10 Fun Facts About Brunei

1. Despite the fact that Brunei is classified as a developing country, Bruneians get free education and health care, subsidized food and housing, and they do not pay personal income taxes.

2. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, 29^th sultan of Brunei, owns five thousand cars, including around 20 Lamborghinis, 160 Porsches, 130 Rolls Royces, 360 Ferraris, 170 Jaguars, 180 BMWs, 360 Bentleys, and 530 Mercedes-Benzes.

3. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah belongs to the same family that has ruled Brunei for over six hundred years.

4. Traditionally, Bruneians don’t shake hands with the opposite sex.

5. Bruneians don’t point using their index fingers; this is considered impolite. They point with their thumbs instead.

6. Whenever Bruneians enter someone else’s house, they always take off their shoes.

7. It is illegal to drink alcohol in public in Brunei.

8. When Brunei first participated at the 1988 Olympic Games, its delegation was composed of a single official and no athletes.

9. The Belalong Tree Frog (Rhacophorus belalongensis) can only be found in Brunei.

10. There are about 35 species of plants that come only from Brunei. Some of these are the orchidCoelogyne bruneiensis, the palms Calamus maiadum and Livistona exigua, and the bamboo Temburongia simplex.