Brunei
Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei
constitutional sultanateIndependence 1 January 1984 (from UK)
Brunei as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 118 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.
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Introduction
1 fieldBackground
The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred 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. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled in Brunei for over six centuries.
Geography
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
18 fieldsLand use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.)
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
18 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2001 est.)
Age structure
0-14 years: 30.77% (male 53,977; female 51,772) 15-64 years: 66.52% (male 121,601; female 107,007) 65 years and over: 2.71% (male 4,449; female 4,847) (2001 est.)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 73.82 years male: 71.45 years female: 76.31 years (2001 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.)
Government
Constitutional sultanate; Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)
20 fieldsAdministrative divisions
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
National holiday
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
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
Executive branch
- 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
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 or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president];
- 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)
International organization participation
APEC, ARF, 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: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sylvia Gaye STANFIELD embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507 telephone: [673] (2) 229670
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.
32 fieldsTrading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
Economy - overview
This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. Exports of crude oil and natural gas account 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 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, a further widening of the economic base beyond oil and gas.
Labor force - by occupation
government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.)
Budget
revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.)
Exchange rates
- Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7365 (January 2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996);
- note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Communications
10 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- service throughout country is excellent;
- international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean);
- digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines (2001)
Transportation
10 fieldsNetworkskm
Merchant marine
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT ships by type: liquefied gas 7 (2000 est.)
Military
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
7 fieldsTransnational Issues
2 fieldsDisputes - 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
Illicit drugs
drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Brunei.” The World Factbook 2001. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/brunei/2001.