Brunei

[broo-nahy, -ney]

noun

1. a sultanate under British protection on the NW coast of Borneo: formerly a British protectorate; gained independence 1984. 2,220 sq. mi. (5,750 sq. km). Bandar Seri Begawan.

Brunei

/ bruːˈnaɪ, ˈbruːnaɪ /

noun

1. a sultanate in NW Borneo, consisting of two separate areas on the South China Sea, otherwise bounded by Sarawak: controlled all of Borneo and parts of the Philippines and the Sulu Islands in the 16th century; under British protection since 1888; internally self-governing since 1971; became fully independent in 1984 as a member of the Commonwealth. The economy depends chiefly on oil and natural gas. Official language: Malay; English is also widely spoken. Religion: Muslim. Currency: Brunei dollar. Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan. Pop: 415 717 (2013 est). Area: 5765 sq km (2226 sq miles)

2. the former name of Bandar Seri Begawan

Other Word Forms

• Bruneian adjective

Example Sentences

Competing claimants such as Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei have staked claims on islands and various zones in the sea.

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They accuse the Singapore resident of taking their money with the promise that they would be reimbursed through her inheritance from Brunei's royal family.

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What shady business is Timothy up to, and why was he so rattled by that phone call from the Wall Street Journal reporter asking questions about a former colleague in Brunei?

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The influence of Islam in Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei makes the notion of equal marriage a non-starter.

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Several countries have offered help, including the US, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Brunei.

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