Ten Ways Brunei's Wealth Is Spent

1 The world's largest palace is in Brunei. It has 1,788 rooms - with 50 crystal chandeliers in the dining room.

2 The palace contains a heliport, miniature mosque, recreation centre and a garage for 800 cars.

3 The Sultan is the world's biggest buyer of Rolls-Royce cars.

4 He owns and pilots four Gulfstream IVs, three Airbuses, two Boeing 747s and a 767.

5 The Sandhurst-educated ruler succeeded his father in 1967 with the support of Britain. Brunei obtained independence in 1984.

6 He owns a farm in Darwin, Australia, which has a bigger acreage than Brunei.

7 He also has 200 polo ponies, imported from Argentina with their grooms. The ponies live in air-conditioned stables and fodder is flown in monthly from Australia.

8 The Sultan once hired Rod Stewart to sing at one of his children's parties.

9 He pays for a battalion of Gurkhas as part of his private army.

10 His other troops, the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment, has used pounds 100,000 Exocet missiles in target practice.