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Geography and Environment

Geography and Environment of Brunei

Terrain, climate, natural resources, hazards, and environmental conditions of Brunei.

Speed

Overview

Brunei occupies 3,459 square miles on the northern coast of the Island of Borneo and is 350 statute miles north of the Equator at 5º North, 115º East. Brunei is comprised of two separate areas: the capital area and a thinly populated enclave to the east consisting mostly of jungle. Separating the two is a salient of the Malaysian state of Sarawak, which on the landward side surrounds both parts of Brunei. To the north of Brunei lies the South China Sea. The country has four districts: Belait, Tutong, Brunei and Muara, and Temburong. Brunei’s oil and gas fields are centered in the towns of Seria and Kuala Belait, approximately 67 miles southwest of the capital, as well as offshore. Other large towns include Tutong, midway between Bandar Seri Begawan and Kuala Belait, and Bangar in the Temburong District.

Detailed geography

Physical Features

Terrain
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Climate
The country’s landscape is mainly primary and secondary tropical rainforest with only a narrow coastal strip from Kuala Belait to Bandar Seri Begawan that is cultivated. The rainforest receives as much as 146 inches of rain in the interior, but only 108 inches a year is recorded on the coast. The two defined rainy seasons are from September to January (with December being the wettest month) and May to July. The climate is equatorial with uniform temperatures and high humidity.
Weather Patterns
http://voap.weather.com/weather/oap/BXXX0001?template=TRVLH&par=1003114983&unit=0&key=5b85ae1d85877a1b34827fba743e2133
Highest Point
1850 — Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
Lowest Point
South China Sea 0 m

Borders and Area

Area (Comparative)
slightly smaller than Delaware
Border Countries
Malaysia 381 km

Natural Resources and Hazards

Natural Resources
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Natural Hazards
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment and Land Use

Current Environmental Issues
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
International Agreements
Party To: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements