Lifestyle
Prime Minister Narendra Modi embarked on visit to Brunei, marking first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to this Southeast Asian nation. Brunei is renowned for strict Islamic laws
PM Modi visited Brunei, officially known as Brunei Darussalam, a Muslim-majority country with 80% Muslims. The nation is known for its monarchy and strict Islamic laws
Brunei has no political opposition and a subdued civil society, operating under a state of emergency declared in 1962
Brunei, located on the island of Borneo, is smaller than Sikkim, with an area of 5,765 sq km. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan, and its population is 455,885 (2023)
Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei, possesses a net worth exceeding 1.4 trillion rupees, primarily derived from oil and natural gas
The Sultan of Brunei resides in Istana Nurul Iman, the world's largest and most expensive palace, spanning 2 million sq ft and costing $50 billion to build in 1984
Istana Nurul Iman boasts a 22-carat gold dome, 1,700 rooms, over 250 bathrooms, 5 swimming pools, around 200 horses, 300 Ferraris worth $5 billion, and about 500 Rolls-Royces
Sultan Bolkiah travels in a Boeing 747 valued at over 30 billion rupees, a private jet adorned with gold plating
The Sultan of Brunei reportedly spends $20,000 (1.6 million rupees) on each haircut, flown in from London
Brunei, a strict Islamic nation, adopted stringent Sharia law in 2014, with provisions for amputation as punishment for theft
In 2019, Brunei introduced a law allowing death by stoning for adultery and gay relations, drawing international condemnation