Brunei National Heritage Site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act, 1967 revised 1984, 1990 and 2002, preserved by the Brunei Museums Department and protected by the government of Brunei Darussalam.
Sultan Abdul Hakkul Mubin (died 1673) grave is located at the site.
Luba Royal Mausoleum
The Luba Royal Mausoleum ( ms, Makam Di Luba) is a former Royal burial ground located at Pulau Luba,
Kampung Bunut
Kampong Bunut is a village in Brunei-Muara District, Brunei, within Mukim Kilanas. It is also an area within the country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The population was 1,563 in 2016.
Facilities Mosque
Kampong Bunut Mosque is the villag ...
, Brunei. The Mausoleum served as the resting place of
Sultan Hussin Kamaluddin, the 16th Sultan of Brunei who was buried here in 1780. Before his death, Sultan Hussin Kamaluddin used to reside in Pulau Luba especially after his abdication from the Throne in 1740. He was well known in the history of Brunei as the only Sultan who abdicated twice from the Throne. Beside the Sultan, members of the Royal family were also buried in the compound. The Mausoleum is gazetted as one of Brunei National Heritage Site under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act, 1967 revised 1984, 1990 and 2002, preserved by the Brunei Museums Department and Brunei History Department and protected by the government of Brunei Darussalam.
Istana Darussalam
Istana Darussalam is a former royal residence of
Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III
Sultan Sir Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien ( Jawi: ; 23 September 1914 – 7 September 1986) was the 28th Sultan of Brunei, reigning from 4 June 1950 until his abdication from the throne on 5 October 1967.
He was also Brunei's fir ...
, as well as the birthplace of
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
.
It was built in the 1940s and located at
Sumbiling Lama, an area on the banks of Kedayan River near the
city centre
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
.
The building is made of wood and styled in traditional
Malay stilt house. It has been designated as a protected monument under the Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act.
The palace has also been designated as a tourist attraction,
although the compound within the gate and the building is not open to public. The road that leads to the place has been named after it.
Museums
![Brunei museum](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3c/Brunei_museum.JPG)
*
Brunei Museum
The Brunei Museum ( ms, Muzium Brunei) is the national museum of Brunei. It is located in Kota Batu in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The museum has exhibits of Islamic art, historical period of the 16th century and archaeology and ethnograph ...
(Muzium Brunei) – Located on an archaeological site at Kota Batu about from Bandar Seri Begawan, this museum is the largest in the country. It was established in 1965 and has occupied its present site since 1970. Officially opened in 1972, the museum focuses on Islamic history, natural history, Brunei artefacts and customs, ceramics and the oil industry of Brunei, which includes the processes of drilling and refining, the history of the petroleum industry and a map depicting current oil fields.
![Malay technology museum BSB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/Malay_technology_museum_BSB.JPG)
*
Malay Technology Museum
The Malay Technology Museum ( ms, Muzium Teknologi Melayu) is a museum in Kota Batu, a historical area in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It was opened in 1988 and contains exhibits on the traditional technologies used by the indigenous people of ...
– The museum was officially opened in 1988.
![Exhibit Royal Regalia BSB](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2c/Exhibit_Royal_Regalia_BSB.jpg)
*
Royal Regalia Museum
The Royal Regalia Museum (), previously known as the Royal Regalia Building (), is a museum located in the heart of Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It mainly houses the regalia of the Sultan and the royalty, as well as exhibits relate ...
– Located at Jalan Sultan, this museum is devoted to the sultan Hassanal Bolkiah. The main gallery displays the coronation and Silver Jubilee chariots, gold and silver ceremonial armoury and traditional jewellery encrusted coronation crowns. A collection of documents that chronicle the sultan's life up to the coronation, together with the constitutional history gallery, is also housed in the same building.
* Brunei History Centre – Located at Jalan Sultan next to the Royal Regalia Museum, the centre was opened in 1982 with a mission to research the history of Brunei. Much of that work has involved establishing the genealogy and history of the sultans and royal family. The public display has a wealth of information on these subjects, including replicas and brass rubbings of tombs. A flowchart giving the entire lineage of the Brunei sultans may be found at the entrance.
* Brunei Stamp Gallery – This recently opened attraction is located inside the post office building in Jalan Sultan.
*
Bumbungan Dua Belas – This "House of Twelve Roofs" is located in the Jalan Residency. It was built in 1906 and was formerly the official residence of British residents and high commissioners in Brunei. It is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Bandar Seri Begawan. It now serves as a gallery that exhibits the long-standing relationship between the sultanate and the United Kingdom.
* The Arts and Handicrafts Centre – Located at Jalan Residency, it was opened in 1980. Brunei's fine arts and crafts tradition dates back centuries and is part of the nation's proud heritage. The Arts and Handicrafts Centre conducts courses in silverware, brassware, woodcarving, songkok-making, weaving and basketry.
Istana Nurul Iman
The
Istana Nurul Iman
The Istana Nurul Iman ( Jawi: ايستان نور الإيمان; English: The Light of Faith Palace) is the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, and the seat of the Brunei government. The palace is located on a lea ...
palace is the residence of the sultan of Brunei. It is located 3 km southwest of the city centre. Its name is taken from Arabic, meaning "Palace of the Light of Faith." The palace was designed by
Leandro V. Locsin
Leandro V. Locsin (August 15, 1928 – November 15, 1994) was a Filipino architect, artist, and interior designer known for his use of concrete, floating volume and simplistic design in his various projects. An avid collector, he was fond of m ...
and built by the Filipino firm
Ayala Corporation
Ayala Corporation (Spanish: ''Corporación Ayala'', formerly ''Ayala y Compañía'' (Ayala & Company)) is the publicly listed holding company for the diversified interests of the Ayala Group. Founded in the Philippines by Domingo Róxas and A ...
, mixing Malay and Islamic elements in the building architecture. It contains 1,788 rooms, with 257 bathrooms, and a banquet hall that can accommodate up to 5,000 guests. The palace only opens to the public during the yearly three-day
Hari Raya Adilfitri celebration.
Kampong Ayer
The city's suburb incorporates nearby Kampong Ayer (water village), in which houses were built on
stilts
Stilts are poles, posts or pillars that allow a person or structure to stand at a height above the ground.
In flood plains, and on beaches or unstable ground, buildings are often constructed on stilts to protect them from damage by water, wav ...
. It stretches about along the Brunei River. Founded 1,000 years ago, the village is considered the largest stilt settlement in the world, with approximately 30,000 residents and 2,000 houses. The term "Venice of the East" was coined by
Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was an Venetian scholar and explorer. He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of the emperor Charles V and after Magellan's death in the Philippine Islands, ...
in honour of the water village that he encountered at Kota Batu (just east of city's central business district). Pigafetta was on
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East ...
's last voyages when he visited Brunei in 1521.
Parks and trails
The Waterfront
This latest addition to Bandar Seri Begawan strategically overlooks the historical Kampong Ayer. The approximately site took almost three years to be completed and was officially opened to the public on 28 May 2011. The Waterfront is accessible 24 hours a day for the public to enjoy sightseeing and visit outdoor cafes.
Persiaran Damuan
This narrow strip of landscaped park between Jalan Tutong and the Sungei Brunei was created in 1986 as a "Square". It has a permanent display of the work of a sculptor from each of the original ASEAN countries. The -long park has pleasant walkways bordered by shrubs and the mangrove-fringed Pulau Ranggu, where two species of monkeys live, including the notable
proboscis monkey
The proboscis monkey (''Nasalis larvatus'') or long-nosed monkey is an arboreal Old World monkey with an unusually large nose, a reddish-brown skin color and a long tail. It is endemic to the southeast Asian island of Borneo and is found mostly ...
only found in
Borneo
Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and eas ...
. The park also offers some of the best views of the Istana Nurul Iman.
Jalan Tasek Lama
Located just a few minutes' walk from the city centre, this is a popular trekking trail for the city's residents. There are well-made walkaways through the small park, which has benches and picnic spots as well as a waterfall and ponds with water lilies.
Bukit Subok Recreational Park
The park offers a great view of the Kampong Ayer and downtown Bandar Seri Begawan. There is a well-maintained wooden walkaway with viewing huts along the way. These huts provide good vantage points for Kampong Ayer and its surroundings.
Youth centre
is the
youth centre
A youth center or youth centre, often called youth club, is a place where young people can meet and participate in a variety of activities, for example table football, association football (US soccer, UK football), basketball, table tennis, vid ...
in the capital. It is a dedicated complex — the foundation stone was laid on 27 August 1967 by
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
Hassanal Bolkiah ibni Omar Ali Saifuddien III ( Jawi: ; born 15 July 1946) is the 29th and current Sultan and Yang di-Pertuan of Brunei since 1967 and the Prime Minister of Brunei since independence from the United Kingdom in 1984. He is one ...
(then the or Crown Prince).
It was completed on 15 March 1969 and opened on 20 December in the same year.
The reported cost is
B$2 million.
Among the facilities include a hall which can accommodate 1,000 people, a gymnastics hall, an olympic-sized swimming pool, and a gender-separated hostel.
The centre celebrated the
golden jubilee
A golden jubilee marks a 50th anniversary. It variously is applied to people, events, and nations.
Bangladesh
In Bangladesh, golden jubilee refers the 50th anniversary year of the separation from Pakistan and is called in Bengali ''"সু ...
of its opening in 2020.
Transportation
Land
The capital is connected by
Bus from Bandar Seri Begawan to the western part of the country by road. Road access to/from the exclave of
Temburong is via the
Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge
Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Bridge ( ms, Jambatan Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien, Jawi: ), also known as Temburong Bridge ( ms, Jambatan Temburong, Jawi: ), is a dual-carriageway bridge in Brunei that spans across Brunei Bay, connecting ...
— until the bridge opened in 2020, it was necessary to travel through
Sarawak
Sarawak (; ) is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the M ...
in
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, via the town of
Limbang
Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. This district area is 3,978.10 square kilometres, and population (year 2020 census) was 56,900. I ...
.
The main bus station in the capital is located in Jalan Cator underneath a multi-story car park. There are six bus routes servicing Bandar Seri Begawan area; the Central Line, Circle Line, Eastern Line, Southern Line, Western Line and Northern Line. The buses operate from 6.30 am until 6.00pm except for bus No. 1 and 20 which have extended to the night. All bus routes begin and terminate their journey at the main bus terminal. Buses heading to other towns in Brunei such as Tutong, Seria and Kuala Belait also depart from the main bus terminal and
Taxicab
A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...
.
Air
Brunei International Airport
Brunei International Airport (BIA) (Malay: ''Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Brunei''; Jawi: لاڤڠن تربڠ انتارابڠسا بروني ) is the primary and only airport in the sovereign nation of Brunei Darussalam, on the island of Born ...
serves the whole country. It is located from the town centre and can be reached in 10 minutes via the Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Highway.
Royal Brunei Airlines
Royal Brunei Airlines Sdn Bhd (RB) ( ms, Penerbangan DiRaja Brunei, Jawi: ) is the national flag carrier airline of Brunei Darussalam, headquartered in the RB Campus in Bandar Seri Begawan. It is wholly owned by the Government of Brunei Da ...
, the national airline, has its head office in the RBA Plaza in the city.
Water
A
water taxi
A water taxi or a water bus is a watercraft used to provide public or private transport, usually, but not always, in an urban environment. Service may be scheduled with multiple stops, operating in a similar manner to a bus, or o ...
service known as 'penambang' is used for transportation between downtown Bandar Seri Begawan and
Kampong Ayer
Kampong Ayer is a prominent traditional settlement in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It comprises neighbourhoods of traditional houses, schools and mosques built on stilts above the Brunei River near the capital's city centre. It ha ...
. Water taxis are the most common means of negotiating the waterways of Kampong Ayer. They can be hailed from the numerous "docking parts" along the banks of the
Brunei River
The Brunei River ( ms, Sungai Brunei) is a river which flows through Brunei and empties into the Brunei Bay towards the north-east direction. The Istana Nurul Iman, the official residence of the Sultan of Brunei, stands on its banks. The Brun ...
. Fares are negotiable. Regular water taxi and boat services depart for
Temburong
Temburong District ( ms, Daerah Temburong; Jawi: دائيره تمبوروڠ) or simply Temburong () is the easternmost district in Brunei. It is an exclave — the land is separated from the rest of the country by Malaysia and Brunei Bay, and ...
between 7:45 am and 4 pm daily, and also serve the Malaysian towns of
Limbang
Limbang is a border town and the capital of Limbang District in the Limbang Division of northern Sarawak, East Malaysia, on the island of Borneo. This district area is 3,978.10 square kilometres, and population (year 2020 census) was 56,900. I ...
,
Lawas
Lawas ( ms, Pekan Lawas) is a small town and the capital of Lawas District, Limbang Division, Sarawak, Malaysia. This district area is 3,811.90 square kilometres, and population (year 2020 census) was 46,200. It is 1,200 km from the state ...
,
Sundar Sundar (Devanagari: सुन्दर) is an adjective signifying attractive, beautiful, good, handsome or nice. It has its origin in Sanskrit language. The word is also used as names of people by speakers of languages branching off of Indo-Aryan l ...
and
Labuan
Labuan (), officially the Federal Territory of Labuan ( ms, Wilayah Persekutuan Labuan), is a Federal Territory of Malaysia. Its territory includes and six smaller islands, off the coast of the state of Sabah in East Malaysia. Labuan's capit ...
. A
speedboat is used for passengers travelling to
Penambang Ferry Service and from
Bangar and Limbang.
Economy
The city produces
furniture
Furniture refers to movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating (e.g., stools, chairs, and sofas), eating (tables), storing items, eating and/or working with an item, and sleeping (e.g., beds and hammocks). Fu ...
,
textile
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...
s,
handicraft
A handicraft, sometimes more precisely expressed as artisanal handicraft or handmade, is any of a wide variety of types of work where useful and decorative objects are made completely by one’s hand or by using only simple, non-automated re ...
s, and
timber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
.
Shopping
Brunei has a number of shopping areas, including the following:
* Gadong Central is where many shopping complexes, shops, and restaurants are located (e.g., The Mall Gadong, Western fast food restaurants, and Ayamku, the local fast food chain). There is also a night market called Pasar Malam Gadong.
* Serusop Complex, few small shopping malls and shopping complexes can be found near
Brunei International Airport
Brunei International Airport (BIA) (Malay: ''Lapangan Terbang Antarabangsa Brunei''; Jawi: لاڤڠن تربڠ انتارابڠسا بروني ) is the primary and only airport in the sovereign nation of Brunei Darussalam, on the island of Born ...
.
* Rimba Point, a medium-sized mall with Jaya supermarket.
* Tungku-link Commercial Complex, various shophouses and local and Korean restaurants, textiles shops, carpet.
* Beribi Complex.
* Kiulap Commercial Precinct in Kiarong, Kiulap Mall, private colleges, banks and various restaurants from local to Pakistani and Korean restaurants.
* Abdul Razak Complex and Seri Complex in Jalan Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha, Batu Satu.
*Aman Hill Shopping Mall located at Sg. Tilong.
*Huaho Mall, Kg. Manggis.
* One City Mall, Kg. Salambigar, Sg. Hancing.
Traditional markets
Tamu Kianggeh
The open market brings together numerous small entrepreneurs selling local vegetables, fruits, live chickens and fish, potted plants, assorted food and beverages.
Pasar Pelbagai Barangan Gadong / Pasar Malam (night market)
Located a few metres away from the Mall Gadong, the market brings together numerous small entrepreneurs just like in Tamu Kianggeh. However, it focuses more on selling foods such as sate, soto, national dishes like nasi katok and ambuyat, fruits and beverages, and wooden handicrafts. During the day, it is where local botanists sell their potted plants.
Education
All levels of education are available in Bandar Seri Begawan from kindergarten to the tertiary level.
Primary and secondary
There are several primary and secondary schools in Bandar Seri Begawan which may be government or private. Nevertheless, the curriculum in all of the schools, except Seri Mulia Sarjana International School, is standardised and set by the
Ministry of Education
An education ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for education. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of Education, Department of Education, and Ministry of Pub ...
, as with the schools elsewhere in the country.
*Raja Isteri Girls High School: is an
all-girls' government secondary school built in 1957. It is among the oldest secondary schools, as well as the first secondary school for girls, in the country.
Religious
There are also several religious schools which provide Islamic education for the Muslim pupils. The schools that can be found in the capital include primary religious schools as well as Arabic preparatory schools, which provide preparatory education in Arabic medium for entry into the secondary level of the Arabic religious stream. There is also a specialised secondary religious school, ''
Institut Tahfiz Al-Qur'an Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah
An institute is an organisational body created for a certain purpose. They are often research organisations (research institutes) created to do research on specific topics, or can also be a professional body.
In some countries, institutes can ...
'', which aims to produce local
''hafiz''. The curriculum in these schools is set by the
Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Sixth form
There are two
sixth form centres in the capital and they are government schools.
Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College
Duli Pengiran Muda Al-Muhtadee Billah College (, abbreviated as ''MDPMAMB''; colloquially known as or simply ''MD'') is a sixth form school located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. Established in 1974, it is the first sixth form college in the ...
provides sixth form in the general stream where as
Hassanal Bolkiah Boys' Arabic Secondary School
Batu Satu, also known as Kampong Parit, is an area in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei. It is also a designated village in Brunei-Muara District, within Mukim Kianggeh. The population was 1,509 in 2016. It encompasses a commercial are ...
is for leavers of Arabic secondary religious schools.
Universities and colleges
Technical and vocational
Technical and vocational education are available in the two campuses of the
Institute of Brunei Technical Education
The Institute of Brunei Technical Education (; abbreviation
An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ''short'') is a shortened form of a word or phrase, by any method. It may consist of a group of letters or words taken from the full v ...
() as well as the main campus of
Brunei Polytechnic
Politeknik Brunei (abbreviation: PB; ms, Politeknik Brunei; Jawi: ڤوليتيكنيك بروني) is the first polytechnic in Brunei. The establishment of Politeknik Brunei was consented by His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei ...
. The
Business Campus and
Sultan Saiful Rijal Campus, which are part of IBTE, were once separate schools, known as Business School (''Sekolah Perdagangan'') and Sultan Saiful Rijal Technical College (''Maktab Teknik Sultan Saiful Rijal'') respectively.
Vocational education is also available in a few private institutions, which provide diploma- and certificate-level courses.
Higher
Two of the four national universities of the country can be found in the capital.
Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University
Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University ( Malay: ''Universiti Islam Sultan Sharif Ali''; abbreviated UNISSA; Arabic: جامعة السّلطان الشّريف عليّ الإسلاميّة) is Brunei's second university. It was established in 2007 a ...
, located in
Gadong area, offers degree programmes in Islamic studies, where as
Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College
Seri Begawan Religious Teachers University College (Arabic: جامعة سري بڬاوان التربية الدينية ; Malay: ''Kolej Universiti Perguruan Ugama Seri Begawan''; abbreviated
An abbreviation (from Latin ''brevis'', meaning ...
is a
teacher training college
A normal school or normal college is an institution created to Teacher education, train teachers by educating them in the norms of pedagogy and curriculum. In the 19th century in the United States, instruction in normal schools was at the high s ...
which produces teachers in Islamic religious education mainly for the religious schools in the country. The other two universities,
University of Brunei Darussalam
Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD; Jawi: ) is a national research university located in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It was established in 1985 and has since become the largest university in the country in terms of student enrollment and curricu ...
and
University of Technology Brunei
Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB; Jawi: يونيبرسيتي تيكنولوݢي بروني), is a national research university based in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. It was established as a higher learning institution in 1986, offering Higher Nati ...
, are located in
Tungku
Kampong Tungku is a village in Brunei-Muara District, Brunei, about from the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. The population was 1,689 in 2016. It is one of the villages within Mukim Gadong 'A'. The postcode is BE2119.
Geography
The village is ...
, which is not part of Bandar Seri Begawan but located on its outskirts.
There are also two private colleges which offer bachelor programmes, namely
International Graduate Studies College and
Laksamana College of Business
The Laksamana College of Business (or LCB), ( ms, Kolej Perniagaan Laksamana) is an accredited private university college in Brunei Darussalam. It was the first British college opening a campus as a foreign educational institution in the country ...
.
International relations
Several countries have set up their embassies, commissions or consulates in Bandar Seri Begawan, including Australia,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
, Belgium,
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
,
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso (, ; , ff, 𞤄𞤵𞤪𞤳𞤭𞤲𞤢 𞤊𞤢𞤧𞤮, italic=no) is a landlocked country in West Africa with an area of , bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the ...
,
Burma (Myanmar)
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
,
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
, Canada, Chile, China, Finland, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos,
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Embassy of the Philippines, Bandar Seri Begawan, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam.
Sister city
* Nanjing, PR China
Gallery
File:Panorama Bandar Seri Begawan 19.05.2018.jpg, View of the Judiciary complex with the City Centre and Kampong Ayer in the background
File:Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque.JPG, Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque facade
File:Kampong Ayer BSB1.JPG, Kampong Ayer
File:Memorial Bandar Seri Begawan.jpg, Memorial depicting 60 in Arabic, to commemorate the Hassanal Bolkiah, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah's 60th birthday
File:Tomb of late Sultan Syarif Ali.JPG, Tomb of Sharif Ali, also known as Barkat Ali, the third Sultan of Brunei, who ruled 1426–1432
File:Jalan Sultan City center BSB Brunei.JPG, Street view of Jalan Masjid Omar 'Ali Saifuddien
File:Outside the Royal Regalia Building BSB.JPG, Outside view of the Royal Regalia Building
File:Kampong Ayer Sungei Brunei.JPG, Sungai Brunei (Brunei River)
File:Gadong BSB Brunei.jpg, Street in Gadong, one of the main commercial areas of Bandar Seri Begawan
Notes
References
External links
Municipal Department of Bandar Seri BegawanTourist Map of Bandar Seri BegawanBandar Seri Begawan, Brunei - Weather.com
{{Authority control
Bandar Seri Begawan,
Populated places in Brunei
Municipalities in Brunei
Populated places established in 1906
Capitals in Asia
1906 establishments in Asia
1906 establishments in the British Empire