Brunei Darussalam has a tropical equatorial climate with high rainfall and warm temperature all year round. Monsoon winds influence the climatic variations. The northeast monsoon blows from December to March. The southeast monsoon occurs from June to October. Two inter-monsoon periods prevail from April to May and November to December.
The annual rainfall is generally high. The total rainfall was 2,917 mm in 1997, 3,295 mm in 1995, and 2,238 in 1990. The two rainy seasons are from September to January, with December as the wettest; and May to June. Virtually a drought period is February to April. Due to unstable climatic influences, well-defined seasons have not been outlined.
The drought months of March and April are the warmest. Humidity is high throughout the year due to high temperature and rainfall. Air temperature is relatively uniform throughout the year. The maximum mean temperature in Jan-Feb 1998 was 31.8 degrees Celsius; 32.1 in 1997. The minimum mean temperature in Jan-Feb 1998 was 24, same as in 1997.
Brunei is not directly in the path of tropical storms, cyclones and typhoons that pass through the South China Sea. Yet, it is heavily affected by tides. |
Primary tropical jungles cover about 75 per cent of Brunei Darussalam. About three per cent of the total land area, or 18,814 hectares, are relatively unexploited and among the best preserved mangroves in the region.
Mangroves, natural hatcheries of marine life, are also habitat for plant and animal life which have adapted to the mangrove environment.
Of Brunei mangrove flora identified, 88 species are flower plants while 33 are ferns. There are a variety of insects, crabs, snails, shrimps, prawns, fish, otters, turtles, lizards, bats, flying foxes, bird species, especially king-fishers, monkeys (including the rare proboscis monkey) and crocodiles in the less accessible swamps.
Mangroves and swamps are also temporary homes for birds migrating every northern winter from China and Siberia to Brunei. Gazetted as protected and forest reserve areas are a large part of the mangroves.
Some parts are allocated for aquaculture, such as fish, shrimp or prawn rearing. Continuous research and effort with the right expertise are needed to manage and preserve this natural asset from neglect and future overexploitation. |
Climate