Brunei

constitutional sultanateIndependence 1 January 1984 (from UK)

Brunei as the 1994 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 116 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

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CapitalBandar Seri Begawan
LocationSoutheastern Asia, on the northern coast of Borneo almost completely
1994

Every edition of Brunei

Populationas each edition published it
284,653 people July 1994 est. · 372,108 in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.7% 1994 est. · 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
3.43 children per woman 1994 est. · 2.9 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
25.2 deaths per 1,000 live births 1994 est. · 10 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$9,000 1991 est. · $8,800 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
1% 1991 · 1% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, on the northern coast of Borneo almost completely | surrounded by Malaysia

23 fields
Land boundaries
381km
total · Malysia 381 km
Irrigated land
10sq km
(1989 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, on the northern coast of Borneo almost completely surrounded by Malaysia

Map references

Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

total area

5,770 sq km

land area

5,270 sq km

comparative area

slightly larger than Delaware

exclusive fishing zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 nm

International 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

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, timber

arable land

1%

permanent crops

1%

meadows and pastures

1%

forest and woodland

79%

other

18%

current issues

NA

international agreements

party to - Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

natural hazards

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

22 fields
Population
284,653
(July 1994 est.)growth rate: 2.7% (1994 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1994 est.)

Birth
26.18Death
5.04Net migration
5.81

Ethnic divisions

Malay 64%Chinese 20%other 16%

Religions(1981)

Muslim (official) 63%Buddhism 14%Christian 8%indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Labor force
89,000
(includes members of the Army)
Literacy
15and over can read and write
age · (1981)

Infant mortality rate

25.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)

total population

71.1 years

male

69.46 years

female

72.78 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.43 children born/woman (1994 est.)

noun

Bruneian(s)

adjective

Bruneian

Languages

Malay (official), English, Chinese

total population

77%

male

85%

female

69%

by occupation

government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)

note

33% of labor force is foreign (1988)

Government

Constitutional sultanate

28 fields

conventional long form

Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form

Brunei

Type

constitutional sultanate

Capital

Bandar Seri Begawan

Administrative divisions

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

Independence

1 January 1984 (from UK)

National holiday

National Day 23 February (1984)

Constitution

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

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)

cabinet

Council of Cabinet Ministers; composed chiefly of members of the royal family

Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)

  • elections last held in March 1962;
  • in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan;
  • an elected legislative Council is being considered as part of constitution reform, but elections are unlikely for several years

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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

Member of

APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, UNTAC, WHO, WMO

chief of mission

Ambassador JAYA bin Abdul Latif

chancery

2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037

telephone

(202) 342-0159

FAX

(202) 342-0158

chief of mission

Ambassador Theresa A. TULL

embassy

Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan

mailing address

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.

25 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$9,000
(1991 est.)
Real growth rate
1%
(1991)industrial production growth: growth rate 12.9% (1987); accounts for 52.4% of GDP

Overview

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 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.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $2.5 billion (1991 est.)

revenues

$1.3 billion

expenditures

$1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $255 million (1989 est.)

Exports

$2.3 billion (f.o.b., 1992 est.)

commodities

crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products

partners

Japan 53%, UK 12%, South Korea 9%, Thailand 7%, Singapore 5% (1990)

Imports

$2 billion (c.i.f., 1992 est.)

commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

partners

Singapore 35%, UK 26%, Switzerland 9%, US 9%, Japan 5% (1990)

capacity

310,000 kW

production

890 million kWh

consumption per capita

3,300 kWh (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

recipient

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

Currency

1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

  • Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.6032 (January 1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989);
  • note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

15 fields

Railroads

13 km 0.610-meter narrow-gauge private line

total

1,090 km

paved

bituminous 370 km (with another 52 km under construction)

unpaved

gravel or earth 720 km

Inland waterways

209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 meters

Pipelines

  • crude oil 135 km;
  • petroleum products 418 km;
  • natural gas 920 km

Ports

Kuala Belait, Muara

Merchant marine

7 liquefied gas carriers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT

total

2

usable

2

with permanent-surface runways

1

with runway over 3,659 m

1

with runway 2,440-3,659 m

0

with runway 1,220-2,439 m

1

Telecommunications

  • service throughout country is adequate for present needs;
  • international service good to adjacent Malaysia;
  • radiobroadcast coverage good;
  • 33,000 telephones (1987);
  • broadcast stations - 4 AM/FM, 1 TV;
  • 74,000 radio receivers (1987);
  • satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

3 fields

Branches

Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Manpower availability

  • males age 15-49 79,486;
  • fit for military service 46,258;
  • reach military age (18) annually 2,756 (1994 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $300 million, 9% of GDP (1990)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Brunei.” The World Factbook 1994. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brunei/1994.

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