Brunei is situated in South East Asia and has one of the highest standards of living in the world, even though it is a small state with a small population. This is thanks to the large deposits of oil and gas which support the country’s major industries. The currency used in the country is the Brunei dollar, the value of which is on a par with the Singapore dollar.

It is a small coastal state only 443km north of the equator situated in the North West corner of Borneo. The landscape is mainly jungle and rainforest while most of the towns can be found on the river estuaries. The population of the country is approximately 400,000 people and the country sits in the GMT +8 time zone.

The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan. The government is made up of a traditional Islamic monarchy though the country was under British rule until 1984. Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah is the head of state. A parliament was reinstated in 2004 and this is seen as a positive move in giving the people more say in the running of their country.

The official language used in the country is Malay but English and some Chinese dialects are also spoken. Almost all of the Malay population are Sunni Muslims although there are also Buddhist as well as Christian minorities. There are also a number of traditional Indian religions which are practised by those in more rural areas.

The climate means that clothing requirements include wearing light weight cottons and linens as well as wearing waterproof gear for most of the year. On entering a Muslim household, shoes should be removed and visitors are not to pass in front of a person at prayer or touch the Koran. Any physical contact between members of opposite sexes is forbidden. Anyone who is not a Muslim should not be found in the company of a Muslim member in private. Any sexual contact as well as any compromising behaviour between non-Muslim and Muslim members could result in deportation.

The country is home to a large number of expats from all over the world. This is mainly due to the fact that this small country requires the skills and experience of foreign workers who are employed in the oil and gas industries. Generally, expats are made welcome by the Brunei people and while expats may live in close proximity to each other there are no specific expat communities that they are confined to.