Editing Bandar Seri Begawan (section)

=== Independence era ===
Together with the expansion of the oil and gas industry, commercialisation began to transform Brunei's capital and a large number of public buildings were constructed, along with the development of a central business district in the 1970s and 1980s.{{Sfn|World and Its Peoples|2007|p=1206}}{{Sfn|Ring|Watson|Schellinger|2012|p=161}} Brunei Town was formally renamed Bandar Seri Begawan on 4 October 1970, in honour of the retired Sultan Omar Ali Saifuddien III, with the renaming ceremony held at the capital.{{Sfn|Great Britain Colonial Office|1971|p=363}} On 1 January 1984, at midnight, Sultan [[Hassanal Bolkiah]] declared Brunei's [[National Day (Brunei)|independence]] at the [[Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar 'Ali Saifuddien]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brunei Darussalam National Day |url=https://aipasecretariat.org/brunei-darussalam-national-day/ |access-date=2023-03-05 |website=aipasecretariat.org |language=en-US |archive-date=5 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230305103546/https://aipasecretariat.org/brunei-darussalam-national-day/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Ministry of Home Affairs (Brunei)|Ministry of Home Affairs]] has been in charge of the Bandar Seri Begawan Municipal Board since the country's independence in 1984. The new town has grown along Jalan Berakas and Jalan Muara in the north and Jalan Tutong and Jalan Gadong in the west.{{Sfn|Sidhu|2009|p=32}} A 1998 ''[[Asia Week]]'' study ranked Bandar Seri Begawan among Asia's top capital cities for 1999 and 2000, highlighting its cleanliness and security as key factors in its recognition.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dk. Hajah Fatimah Pg. Haji Md. Noor |date=2006-10-04 |title=36 tahun penukaran Bandar Brunei menjadi Bandar Seri Begawan hari ini |url=https://www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn/Arkib%20Dokumen/2006/04%20OKTOBER%202006.pdf |access-date=2025-01-31 |work=www.pelitabrunei.gov.bn |publisher=Pelita Brunei |pages=5 |language=ms}}</ref>

On 1 August 2007, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah gave consent for the expansion of the city from {{convert|12.87|km2|abbr=on}} to {{convert|100.36|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="Cambridge2014">{{cite book |author=Shirleen Cambridge |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TIjFBAAAQBAJ&pg=PP8 |title=Ultimate Handbook Guide to Bandar Seri Begawan : (Brunei) Travel Guide |publisher=MicJames |year=2014 |page=8 |id=GGKEY:16PGAE1LKCQ}}</ref>