Brunei

total:

0.09 cu km/yr (97%/0%/3%)

per capita:

301.6 cu m/yr (2009)

party to:

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified:

none of the selected agreements

• close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans;
• two parts physically separated by Malaysia;
• almost an enclave within Malaysia

noun:

Bruneian(s)

adjective:

Bruneian

at birth:

1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

15-24 years:

0.97 male(s)/female

25-54 years:

0.96 male(s)/female

55-64 years:

1.07 male(s)/female

65 years and over:

0.95 male(s)/female

total population:

1 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

conventional long form:

Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form:

Brunei

local long form:

Negara Brunei Darussalam

local short form:

Brunei

name:

Bandar Seri Begawan

geographic coordinates:

4 53 N, 114 56 E

time difference:

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

• drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959;
• amended 1984, 2004, 2011;
• note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others since independence in 1984 (2011)

chief of state:

• Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967);
• note - the monarch is both the chief of state (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) and head of government

head of government:

Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)

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

; (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website)

elections:

none; the monarchy is hereditary

• the Sultan appointed a Legislative Council with 29 members in September 2005;
• he increased the size of the council to 33 members in June 2011;
• the council meets annually in March

elections:

last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

note: the Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; it passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; no timeframe for an election was announced

highest court(s):

• Supreme Court (consists of Court of Appeal and High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges);
• Sharia Court of Appeal (consists of judges appointed by the monarch)

;

• note - Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts;
• the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only

judge selection and term of office:

• Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and older if approved by the monarch;
• Sharia Court of Appeal judges appointed by the monarch;
• judge tenure NA

subordinate courts:

• Intermediate Court;
• Magistrate's Courts;
• Juvenile Court;
• small claims courts;
• lower sharia courts (2006)

chief of mission:

Ambassador Dato Yusoff Abd HAMID (since 2 October 2009)

chancery:

3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:

[1] (202) 237-1838

FAX:

[1] (202) 885-0560

chief of mission:

Ambassador Daniel L. SHIELDS III (since 28 March 2011)

embassy:

Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Datu, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115

mailing address:

Unit 4280, Box 40, FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam

telephone:

[673] 238-4616

FAX:

[673] 238-4604

• 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;
• yellow is the color of royalty and symbolizes the sultanate;
• the white and black bands denote Brunei's chief ministers;
• the emblem includes five main components: a swallow-tailed flag, the royal umbrella representing the monarchy, the wings of four feathers symbolizing justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace, the two upraised hands signifying the government's pledge to preserve and promote the welfare of the people, and the crescent moon denoting Islam, the state religion;
• the state motto "Always render service with God's guidance" appears in yellow Arabic script on the crescent;
• a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace"

agriculture:

4.2%

industry:

62.8%

services:

33% (2008 est.)

lowest 10%:

NA%

highest 10%:

NA%

general assessment:

service throughout the country is good; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US

domestic:

every service available

international:

• country code - 673;
• landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe;
• the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable network provides new links to Asia and the US;
• satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)

• state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 5 channels;
• 3 Malaysian TV stations are available;
• foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite and cable systems;
• RTB operates 5 radio networks and broadcasts on multiple frequencies;
• British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides radio broadcasts on 2 FM stations;
• some radio broadcast stations from Malaysia are available via repeaters (2009)

total:

3,029 km

country comparison to the world: 166

paved:

2,425 km

unpaved:

604 km (2010)

major seaport(s):

Muara

oil/gas terminal(s):

Lumut, Seria

• 17 years of age for voluntary military service;
• non-Malays are ineligible to serve;
• recruits from the army, navy, and air force all undergo 43-week initial training (2013)

males age 16-49:

112,688

females age 16-49:

117,536 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49:

95,141

females age 16-49:

99,386 (2010 est.)

male:

3,572

female:

3,465 (2010 est.)

• per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei;
• nonetheless, Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Louisa Reef

stateless persons:

• 21,009 (2012);
• note - thousands of stateless persons, often ethnic Chinese, are permanent residents and their families have lived in Brunei for generations;
• obtaining citizenship is difficult and requires individuals to pass rigorous tests on Malay culture, customs, and language;
• stateless residents receive an International Certificate of Identity, which enables them to travel overseas;
• the government is considering changing the law prohibiting non-Bruneians, including stateless permanent residents, from owning land