• Brunei Darussalam:
• Geography

Brunei Darussalam - Geography

Brunei Darussalam (Brunei – ‘Abode of Peace’) is a small state in South-East Asia on the north-west coast of the island of Borneo, in the Indonesian Archipelago. Its 161km coastline faces the South China Sea. On the land side, it is enclosed by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, which divides it in two. The districts of Brunei–Muara, Tutong and Belait make up the larger, western part of the country; Temburong district the east.

Area: 5,765 sq km

Main towns: Bandar Seri Begawan (capital, pop. 67,100 in 2006), Kuala Belait (32,000), Seria (30,700), Tutong (19,600), Muara, Bangar.

Topography: The coastal plain is intersected by rivers descending from the hilly hinterland. To the east are mountains, the highest point being Bukit Pagon at 1,812m. Most towns and villages are beside estuaries.

Climate: Tropical, with high humidity and heavy rainfall. There is no distinct wet season; the wettest months are January and November. Much of the rain falls in sudden thundery showers.

Environment: The most significant environmental issue is seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia.

Vegetation: Mangrove swamps lie along the coast, and forest covers more than 80% of the land area, a large part of this being primary forest, dense in places and of great genetic diversity. There are 15 forest reserves, covering about 40% of the total land area. The government plans to bring this figure up to at least 55%. Around 15% of the land area is cultivated.

Wildlife: Most of the mammals are small and nocturnal, including tree shrews, moon rats and mouse deer. There are numerous bird species, especially hornbills.

Transport: The country has 2,725km of roads, 75% paved. The main deep-water port is at Muara, with a dedicated container terminal. The Brunei, Belait and Tutong rivers provide an important means of transport. Passenger vessels and water-taxis run between the shallow draught port at Bandar Seri Begawan, Temburong district, and the Malaysian port of Limbang. Brunei International Airport is 6km north-east of the capital.