Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of which southeastern Asian country?

Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital and largest city of Brunei. The city is colloquially known as 'Bandar', which is the Malay word for '(the) Port'. 'Seri Begawan' derives from the Sanskrit for 'the aura of the gods'. From 1888 until its independence in 1984, Brunei and its capital were under the protection of Imperial Britain.

The leader of the country is the Sultan of Brunei, currently Hassanal Bolkiah (as of 2021). Due to the sale of oil, he is one of the richest people in the world. The official religion in Brunei is Islam, although there are also minorities who follow Buddhism or Animism. The native language of Brunei is Malay, with English as its second language. Brunei is one of the smallest Muslim countries in the world with an area of 5,765 square km (2,226 sq mi).

Bandar Seri Begawan is the location of the Istana Nurul Iman palace, the residence of the sultan. Its name means 'Palace of the Light of Faith' in Arabic. It can host up to 5,000 guests and contains 1,788 rooms. Also in the city is the Istana Darussalam, where the sultan was born. It is not currently used as a residence.