Southeast Asia's 'Abode of Peace'

The state of Brunei - which celebrated its National Day on Saturday - has been ruled by a succession of Sultans tracing their royal lineage back to the 15th century. Officially known in Malay as Negara Brunei Darussalam, or Abode of Peace, this wealthy Southeast Asian nation regained independence from the United Kingdom on January 1, 1984.

This tiny country, with a land area of 5,765 sq km, is located 443 km north of the Equator on the north coast of the island of Borneo and is surrounded by the east Malaysian state of Sarawak but for its coastline meeting the South China Sea. Its equatorial climate is hot, humid and wet year round.

Of Brunei's population of 374,577, two-thirds is of Malay origin. The remainder is comprised of Chinese, Indian and indigenous Malay groups. Brunei is also home to a large number of expatriates. These include Indonesian and Filipino domestic workers, as well as professionals from Western countries, predominantly Australia and Britain.