Brunei–Muara District (; Jawi: دايره بروني موارا), or simply known as Brunei–Muara (), is the smallest as well as the most populated district in Brunei. It has an area of and the population of 318,530 as of 2021. The district is also home to the country's administrative centre, Bandar Seri Begawan, as well as the Brunei International Airport and Muara Port, the country's only international airport and deep-water port respectively. The Brunei River flows within this district and is home to Kampong Ayer. As the administrative center of Brunei is located in the district, it remains the most developed in the country with the most up-to-date infrastructure, despite not being the center of Brunei's main economic activity.

Geography Brunei–Muara District is bordered to the west by the Tutong District, to the south by Sarawak, Malaysia, and to the east by Brunei Bay, with Temburong District to the southeast and Sabah, Malaysia, to the east. The district's northern boundary is the South China Sea. The Brunei River flows through the district, emptying into Brunei Bay. The area is characterised by a coastal plain interspersed with low hills, with the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, situated on the northern bank of the river's estuary. Bukit Buang Sakar, the district's highest point, stands at . The Muara Port, is located at the tip of a peninsula extending northeast to the Pelumpong Island.

A prominent feature of Brunei–Muara is the Pelumpong Island, which extends eastward from Tanjung Batu on the mainland and then east-northeast to Pelumpong Island. A waterway was created halfway along the spit to improve access to Muara Port, with breakwaters extending seawards for protection. Brunei's land includes a narrow coastal strip between Kuala Belait and Lumut, where rivers and streams flow directly into the sea, and a larger area in Brunei–Muara, where streams drain into the Brunei River and eventually reach Brunei Bay. Eastward in the bay is the island of Pulau Muara Besar. North of the bay is Serasa Bay, encircled by the 1.6 kilometre long Serasa Spit, an artificial sandbar made from dredged sands, including those from the Pelumpong Island. The bay is fed by two rivers, Sungai Mangsalut and Sungai Mengkabau, and is surrounded by Brunei's mangrove forests, which cover 18,418 hectares, representing 3.2% of the country's total land area. Brunei Bay features extensive coastal swamplands totalling 44,290 hectares, including 31,160 hectares of mangroves and 13,128 hectares of nipah, with a coastline that stretches 194.73 kilometres.

Situated in Brunei–Muara, the Sengkurong region spans 100 hectares of level terrain encircled by steep hills, with a coastline front of approximately 1 kilometre and an inland extension of 2 kilometres. This area's alluvial soil is ideal for all kinds of agriculture since it is poorly drained and was mostly created as river levees without any acid sulfate threat. The Jerudong Cattle Fattening Station and the Luahan Cattle Breeding Station are currently the most utilised cattle farm. Generally having firm upper soils that soften in deeper layers, the flat alluvial floodplains of the district can be economically developed into recreational fields, roads, parking lots, and single-story buildings; the alluvio-marine mangrove and nipah swamps that dominate Brunei Bay's coastal areas can also be used for these purposes.

History The administrative center of the Bruneian Empire was originally located near Kampong Ayer in the Brunei–Muara District. Notably in 1837, this district was the centre of the coal industry, which was first mined in Brooketon Colliery. Over time, Brunei's territory significantly diminished, particularly with the cession of Sarawak to Sir James Brooke in 1841 and other concessions to the British North Borneo Company. In 1906, the introduction of the British Residency brought changes to the administrative structure, with European officials advising the Sultan and overseeing key departments. The government was centralised in Brunei Town, with Malay District Officers (DO) reporting to the British Resident in all four districts. In 1908, the administrative districts of Brunei and Limau Manis were merged.

Brunei–Muara, being the administrative centre, was a focal point for the British Resident's development efforts, particularly until 1932 when the rise of the oil industry began to shift attention to other districts. Nevertheless, the district remained the primary center for government operations and continued to receive significant focus. The present day Brunei–Muara District was formed in 1938 with the merger of the then Brunei and Limau Manis, and Muara administrative districts. By 1947, Brunei's territory had been reduced to around 2,226 square miles with an estimated population of 40,670. The key remaining districts were Belait, Tutong, Temburong and Brunei–Muara.

Administration

The borders of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board territory are defined by the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board (borders of Municipal Board territory) Declaration, 2008, which came into effect on 1 August 2007, and are listed in the schedule. In addition, it states that areas that were previously subject to development control will no longer be so as of the declaration's effective date, and that any applications and enforcement actions that are still ongoing under earlier acts would proceed as though the declaration had never been issued. Additionally, the previous Brunei Town (Municipal Board Area) Notification, 1956 is repealed, and the Minister of Development is empowered to handle any problems that may arise from putting these changes into effect.

The procedures for the board's business conduct are outlined in the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board (Standing Orders) By-Laws, 2018. Meeting procedures, such as notification requirements, quorum requirements, and the responsibilities of the chairman and secretary, are outlined in the bylaws. Members must adhere to certain voting and speaking procedures, and meetings must begin with a prayer. The chairman is in charge of the meeting, and every motion needs to be submitted in writing and seconded before it can be discussed. These bylaws guarantee the Municipal Board's organised and orderly governance.

The district is administered by the Brunei–Muara District Office (), a government department under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The district is subdivided into 18 mukims, namely: MukimPopulation (2021)Penghulu (2024)Berakas 'A'28,311Omar bin Haji DollahBerakas 'B'39,284Haji Omar bin Haji SafarBurong Pingai Ayer1,459Raimi bin RashidGadong 'A'35,424Haji Julkepli bin Haji IbrahimGadong 'B'38,067Pengiran Muhammad Nurramzu Nazri bin Pengiran Haji Mohd SallehKianggeh8,102Lawi bin Haji LamatKilanas24,981Ahmad Hussaini bin Haji MohsinKota Batu12,676Haji Zaini bin Haji SallehLumapas8,058Amran bin Haji MaidinMentiri39,324A. Hamidun bin Mohd DaudPangkalan Batu15,860Haji Tamam @ Haji Ahmad Shah Tamami bin Haji TimbangSengkurong40,972Dr Haji Abdullah Hanif bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Dinda Haji SamanSerasa18,569overseen by Brunei–Muara District OfficePeramu1,151Raimi bin RashidSaba827Sungai Kebun4,282Sungai Kedayan241Tamoi942 These are further subdivided into 83 Kampongs (Villages).

According to the Constitution, the district is to be represented in the Legislative Council, the state legislature, by up to 7 members. As of 2023, five members have been appointed to represent the district in the legislature.

Demographics

In Brunei–Muara District, the population increased from 279,924 in 2011 to 318,530 in 2021. In 2011, there were 143,625 males and 136,299 females living in 47,529 households with 45,953 occupied living quarters. By 2021, the number of males had risen to 167,650 and females to 150,880, with 61,776 households and 59,472 occupied living quarters. In 2020 the district's population was estimated to have increased to 316,100.

Religion

Brunei-Muara is a predominantly Muslim population. Christianity and Buddhism are also present in smaller yet notable proportions.

Transportation

Road

According to the Global Competitiveness Report 2008/2009, which rated Brunei 28th out of 134 developing economies, 7th in Asia, and 3rd in Southeast Asia, the country has excellent road infrastructure. Through the National Development Plan (RKN) 2007–2012, which allots over $600 million for highway projects, road building, paving, maintenance, and resurfacing, the government supports this. When state, district, and Royal Brunei Armed Forces roadways are included, the total length of roads in Brunei was in 2008. The Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Highway, the Muara–Tutong Highway, the widening of Jalan Kebangsaan Baru, and the newly constructed roads like the Jerudong Tungku Link and Tanah Jambu Link roads in the district. Additionally, the Public Works Department intends to build flyovers at the intersections of Jalan Pengiran Babu Raja, Jalan Tutong, the Muara–Tutong Highway, and Jalan Berakas Link Junction. As of 2022, the district's road network consisted of , out of which were paved.

Rail

Brooketon Colliery, located in Mukim Serasa, operated a 2.5 km narrow gauge railway with a 711 mm gauge from the colliery to the deepwater harbour at Muara. The railway used wooden rails initially, later replaced with steel rails, and was serviced by two 0-4-0 steam locomotives built by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co. for leasing to Sir Charles Brooke. The first locomotive, named Marguerite Reine, was built in 1891, and the second, Brooketon, in 1897. The colliery transported approximately 650,000 tons of coal between 1888 and 1924, largely for the market in Labuan. The site was deemed unprofitable and decommissioned in 1924. Today, remnants of the railway and locomotives are protected under Brunei's Antiquities and Treasure Trove Act, with plans to exhibit them in an open-air museum to promote eco-tourism.

Water

The principal port and a vital trade gateway, Muara Port is situated in Brunei–Muara and is about 27 km from the city centre. It handles the majority of the nation's imports and exports. The Muara Container Terminal effectively handles all containerised freight since it is run by knowledgeable staff and has state-of-the-art equipment. Muara Port is ideally situated to meet both present demands and future expansion, especially in the East ASEAN Growth Area and the BIMP-EAGA. It can handle between 220,000 and 330,000 TEU cargo. Furthermore, because of its strategic location along the East–West maritime trade route and appropriateness for big container ships, Pulau Muara Besar, which spans 955 hectares in Brunei Bay, has been considered as the perfect site for a deep-sea container port. The Royal Brunei Navy's Muara Naval Base and the Serasa Ferry Terminal are two other establishments in Mukim Serasa.

Air The national airline of Brunei, Royal Brunei Airlines (RBA), was founded on 18 November 1974, and is fully controlled by the government. In addition to code-sharing arrangements with a number of foreign airlines, such as Thai Airways International, Malaysia Airlines, and Singapore Airlines, the airline provides scheduled routes across Asia, the Middle East, Australasia, and the United Kingdom, enabling smooth travel to a number of locations. Brunei International Airport (BIA), which is situated in Brunei–Muara and has been in operation since 1974. It is a well-equipped service center with shops, dining options, and communication hubs.

Economy

Agriculture