Legend:  Definition
 Field
Listing  Rank
Order
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Background:
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The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and
17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest
Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered
a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession,
colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei
became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984.
The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei
benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source
of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the developing world. |
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia |
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Geographic coordinates:
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4 30 N, 114 40 E |
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Map references:
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Southeast
Asia |
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Area:
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total: 5,770 sq km
water: 500 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly smaller than Delaware |
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Land boundaries:
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total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
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Coastline:
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161 km |
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Maritime claims:
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exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line
territorial sea: 12 NM |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid, rainy |
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Terrain:
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flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in
west |
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
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Natural resources:
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petroleum, natural gas, timber |
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Land use:
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arable land: 0.57%
permanent crops: 0.76%
other: 98.67% (1998 est.) |
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Irrigated land:
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10 sq km (1998 est.) |
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Natural hazards:
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typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare |
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Environment - current issues:
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seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia |
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Geography - note:
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close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian
and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia;
almost an enclave of Malaysia
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Population:
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358,098 (July 2003 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 29.6% (male 54,118; female 51,902)
15-64 years: 67.6% (male 128,421; female 113,480)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male 4,804; female 5,373) (2003
est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 26.4 years
male: 27 years
female: 25.7 years (2002) |
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Population growth rate:
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2% (2003 est.) |
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Birth rate:
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19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Death rate:
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3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Net migration rate:
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3.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
male: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births |
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 74.3 years
male: 71.9 years
female: 76.82 years (2003 est.) |
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Total fertility rate:
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2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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less than 100 (2001 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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NA |
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Nationality:
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noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian |
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Ethnic groups:
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Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% |
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Religions:
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Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs
and other 10% |
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Languages:
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Malay (official), English, Chinese |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 91.8%
male: 94.8%
female: 88.5% (2003 est.)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei |
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Government type:
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constitutional sultanate |
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Capital:
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Bandar Seri Begawan |
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Administrative divisions:
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4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and
Muara, Temburong, Tutong |
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Independence:
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1 January 1984 (from UK) |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the
date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date
of independence from British protection |
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Constitution:
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29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency
since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes
civil law in a number of areas |
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Suffrage:
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none |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief
of state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided
over by the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there
is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that
advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed
by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the
Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines
the succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy
council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members
appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held in March 1962
note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body
by decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being
considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are unlikely
for several years |
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
for three-year terms) |
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Political parties and leaders:
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Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA
bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; note - the PPKB is the only
legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985 but became
largely inactive after 1988; it was revived in 1995 and again in
1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties
include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei
National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered
by the Brunei Government in 1988) |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS,
IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW,
UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar
Seri Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293 |
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Flag description:
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yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width)
and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem
in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed
flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above
a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands
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Economy - overview:
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This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
for all medical services and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's
leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the
world economy will undermine internal social cohesion, although
it became a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the
2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for
the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment,
strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general,
further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas. |
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GDP:
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purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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3% (2002 est.) |
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GDP - per capita:
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purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 5%
industry: 45%
services: 50% (2001 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage
share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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-2% (2002 est.) |
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Labor force:
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143,400
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary
residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction
42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.) |
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Unemployment rate:
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10% (2001 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures
of $1.35 billion (1997 est.) |
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Industries:
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petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
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Industrial production growth rate:
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5% (2002 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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2.497 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - production by source:
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fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
nuclear: 0% |
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Electricity - consumption:
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2.322 billion kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2001) |
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Oil - production:
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217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - imports:
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NA (2001) |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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1.255 billion bbl (37257) |
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Natural gas - production:
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10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - exports:
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9 billion cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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0 cu m (2001 est.) |
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Natural gas - proved reserves:
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315 billion cu m (37257) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo |
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Exports:
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$3 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.) |
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Exports - commodities:
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crude oil, natural gas, refined products |
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Exports - partners:
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Japan 40.3%, South Korea 12.3%, Thailand 12.1%, Australia 9.2%,
US 8.1%, China 6.4%, Singapore 5.7% (2002) |
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Imports:
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$1.4 billion c.i.f. (2000 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
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Imports - partners:
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Singapore 30.6%, Japan 21.5%, Malaysia 17.4%, UK 6.1%, Hong Kong
4% (2002) |
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Debt - external:
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$0 |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$4.3 million (1995) |
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Currency:
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Bruneian dollar (BND) |
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Currency code:
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BND |
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Exchange rates:
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Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72
(2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998) |
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Fiscal year:
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calendar year
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Railways:
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total: 13 km (private line)
narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.) |
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Highways:
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total: 2,525 km
paved: 2,525 km
unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
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Waterways:
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209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m |
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Pipelines:
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gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2003) |
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Ports and harbors:
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Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
ships by type: liquefied gas 8
note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as
a flag of convenience: UK 7 (2002 est.) |
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Airports:
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2 (2002) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002) |
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Airports - with unpaved runways:
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total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002) |
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Heliports:
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3 (2002)
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This page was last updated on 18 December,
2003
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