Brunei

Negara Brunei Darussalam

constitutional sultanateIndependence 1 January 1984 (from UK)

Brunei as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 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

322,982 people July 1999 est. · 372,108 in 1990

Population growth% a year

2.38% 1999 est. · 2.77% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 26.4 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

71.84 years 1999 est. · 70.94 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

3.33 children per woman 1999 est. · 2.9 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

22.83 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 10 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$17,000 1998 est. · $8,800 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-1% 1998 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--current issues

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment--international agreements

party to:: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
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

322,982

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 2.38% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

24.69Death

5.21Net migration

4.35

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)71.84

70.35 · 73.42

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 54,154; female 51,766)
15-64 years:: 63% (male 106,492; female 95,921)
65 years and over:: 4% (male 7,945; female 6,704) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.05 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.11 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.19 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

22.83 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 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)

18 fields

Country name

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

Data code

Government 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)

Legal system

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas

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 monarch 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 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

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 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

Judicial branch

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

Political parties and leaders

Brunei Solidarity National Party president];
the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei;
it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988;
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 1985, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH Ibni Mohammad Alam
chancery:: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

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:: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96534-0001

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.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$17,000

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

-1%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 4% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

(1997 est.)

Unemployment rate

4.8%

(1994 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996 est.)

agriculture 5%industry 46%services 49% (1996 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$2.5 billionExpenditures

$2.6 billion (1995 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $768 million

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

1.48 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

1.48 billion (1996)

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 over 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 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. Because of low world oil prices and the Asian crisis, growth in 1999 is expected to be moderate.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$5.4 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force

144,000 (1995 est.); note--includes foreign workers and military personnel note: temporary residents make up 41% of labor force (1991)

Labor force--by occupation

government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 4%, other 6% (1986 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Agriculture--products

rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo

Exports

$2.62 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)

Exports--commodities

crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products

Exports--partners

ASEAN 31%, Japan 27%, South Korea 26%, UK, Taiwan (1996 est.)

Imports

$2.65 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)

Imports--commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports--partners

Singapore 29%, UK 19%, US 13%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 5% (1994 est.)

Debt--external

Economic aid--recipient

$4.3 million (1995)

Currency

1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1--1.6781 (January 1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994);
note--the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

90,000

(1997 est.)

Telephone system

service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia

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

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

284,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

173,000 (1995 est.)

Transportation

10 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m

Networkskm

Highways

1,150Railways

13Waterways

209

Highways: paved: 399 km · unpaved: 751 km (1996 est.) · 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:: 1,150 km
paved:: 399 km
unpaved:: 751 km (1996 est.)

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

(1997)

Transnational Issues

1 field

Disputes--international

possibly involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam;
in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island

Central Intelligence Agency. “Brunei.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brunei/1999.

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