2021 Travel the World - Week 17

I started a 50-week series in 2019 that I called Travel the World. Each week of the series I visited a randomly-selected country, sharing bits of information about that country. I then chose one tidbit of information about that week's country as inspiration for a card. As I explored those 50 countries in 2019, I knew I would continue on until I've visited every one of the 195 countries in the world, so I continued the series in 2020 and here I am in 2021, the third year of traveling the world. 

This week's country is...

Brunei

The tiny nation of Brunei is found on the northern portion of the island of Borneo, surrounded by Malaysia and South China Sea. 

It is bordered solely by Malaysia to the west, east and south. It also has a coastline along the South China Sea to the north.

The total land area of Brunei is 2,226 square miles. 

Brunei is one of the least populous countries in the world. The population of Brunei is less than 450,000, making it the 175th most populous country in the world.

Brunei is an absolute monarchy, where the Sultan has the final say.

The same royal family have ruled Brunei for more than 600 years!

More than one-fifth of the population of Brunei is under the age of 15 and roughly half is under the age of 30.

Brunei has one of Southeast Asia’s wealthiest economies thanks to an abundance of oil.

Oil is a very important part of the economy. The production of crude oil and natural gas account for 90% of the country’s economy. The country has built a monument to celebrate the production of the oilfield’s billionth barrel of oil.

Bruneians enjoy a tropical climate with hot, humid and often rainy weather.

Despite its tiny size, Brunei is home to an array of rare wildlife. 70% of the country is covered by forest.

The rainforests are home to some of the world’s rarest wildlife species. Although only a small country, Brunei has managed to conserve 70% of its rainforests. These forests are home to some of the most threatened species of flora and fauna. The Sunda clouded leopard, proboscis monkey, hornbills, flying lizards, saltwater crocodiles, etc., are some of the country’s most notable wildlife species. There are about 35 species of plants that come only from Brunei. 

Brunei is home to the largest stilt settlement in the world. Founded over 1,000 years ago, Kampong Ayer consists of 42 adjoining stilt villages which house around 30,000 people. The settlement has been nicknamed the ‘Venice of the East’.

Brunei has one of the highest car-ownership rates in the world. The average is one car per 1.5 people. 

The use of boat taxis is common in Brunei.

The citizens receive free education in Brunei. As a result, the adult literacy rate is 98%. They also get free health care, subsidized food and housing, and they do not pay personal income taxes.

The country believes in grandeur. That includes even the amusement parks. A whopping $1 billion was spent in the construction of The Jerudong Park in 1994.

Brunei has the largest residential palace in the world. The palace is located in a picturesque landscape on the banks of the Brunei River. The palace has 1,788 rooms, 257 bathrooms, a mosque, a garage with space for 110 cars, 5 swimming pools, a massive banquet hall, and more. The total floor space of the palace is about 2,152,782 square feet.

One of Brunei’s most famous landmarks is the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque. The main dome is made of 3.5-million-pieces of glass mosaic overlaid with real gold leaf.

Alcohol is forbidden in Brunei. However, non-muslims are permitted to bring a maximum of two liters of alcohol into the country.

It is considered impolite using the index finger. Bruneians point with their thumbs instead.

Brunei grows vegetables, rice and fruits; they also rear chickens.

Its industry consists of petroleum, petroleum refining, construction and liquified natural gas.

There is only one McDonald's in the country, but there are plenty of KFC's and other fast food restaurants.

The most popular sports in Brunei are football, tennis, squash, badminton, and golf. 

Only three state holidays are celebrated in the country. One of them is the birthday of the Sultan.

It is against the law to publicly celebrate Christmas in Brunei.

My inspiration for this week's card is based on this fact about Brunei... It is among the largest consumers of fish per capita in the world.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Stamp Set: MFT Somethings Fishy stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black Ink and colored with Copic Markers

Paper: Cougar 110# White and SU Cinnamon Cider CS and DP from my scrap file

Dies: Rubbernecker Nested Rectangle Stitch and Rubbernecker Rectangle With Pierce

Embellishments: Paper Studio Mini Brads and Ribbon from an unknown vendor