Bruneians love to shop, and shopping is one of everyone’s favourite leisure time activities. These days, with shopping complexes popping up throughout the nation’s four districts, shopping opportunities in Brunei are beginning to draw an international audience as well. Shoppers are generally spoilt for choice in Brunei. From traditional markets and tiny boutique shops to huge shopping complexes, visitors and locals alike will find opportunities to indulge their shopping fancy. Offering a wide variety of goods at incredibly competitive prices, shoppers can pick up anything ranging from market trinkets sold at 50 cents to chandeliers and antique furniture priced at a few thousand dollars. There are many unique treasures that can be found in Brunei, including earthenware ornaments, gilded curios, exotic furniture designs, Chinese urns, brocade tablecloths, mats and door hangings, Indian finery, Thai haute couture, the latest electronics – all of these and more can be found tucked away in some corner of a dusty shop or glittering department store. It is easy to shop in the Sultanate because all major credit cards (American Express, VISA, Diner’s Club and MasterCard) are widely accepted.

The island of Borneo is synonymous with raw, unspoiled nature and Brunei, situated in its heart, is a shining example of natural beauty. More than 70% of Brunei’s land area is covered by primary rainforests, which the government has taken great strides to protect. The Government of Brunei has acted to conserve some 32,000 hectares as forest reserves and allocated 50,000 hectares for national parks which are some of the finest in Asia. Mangroves, natural hatcheries of marine life, are also plentiful and unspoiled and house abundant forms of plant and animal life unique to Borneo. But perhaps Brunei’s most distinctive advantage is that all of its natural attractions are within easy reach of the contemporary luxuries of the capital, meaning that you never have to sacrifice comfort to enjoy untamed wilderness. Nature lovers will definitely be spoiled in Brunei. Pristine rainforests, unspoiled coral reefs, mangrove-covered islands, white sand beaches and accessible nature reserves offer visitors a dazzling array of ecotourism options. In Brunei, visitors can have the unique opportunity to walk in the rainforest canopy which houses an abundance of birds, plants, micro fauna and mammals, such as the rare Bornean proboscis monkey, making up one of the world’s richest and most diverse ecosystems. They can also stroll around the hauntingly beautiful lakeside walkways of Tasek Merimbun or relax on the turquoise shores of Muara beach without the crowds of other Asian destinations. Brunei is also home to some of Asia’s best nature reserves and field study centres, such as the world famous Ulu Temburong National Park and the Kuala Belalong Field Study Centre, both of which offer an exciting array of ecotourism and adventure activities. Indeed, the longboat ride down a winding jungle river, surrounded on all sides by pristine rainforest makes the journey as much of an adventure as the destination itself. With few tourists around, nature lovers will appreciate having this untouched paradise all to themselves and may explore at their own pace, returning to lodgings in the capital when they have completed their visit, or staying in more primitive forest lodgings nearby. Furthermore, with Sabah, Sarawak and Kalimantan next door, they can spend weeks uncovering Borneo’s magnificent natural beauty, using Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan as a gateway.

OFFICIAL NAME: Negara Brunei Darussalam (The Country of Brunei, Abode of Peace)

FLAG: Yellow with two diagonal bands: white (top band, double-width) and black (starting from the upper hoist side). The national emblem is superimposed in red at the flag's centre. The emblem includes the following components:
•	Swallow-tailed flag, representing Royalty
•	The Royal umbrella
•	Winged column, symbolizing the protection of justice, tranquillity, prosperity and peace
•	Two upraised hands, signifying the Government's pledge to promote welfare, peace and prosperity
•	An upturned crescent, symbol of Islam, the national religion of Brunei
•	Embodied within the crescent in yellow Arabic script is the nation's motto, which can be roughly translated: Always in Service by God's Guidance
•	A scroll beneath the crest with Arabic script reading "Brunei Darussalam" or "Brunei, the Abode of Peace"

LOCATION:
Located on the northern shore of the Island of Borneo, between longitudes 114'04" and 114'23" East and latitudes 4'00" and 5'05" North. Brunei, although occupying less than 1% of Borneo's land area, is the only sovereign country on the island, which it shares with the Indonesian provinces of West, East, South and Central Kalimantan and the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak.

LAND AREA: 5,765 sq. km.

POPULATION: 372,360 (2005 est.)

DENSITY: 65 persons/sq. km.

CAPITAL CITY: Bandar Seri Begawan

POPULATION: 236,200 (district)

ETHNIC GROUPS: Malay: 67%; Chinese: 15%, indigenous tribes: 6%; other: 12%

LANGUAGE:
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) is the official language, but English is widely spoken. Mandarin, Chinese dialects and native languages of Borneo are also spoken by segments of the population.

RELIGIONS:
Islam (official): 67%; Buddhism: 13%; Christianity: 10%; indigenous beliefs and other: 10%

NATIONAL PHILOSOPHY:
Since gaining independence from the British in 1984, Brunei has adopted the national philosophy of the Malay Islamic Monarchy (Melayu Islam Beraja), a system that encompasses strong Malay cultural influences, stressing the importance of Islam in daily life and governance, and respect for the monarchy as represented by His Majesty The Sultan. It is a philosophy of tolerance, which allows other cultures to follow individual traditions and to practice other religions.

CLIMATE:
Temperate equatorial climate year round, characterized by temperatures ranging between 23 to 32 degrees Celsius, and an average annual rainfall of 320 cm. There is no distinct rainy season, though the period from November to March tends to bring heavier rains.

BORDERS:
Bounded on all sides by the Malaysian state of Sarawak, except for a 161 km long stretch of coastline along the South China Sea to the north.

ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:
4 Districts: Brunei-Muara (housing the capital city), Tutong, Belait, and Temburong

HEAD OF STATE:
His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. His Majesty is the 29th ruler of his line, which began with Sultan Muhammad in 1405.

SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT:
Independent sovereign constitutional Sultanate, with His Majesty The Sultan as the supreme executive authority. His Majesty is advised by an appointed Council of Cabinet Ministers, Religious Council, Privy Council, a Council of Succession and a Legislative Council.

ECONOMY:
With a total GDP of around US$6.5 billion and a per capita GDP of around US$18.3 thousand (2002), Brunei's resource-rich (oil & natural gas) economy affords its population high living standards, resulting in positive social indicators such as high literacy rates, longer life expectancy, and low unemployment and crime rates. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing.

Government, construction, services, retail and some light manufacturing are the other major sectors in Brunei's economy. The government is currently working towards economic diversification — in which tourism plays an important role — as well as encouraging foreign investment and developing education and human resources. These measures are designed to prepare the nation for the challenges of the future when the oil and gas reserves will have been depleted and new sources of income will be needed to maintain the current high standards of living enjoyed by Bruneians.

TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE:
With over 2,500 rooms spread among 30 establishments ranging from guesthouses to the super luxurious "7-star" Empire Hotel and Country Club, and with a dozen or so active inbound tour operators, Brunei has a well-established, yet underutilized tourism infrastructure attracting an increasing number of regional and international visitors.

TOURISM ARRIVALS:
Brunei recorded approximately 1 million foreign visitors in 2003, the vast majority arriving from Malaysia through land entry points. Based on estimates derived from hotel occupancy rates and on market intelligence gathered from inbound operators, Brunei Tourism estimates the number of bona fide leisure and business tourists to be around 100,000 in 2003, with a 3-day average length of stay. Most of these tourists originated from the short- and medium-haul markets, though a significant portion originated from long-haul markets, mainly UK and Germany. Brunei Tourism’s objective is to increase international tourist arrivals by a minimum average rate of 7% yearly, as well as to increase average length of stay and expenditure.

INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT LINKAGES:
Brunei enjoys a convenient location at the heart of Southeast Asia and is well-connected to destinations worldwide.

Air:
Royal Brunei Airlines, the nation’s flagship carrier, flies non-stop or direct to most major Asia-Pacific destinations and the Middle East, as well as to Europe via London and Frankfurt. Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Dragonair and Philippines Airlines serve Bandar Seri Begawan and offer one-stop connections to the rest of the world through their hubs in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Manila.

Sea:
Ferries link Brunei with the Malaysian island of Labuan off the coast of Sabah, and to the Malaysian towns of Limbang and Lawas in Sarawak.

Road:
An extensive overland road network also connects Brunei to Sarawak and Sabah, while the Indonesian province of Kalimantan can be reached by road, air or boat via Sarawak or Sabah.

HEALTH, SAFETY AND SECURITY:
Brunei is free from malaria and other tropical diseases, is outside the typhoon belt, has no volcanoes, and is not prone to earthquakes or other major natural disasters. The country also enjoys government stability and economic prosperity, resulting in a very low crime rate.

Birthplace of the nation's wealth. Home of the oil industry. Brunei's economic heartland.

Behind the glitter of Brunei’s legendary wealth lies the district of Kuala Belait, seat of the nation’s oil and gas industry, producing the country’s main export commodity. While the economy today is slowly diversifying to include manufacturing, services and tourism, the real “gold” of Brunei flows deep below the ground in Belait.

To see where it all began, visit the town of Seria to see rows of the affectionately-named “nodding donkeys” which pump the lifeblood of Brunei’s economy from the oil-rich earth of Belait. Seria’s Oil & Gas Discovery Centre provides an up-close view of the inner workings of the nation’s main industry, and the visually striking Billionth Barrel Monument immortalizes the industry’s accomplishments through contemporary architectural forms.

The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.

The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -- and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.

In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport -- and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 -- and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people -- can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals -- with just a touch of China's traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.

Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.

Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

Usain Bolt the world's fastest man ever

Usain Bolt celebrates.

(BEIJING, August 16) -- Usain Bolt of Jamaica has won the Men's 100m gold medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in a world record time of 9.69 seconds.

Silver medalist Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago ran a time of 9.89 seconds, leaving American Walter Dix to take the bronze in a time of 9.91 seconds.

The 21-year-old broke his own world record of 9.72 seconds, which he set in June this year. The Olympic record stood at 9.84 seconds, set by Donovan Bailey at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.

Bolt came from relative obscurity to worldwide attention in the 100m at a Grand Prix event on Long Island, New York, in late May, after demolishing the field and breaking the world record in a time of 9.72 seconds, a stunning result for anyone, let alone a runner who had been seen as a 200m specialist.

Pre-race favorite Powell, favorite in Athens 2004 and at last year's world championships, failed to live up to expectation both times, and again seems to have cracked under the pressure, finishing fifth and 0.26 seconds behind his arch-rival Bolt.

Reigning world champion Tyson Gay failed to qualify after running a time of 10.05 seconds in the semifinals. Gay was the United States best chance for gold.

Gay got a decent jump from the blocks and was in contention early in the semifinal race, but Powell and Richard Thompson overtook him. He was outleaned at the line by American Darvis Patton, who finished in 10.03 seconds.

"I did my best," Gay said. "I don't have any excuses."

As a result, Gay's only chance at an Olympic medal will come in the relays. He also failed to qualify for the 200m, after pulling up lame in the preliminary round with a strained left hamstring at the Olympic trials six weeks ago.

"[I feel] a little bit bitter, but I did my best, and I don't have any excuse because I tried hard," he said.

Gay's remaining chance for a medal at Beijing 2008 is the Men's 4 x 100m Relay, which begins Thursday at the National Stadium, while Bolt can finally relax with the gold around his neck.

The gold medalist explained his early celebration, raising his arms before the finish line, "As soon as I saw I had covered the field and I knew I would win, I was very happy and I started to celebrate."

Final results of the Olympic Men's 100m:

1. Usain Bolt -- Jamaica 9.69 WR

2. Richard Thompson -- Trinidad/Tobago 9.89 PB

3. Walter Dix -- United States 9.91 PB

4. Churandy Martina -- Netherlands Antilles 9.93 NR

5. Asafa Powell -- Jamaica 9.95

6. Michael Frater -- Jamaica 9.97 PB

7. Marc Burns -- Trinidad/Tobago 10.01

8. Darvis Patton -- United States 10.03