Brunei

constitutional sultanateIndependence 1 January 1984 (from UK)

Brunei as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 73 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalBandar Seri Begawan

Area5,770 km2

Populationas each edition published it

269,319 people July 1992 · 372,108 in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 2.77% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 70.94 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.5 children per woman 1992 · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

26 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 10 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $8,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 1% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

5,770km2

Comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware

Coastline

161km

Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nmTerritorial sea: 12 nm

Land boundaries

381km

Malysia 381 km

Disputes

may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country;
all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam;
parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines;
in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island

Terrain

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Land use

arable land 1%;
permanent crops 1%;
meadows and pastures 1%;
forest and woodland 79%;
other 18%;
includes irrigated NEGL%

Environment

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Note

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

People

14 fields

Population

269,319

(July 1992), growth rate 2.9% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

27Death

5Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Malay 64%Chinese 20%other 16%

Religions(1981)

Muslim (official) 63%Buddhism 14%Christian 8%indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)

Literacy

77%

(male 85%, female 69%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

Nationality

noun - Bruneian(s); adjective - Bruneian

Labor force

89,000 (includes members of the Army);
33% of labor force is foreign (1988);
government 47.5%;
production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%;
agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)

Government

Constitutional sultanate

18 fields

Administrative divisions

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Constitution

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)

Executive branch

sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)

Leaders

Chief of State and Head of Government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu`izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)

Political parties and leaders

Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman;
Brunei National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA

Elections

Legislative Council: last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan and no elections are planned

Member of

APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, G-77, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador Mohamed KASSIM bin Haji Mohamed Daud;
Chancery at 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 3000, Washington, DC 20037;
telephone (202) 342-0159

US:: Ambassador (vacant);
Embassy at Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, American Embassy Box B, APO AP 96440;
telephone [673] (2) 229-670;
FAX [673] (2) 225-293

Flag

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

Economy

The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, | government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

1.3%

(1989)

Unemployment rate

3.7%

shortage of skilled labor (1989)

Budget

Revenues

$1.3 billionExpenditures

$1.5 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $255 million (1989 est.)

The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for more than 50% of GDP. Per capita GDP of $8,800 is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $3.5 billion, per capita $8,800; real growth rate 1% (1990 est.)

Exports

$2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.)

commodities:: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
partners:: Japan 53%, UK 12%, South Korea 9%, Thailand 7%, Singapore 5% (1990)

Imports

$1.7 billion (c.i.f., 1990 est.)

commodities:: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
partners:: Singapore 35%, UK 26%, Switzerland 9%, US 9%, Japan 5% (1990)

External debt

none

Industrial production

growth rate 12.9% (1987); accounts for 52.4% of GDP

Electricity

310,000 kW capacity; 890 million kWh produced, 2,400 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Agriculture

imports about 80% of its food needs; principal crops and livestock include rice, cassava, bananas, buffaloes, and pigs

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-87), $20.6 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $153 million

Currency

Bruneian dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.7454 (January 1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988), 2.1060 (1987), 2.1774 (1986);
note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

9 fields

Airports, 2 total, 2 usable

permanent-surface runways

1runway over | 3,659 m

1runway 1,406 m

Networkskm

Highways

1,090Inland waterways

209

Highways: ; 370 km paved (bituminous treated) and another 52 km under construction, 720 km gravel or unimproved · Inland waterways: ; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 meters