Temburong District

Temburong District (Malay: Daerah Temburong; Jawi: دائيره تمبوروڠ) or simply known as Temburong (TUHM-boo-rong; Malay: [tǝmburoŋ] ^ⓘ), is the second largest and least populated district in Brunei. It has an area of 1,306 square kilometres (504 sq mi) and the population of 9,444 as of 2021. The district is also home to its administrative centre, Bangar Town (Pekan Bangar), as well as the Temburong River and Ulu Temburong National Park, the country's third longest river and a national park in Brunei respectively.

The Malaysian district of Limbang divides the Temburong District, an exclave, from the rest of Brunei. Temburong is a location for ecotourism and is home to a large portion of the Sultanate's virgin rainforests. Nestled between the Limbang and Trusan Rivers on all sides, Bukit Pagon (1,850 m) dominates the eastern region of Brunei.

The Royal Geographical Society and Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) are coordinating international rainforest research in Temburong District, which is rich in tropical rainforest. The region is inaccessible, but it has substantial gravel reserves that have been actively mined to satisfy rising building demand. This then gives place to montane vegetation with stunted, gnarled trees covered in mosses in the upper Temburong region as the ground climbs over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). This is in contrast to a major portion of Brunei, which has managed to preserve its wooded terrain as most people live around the shore and the majority of its economic growth has been centred around hydrocarbon fossil resources, these woods have not been extensively exploited.

It is suggested that a few tiny islands covered in mangroves be designated as nature sanctuaries because of their ecological significance and rich biodiversity. Proposals for conservation include islands like Pulau Kitang, Siarau, and Selirong; Pulau Kitang may support the proboscis monkey. Because these places are important for fisheries, biological filters, and sediment stability, the Biology Department at the UBD is in favour of their protection. Even if there may be restricted development for social or commercial reasons, it is recommended that any disturbance adhere to comprehensive environmental impact evaluations.

The Temburong River is an integral element of the Brunei estuary, which is a vital nursery and feeding ground for marine life, especially penaeid shrimps. As such, the district plays an important role in Brunei's coastal environment. The estuary, which is made up of deep channels and mudbanks rich in organic matter, receives a lot of freshwater from rivers such as Temburong and Trusan, which causes its salinity levels to fluctuate. Salinity and turbidity are influenced by seasonal rainfall patterns; during inter-monsoon times, salinity is low and turbidity is high, and the estuary flushes in two to four days.

Brunei was divided in two when Rajah of Sarawak seized the area around the Limbang River in 1890. The British not only took no action to halt the annexation, but they also officially acknowledged its legitimacy. The sultan and the Bruneian court were deeply offended by this, and they are still feeling the pain today. Over the next few years, Brunei was under constant pressure from Sarawak to absorb the entire country. However, Brunei was able to save its independence by defending it with diplomatic missions, letters, and petitions to Britain. Eventually, the North Borneo authorities who wanted Brunei to stay as a buffer state between itself and Sarawak helped them with this.

In 1919, the government funded a public works program to construct bridle paths, connecting rubber estates in Temburong with those near the capital at Gadong and Berakas.

With the building of four bridges in the 10th National Development Plan (RKN), Temburong increased connectivity. Two of the projects are particularly noteworthy since one of them, the Pandaruan Bridge, crosses the Pandaruan River to connect with Limbang, Malaysia. The biggest project is the Temburong Bridge (present day Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge), which would span the Brunei Bay to link the district with the mainland.