History: The full name of Brunei is "Negara Brunei Darussalam", which means "Abode of Peace". Little is known about Brunei's early history, but we do know that Brunei started to trade with China very early on. The first reference to Brunei is in a work by Fang Tsuo written during the period between the Tang and Song dynasties. In his "Book of Barbarians," Fang said that there was a country called "Boni" in the South China Sea. References to Brunei are also made in the histories of the Song and Ming dynasties. The references to "Boni" in these books all derive from the pronunciation of "Borneu," which in turn derives from "Brunei."
　　An Italian historian visited Brunei in 1522; he described it as being a prosperous Islamic country. Brunei controlled Java and the Borneo Archipelago at that time. However, Brunei's power declined with the passing of time.
　　Brunei came under the control of the UK after the British helped the Sultan to put down a Dayak uprising. From 1888 on, Brunei was a British protectorate, and the power of the Sultan was confined to customs and religious affairs. Brunei was occupied by Japan for three and a half years during World War II; the British returned after Japan surrendered. An agreement was reached between Brunei and the UK that Brunei would control its own domestic affairs, while the British retained control of foreign affairs and national defense. An agreement was reached in 1979 to end the UK protectorate at the end of 1983. Brunei declared its independence on January 1, 1984.