Your Vacation to Brunei Trivia Quiz

Answer: Borneo

Brunei is, interestingly enough, the only country located entirely on the huge island of Borneo. Malaysia only has the states of Sarawak and Sabah located on the island, while Indonesia is spread out among several islands like Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. The tiny sultanate makes up just 1% of the land area of Borneo, which is only smaller than Greenland and New Guinea among non-continental landmasses.

Brunei is located at the tip-top northern corner of the island and is somewhat completely surrounded by Malaysia to the south and the South China Sea to the north. The southwestern islands of the Philippines are closer to Brunei than is, say, Thailand. The coastline is just 161 kilometers (100 miles), and its highest point at Bukit Pagon is 1850 meters above sea level (this is about average, as countries go).

Answer: Maldives

Brunei's population of around 400,000 is only slightly more than the Maldives, a country of atolls located southwest of India, and less than places like Macau, East Timor, or Bhutan. Brunei is also tiny in land area. The nation is fifth-to-last in Asia in that regard, occupying just over 2200 square miles (about 5770 square kilometers).

The majority of the Bruneian population lives in or around the nation's capital of Bandar Seri Begawan- the urban metropolis houses around 275,000 people. The nation is divided into four districts, and the capital is located in Brunei and Muara, which is located in the far north, bordering on the South China Sea. Most of the populace speaks a form of Malay, but English and Chinese are frequently used in the nation as well.

Answer: World's Largest Palace

It's no secret that Brunei's sultan is fabulously wealthy-he is widely considered to be one of the wealthiest men in the world, and his assets are valued at around $20.0 billion. However, the country itself isn't too poor, so it's not the wealth gap that's shocking. Rather, the sheer size of the palace is astounding, ranking in at over two million square feet (200,000 square meters). That's larger than Beijing's entire Forbidden City, and nearly three times as large as the Palace at Versailles! When the palace was built, it was the largest residential home in the world.

Housing more than 1700 rooms, including a dining room for 5000 and a huge mosque, the palace also suits the sultan's quirky affections. His 200 polo ponies have a huge air-conditioned stable of their own. There are five swimming pools, eighteen elevators, and 257 bathrooms. Did I mention the car collection? The sultan keeps nearly 2000 cars handy in the palace, including 20 Lamborghinis and 165 Rolls-Royces. Not only massive, the landmark is elegant, too. The designer of the palace's interior also worked on the famed Burj-al-Arab in Dubai. Unfortunately, tourists aren't allowed inside, but seeing the grounds from the outside is astounding enough.

Answer: Oil

Oil and natural gas are responsible for the sultan's excesses: the tiny country produces the fourth-most liquefied natural gas in the world, and it can also produce 180,000 barrels of oil every day. The oil industry is run by Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP), which is half-owned by the government and half by Royal Dutch/Shell. In fact, the government's provisions of healthcare and subsidies for food and housing have been ridiculed by some as "Shellcare," because the company plays such a large role in the Bruneian economy.

Oil production is so prominent, in fact, that the per capita GDP was eighth in the world in 2010. Brunei is generally listed as a developed country, although its economy is so little diversified. Although deepwater reserves may be tapped if necessary, one wonders what will happen to this wealthy nation when oil reserves are depleted around 2015.

Answer: Mosque

Islam has had a major historical presence in Brunei, first brought by Muslim traders to the region around the 1400s. The sultanate emerged around 1450, and quickly grew to be a maritime power in Southeast Asia. Under the rule of Bolkiah, the fifth sultan, the empire grew to include much of present-day Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Of course, when European Christians flooded into the area and sought converts to Catholicism, the sultanate wasn't pleased, and fought several wars with Portugal and Spain in protest. Although Brunei fought back the invaders, its dominance was weakened, allowing the British to come in and occupy the territory. Refusing to join in independence with Malaysia in 1963, Brunei regained its independence from the UK in 1984.

In the early 21st century, Islam still dominates. About 2/3 of the population is Muslim, with sizable numbers of Buddhists and Christians too. Much of the capital city's famous architecture is built around two central mosques. The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque, with a golden dome, is the more famous, with its blend of Italian Renaissance and traditional Mughal designs. The interior of the mosque is incredibly ornate, although photography is of course not allowed. The Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddin Mosque is one of the tallest buildings in the capital, and its top provides an excellent view of Bandar Seri Begawan. The other mosque is the Jame Asr' Hassanil Bolkiah, which was named after the longtime ruler of Brunei. This elegant structure has four towering minarets and a gold dome, and is the tallest mosque in the country. Allegedly, at the mosque's opening, the sultan gave every attendee of the celebration a prayer rug embroidered with gold.

Answer: Proboscis monkey

The proboscis monkey, also known as the Bekantan in its native countries, is on the endangered species list. Native only to the island of Borneo, the primate is best-known for its extremely prominent nose, which appears somewhat like a dwarf from "Snow White." (At least to me, anyway!) The omnivorous monkeys live in social groups of one adult male and several females and children.

The major habitat of the monkey is in Kalimantan (the region of Indonesia on Borneo), but it is found in Brunei Bay as well, particularly on the island of Pulau Selirong.

The mangrove island teems with other wildlife as well.

Answer: Venice

Venice has nothing on Kampong Ayer, a region of the capital built almost entirely on wooden stilts and connected by bridges. Bandar Seri Begawan is situated on the Brunei River, which connects via the Brunei Bay to the South China Sea. Where the river passes directly through the city, the so-called Water Village inhabitants make their lives, often using water taxis rather than cars for quick transportation. About 10% of Brunei's population, 39,000 people, live in Kampong Ayer.

In 1521, when Ferdinand Magellan's crew was circumnavigating the world, crewmate Antonio Pigafetta called the area the "Venice of the East." Since then, the label has been applied to various locales, including Bangkok, Thailand; Jakarta, Indonesia; Basra, Iraq; Osaka, Japan; and Srinagar, India.

Answer: A passport-- the two cities are separated by Malaysian territory

The Malaysian state of Sarawak lies directly south of Brunei, separating the three western districts from the easternmost, Temburong. The capital district and Temburong are easily accessible via water, but to drive, you'd have to pass through Malaysian territory first (a bridge was constructed in 2020 so this drive could be avoided).

This situation is what geographers call a "practical exclave." An exclave is the situation in which a country has non-contiguous territory separated from it by another country. A practical exclave is one in which water or a narrow strip of land separates the two areas, which are directly connected by another nation.

Answer: Rainforest

Brunei's government has taken great strides to protect the nation's rainforests, which are better-preserved than many other countries'. Forest reserves guard 32,000 hectares, while national parks have 50,000 allocated acres of land. Among these, the most famous is Ulu Temburong, located in the district of Temburong, home to hundreds of rare flora and fauna.

The park is accessible only by sea but offers tremendous views of the wildlife living in the dense forest. A canopy walkway, as well as kilometers of bridges over the forest, allows fantastic aerial views. Rare butterflies, snakes, frogs, lizards, and birds inhabit the area. One species you won't find at Ulu Temburong, though, is the orangutan; if you're a monkey person, your best bet for primates is the native gibbon.

Answer: Alcohol

To throw a dampener on your trip to Brunei, it's worth a reminder that the nation has very strict laws, reminiscent of Singapore, to which the sultanate is often compared. Public consumption or sale of alcohol is illegal, in a nation where Islam is so prominent. Other infractions carry extremely serious punishments. Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty sentence. Other crimes might carry sentences of caning or prison, and apply equally to foreigners as residents. The media is state-sponsored, and Freedom House classifies Brunei as "Not Free" on its rating of civil liberties of the world inhabitants. Insults directed toward the royal family could get you in a lot of trouble.

Other negatives: high prices, especially for lodging, and a fairly hot climate (Brunei is only slightly north of the Equator). Just remember, if you do go to Brunei, play it safe and be careful!