Brunei

Negara Brunei Darussalam

constitutional sultanateIndependence 1 January 1984 (from UK)

Brunei as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 99 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

Position4 30 N, 114 40 E

Area5,770 sq km

LocationSoutheastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and

Populationas each edition published it

307,616 people July 1997 est. · 372,108 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.5% 1997 est. · 2.77% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.54 years 1997 est. · 70.94 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.37 children per woman 1997 est. · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

23.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 10 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$15,800 1995 est. · $8,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

2% 1995 est. · 1% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and | Malaysia

18 fields

Land useshare of 5,770 sq km

permanent pastures 1%forests and woodland 85%other 12% (1993 est.)arable land 1% in all · permanent crops 1% in all · irrigated 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

5,770sq km

land : 5,270 sq kmwater: 500 sq kmslightly smaller than Delaware

Coastline

161km

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median lineterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

1,850m

Bukit Pagonlowest point : South China Sea 0 m

Land boundaries

381km

border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Terrain

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

Natural hazards

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare

Environment - international agreements

party to :: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography - 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

15 fields

Population

307,616

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 2.5% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

25.2Death

5.13Net migration

4.89

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1997 est.)71.54

70 · 73.16

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)88.2%

92.6% · 83.4%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition : age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

Malay 64%Chinese 20%other 16%

Religions(1981)

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 33% (male 52,239; female 50,025)
15-64 years:: 63% (male 101,326; female 90,941)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 7,207; female 5,878) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.23 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

23.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Bruneian(s)
adjective:: Bruneian

Government

Constitutional sultanate; Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967); Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)

20 fields

Country name

conventional long form:: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form:: Brunei

Data code

Government type

constitutional sultanate

National 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)

Legal system

based on Islamic law

Suffrage

none

Executive branch

chief of state:: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967);
note - the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967);
note - the sultan is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the sultan; deals with executive matters

note: there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the sultan) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the sultan) that deals with constitutional matters,

and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the sultan) that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises

elections:: none; the sultan is a traditional Islamic monarch

Legislative branch

unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members appointed by the sultan)

elections:: last held in March 1962

note: 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 constitutional reform,

but elections are unlikely for several years

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, chief justice and judges are sworn in by the sultan for three-year terms

Political parties and leaders

Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman;
Brunei National Solidarity Party (the first legal political party and now banned), Mohamad HATTA bin Maji Zainal Abidin, secretary general;
Brunei Peoples Party (banned), Sheik A. M. AZAHARI, leader;
Brunei National Democratic Party or BNDP (deregistered), Haji Abdul LATIF bin Abdul Hamad, president

International organization participation

APEC, ASEAN, C, CCC, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador-designate Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
chancery:: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:: [1] (202) 342-0159

FAX

[1] (202) 342-0158

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Glen Robert RASE
embassy:: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
mailing address :: American Embassy Box B, Bandar Seri Begawan, APO AP 96440
telephone:: [673] (2) 229670

FAX

[673] (2) 225293

Flag description

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

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

22 fields

Real growth rate

(1995 est.)industrial production growth: 2% (1995 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

2.5%

(1996 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.8%

(1994 est.)

Labor force

119,000

(1993 est.); note - includes members of the Armyby occupation: government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, other 6% (1986 est.)note : 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)

GDP - composition by sector(1995 est.)

agriculture 3%industry 46%services 51% (1995 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.5 billionExpenditures

$2.6 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $768 million

Economy - overview

This small, wealthy 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 perhaps half of GDP. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production.

The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing. The government is beginning to show progress on its basic policy of diversifying the economy away from oil and gas. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (1995 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $15,800 (1995 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Electricity - capacity

344,000 kW (1995)

Electricity - production

1.24 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita

4,003 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products

rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo, pigs

Exports

total value :: $2.7 billion (f.o.b., 1995 est.)
commodities:: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
partners:: Japan 50%, UK 19%, Thailand 10%, Singapore 9% (1994 est.)

Imports

total value:: $2 billion (c.i.f., 1995 est.)
commodities :: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
partners:: Singapore 29%, UK 19%, US 13%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 5% (1994 est.)

Debt - external

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.4061 (January 1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992);
note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

76,900

(1993)

Telephone system

service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia

domestic:: NA
international:: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

115,000 (1993)

Television broadcast stations

1 (1984 est.)

Televisions

78,000 (1993 est.)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

Networkskm

Highways

1,120Railways

13Waterways

209

Highways: paved: 388 km · unpaved : 732 km (1995) · Railways: (private line) · narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge · Waterways: ; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Railways

total:: 13 km (private line)
narrow gauge:: 13 km 0.610-m gauge

Highways

total:: 1,120 km
paved:: 388 km
unpaved :: 732 km (1995)

Waterways

209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Pipelines

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

Military

Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

7 fields

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

6.2%

(1994)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes - international

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 BULGARIA

Central Intelligence Agency. “Brunei.” The World Factbook 1997. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brunei/1997.

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