Brunei Statistics

Geography-Population

Capital:  Bandar Seri Begawan

Area:  5,765 sq km

Climate:  tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Population:  401,890 (July 2011 est.)

Languages:  Malay (official), English, Chinese

Government-Economy

Government type: constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)National holiday: Independence Day 1 January 1984 (from the UK)Currency: Bruneian dollars (BND); 1BND = 0.79 USDGDP: $19.88 billion (2010 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $50,300 (2010 est.)

Information for Foreign Students in Brunei
Travel Advice
Travelers should not consume drugs of any kind: possession of even very small quantities can lead to imprisonment or the death penalty. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travelers aged one year and over who have visited infected or endemic areas within the previous six days.

Obtaining a Visa
Passport valid for at least six months from date of departure required for all nationals. Travelers have to be entitled to return to home country, so a return ticket is necessary for visa-free trips; plus, all visitors must possess sufficient funds to support themselves whilst in the country. The visa application will depend on your home country and the agreements it has with Brunei. So to get informed, you have to go on Brunei Embassy website. There is an exception: Nationals of Israel may not be granted entry to Brunei and this is subject to approval. Generally, the visa price for a short visit: £10 (single-entry); £15 (multiple-entry); single and multiple entry visas are valid for three months. Visas may be extendable in Brunei.

Housing
Here are a link for hotels:
http://brunei.innovectra.net/Hotels+(In+Brunei)/BN/Brunei
http://www.theempirehotel.com/
http://www.radisson.com/bandar-seri-begawan-hotel-bn-bs8674/brnrdbd
http://www.palmgarden-hotel.com/main.asp

Bed and breakfast (B&B):
http://www.naziraguesthouse.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g293938-d1583504-Reviews-Mangrove_Paradise_Resort-Bandar_Seri_Begawan.html

Health
Medical insurance is advised. Medical facilities are of a high standard. The health administration of Brunei reserves the right to vaccinate fresh tourists not in possession of required certificates and to take any other action deemed necessary to ensure arrivals present no health risk.

Money
American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are generally accepted by hotels, department stores and major establishments. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveler cheques in US Dollars or Pounds Sterling. Hotels and many department stores will also cash traveler cheques.

Transportation
Taxis are available in Bandar Seri Begawan, in the multi-storey car park at Jalan Cator. There are also airport taxis and taxis in most hotels and shopping centres. Fares are usually metered; if not, they should be agreed before the journey. An International Driving Permit is required to hire a car. A temporary license to drive in Brunei is available on presentation of a valid driving license from the visitor's country of origin.

Phoning
There are several mobile phone companies that operate in the country, it will be easier for you to get a phone adapted to local network, rather than keeping your contract there.