What is the capital of Brunei?
Bandar Seri Begawan lies on the Brunei River in Brunei-Muara, the country's smallest district but also its most populous, holding more than 70 percent of Brunei's people.
Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital and seat of government of Brunei. Brunei itself has an estimated population of 466,330 (2025).
Bandar Seri Begawan is also the largest city in Brunei, which is the usual arrangement, though it is far from universal: see the countries where capital and largest city differ.
Bandar Seri Begawan at a glance
| City population | 72,133 (2025 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Metropolitan area | 318,530 (2025 estimate) |
| Country | 🇧🇳 Brunei |
| Founded | 1906 |
| Largest city in Brunei | Bandar Seri Begawan |
| Time zone | UTC+08:00 (BNT) |
| Currency | Brunei dollar (BND) |
About Bandar Seri Begawan
The modern town dates from 1906, became the administrative centre in 1909 and was constituted a municipality on 1 January 1921.
The city was called Brunei Town until 4 October 1970, when it was renamed in honour of Omar Ali Saifuddien III, the 28th Sultan of Brunei and the father of the present sultan, Hassanal Bolkiah.
The city grew out of a Malay stilt settlement built over the water of the Brunei River, the ancestor of today's Kampong Ayer water village.
It is nominally Brunei's only city, and holds the seat of government as well as the country's commercial and cultural life.
City facts sourced from Wikipedia: Bandar Seri Begawan.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Brunei?
Is Bandar Seri Begawan the largest city in Brunei?
What is the population of Bandar Seri Begawan?
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Capitals of neighbouring countries
See the full profile of Brunei on its country page, or browse every capital city.
Capital and country data from open datasets; city and metropolitan populations are hand-curated per city and cited where they are shown. Populations of countries come from the World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL). Full sources and vintage on the data page. Last updated . Report a correction.