汶莱(Brunei)
正式名称汶莱达鲁萨兰国（State of Brunei Darussalam）
婆罗洲岛东北部独立的苏丹王国，国土分为两部分，每一部分都为马来西亚的沙劳越邦所包围，两个海岸线都滨临南海和汶莱湾。面积5,765平方公里。人口约344,000（2001）。首都︰斯里巴加湾市。汶莱人民是东南亚种族的混合体：约有2/3是马来人，1/5的华人，其余为原住民及印度人。语言：马来语（官方语）和英语。宗教：伊斯兰教（国教）、佛教、基督教和万物皆神的信仰。货币：汶莱元（B$）。北部海岸为狭长平原，南部则是崎岖不平的山区。西部飞地包括白拉奕河、都东河与汶莱河等河谷；主要是山丘，海拔超过500公尺。东部飞地包括潘达阮河和淡布伦河，以及全国最高点巴干山（海拔1,850公尺）。汶莱大部分为浓密的热带雨林所覆盖，少有土地适合耕种。经济以大油田和天然气田的生产为主。为亚洲国家平均每人所得最高者之一。政府形式为君主国家。国家元首暨政府首脑是苏丹。
在6世纪时已与中国通商。13～15世纪由於臣事爪哇麻喏巴歇王国而受到印度教影响。15世纪初因麻喏巴歇王国势衰，许多人皈依伊斯兰教，汶莱也成为独立的苏丹国。1521年麦哲伦的船造访汶莱，当时汶莱的苏丹几乎控制了整个婆罗洲岛和邻近的岛屿。16世纪末，因葡萄牙人和荷兰人在此区的活动（不久又加上英国人）而丧失权力。到了19世纪，当时的汶莱苏丹国范围包括沙劳越、现在的汶莱和部分的北婆罗洲（今沙巴的一部分）。1841年发生一起内乱反叛苏丹，一位英国士兵詹姆斯.布鲁克帮助苏丹平定叛乱，後来宣布自立为总督（参阅Brooke Raj）。1847年与英国订立条约，到了1906年把管理权完全让给英国的常驻代表。1963年拒绝加入马来西亚联邦。1979年和英国协商一项新的条约，1984年获得独立，成为国协一员。如今汶莱朝着经济多元化的道路前进，并鼓励观光事业发展。
English version：
Brunei
Independent sultanate, northeastern Borneo. The country is divided into two parts, each surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak; they both have coastlines on the China Sea and Brunei Bay. Area: 2,226 sq mi (5,765 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 308,000. Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan. Brunei has a mixture of S.East Asian ethnic groups: about two-thirds is Malay, one-fifth Chinese, and the remainder indigenous peoples and Indians. Languages: Malay (official); English is widely understood. Religions: Islam (official), Buddhism, Christianity, and animism. Currency: Brunei dollar or ringgit. The narrow northern coastal plain gives way to rugged hills in the south. Brunei's western enclave consists of the valleys of the Belait, Tutong, and Brunei rivers; it is mainly hilly, rising more than 1,640 ft (500 m). The eastern enclave contains the Pandaruan and Temburong river basins, and the country's highest point, Pagan Peak (6,070 ft, or 1,850 m). Much of Brunei is covered by dense tropical rain forest; very little land is arable. Its economy is dominated by production from major oil and natural-gas fields. It has one of the highest per-capita incomes in Asia. It is a monarchy; the head of state and government is the sultan. Brunei traded with China in the 6th century AD Through allegiance to the Javanese Majapahit kingdom (13th-15th century), it came under Hindu influence. In the early 15th century, with the decline of the Majapahit kingdom, many converted to Islam, and Brunei became an independent sultanate. When Ferdinand Magellan's ships visited in 1521, the sultan of Brunei controlled almost all of Borneo and its neighboring islands. In the late 16th century, Brunei lost power because of the Portuguese and Dutch activities in the region; they were soon joined by the British. By the 19th century, the sultanate of Brunei included Sarawak, present-day Brunei, and part of North Borneo (now part of Sabah). In 1841 a revolt took place against the sultan, and a British soldier, James Brooke, helped put it down; he was later proclaimed governor (see Brooke Raj). In 1847 the sultanate entered into a treaty with Great Britain, and by 1906 had yielded all administration to a British Resident. Brunei rejected membership in the federation of Malaysia in 1963, negotiated a new treaty with Britain in 1979, and achieved independence in 1984, with membership in the Commonwealth. Today Brunei is considering ways to diversify the economy and to encourage tourism.
