The sultanate of Brunei (Brunei Darussalam) is a Muslim-majority state on the northern coast of Borneo with an estimated population of 388,000 (July 2009), an economy based on oil and natural gas, and one of the oldest ruling houses in the Malay world. It is officially a "Malay Islamic monarchy (Melayu Islam Beraja) " with virtually all political activity under the sultan's control. 1. Human and physical geography Brunei's diverse population reflects its location and current status as an oil producer requiring a foreign workforce. Approximately seventy