| Brunei |
Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues

Brunei | Introduction | Top of Page

Background: | 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.

Brunei | Geography | Top of Page

Location: | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates: | 4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references: | Southeast Asia

Area: | total: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: | total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: | 161 km

Maritime claims: | exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: | tropical; hot, humid, rainy

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

Elevation extremes: | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: | arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (1993 est.)

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

Brunei | People | Top of Page

Population: | 343,653 (July 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.)

Population growth rate: | 2.11% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: | 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: | 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: | 4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (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.)

Infant mortality rate: | 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 73.82 years male: 71.45 years female: 76.31 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: | 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA

Nationality: | noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups: | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions: | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Languages: | Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy: | definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.)

Brunei | Government | Top of Page

Country name: | conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei

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); 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

Suffrage: | none

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)

Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA

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 FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158

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 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

Brunei | Economy | Top of Page

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.

GDP: | purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: | NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): | 1% (1999 est.)

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 10% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: | 4.9% (1995 est.)

Budget: | revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.)

Industries: | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Industrial production growth rate: | 4% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production: | 2.445 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: | 2.274 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Exports: | $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.)

Exports - commodities: | crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners: | Japan 42%, US 17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999)

Imports: | $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.)

Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners: | Singapore 34%, UK 15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999)

Debt - external: | $0

Economic aid - recipient: | $4.3 million (1995)

Currency: | Bruneian dollar (BND)

Currency code: | BND

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

Fiscal year: | calendar year

Brunei | Communications | Top of Page

Telephones - main lines in use: | 79,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: | 43,524 (1996)

Telephone 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)

Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: | 329,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations: | 2 (1997)

Televisions: | 201,900 (1998)

Internet country code: | .bn

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000)

Internet users: | 28,000 (2001)

Brunei | Transportation | Top of Page

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

Highways: | total: 1,712 km paved: 1,284 km unpaved: 428 km (1996)

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

Ports and harbors: | Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

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.)

Airports: | 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Heliports: | 3 (2000 est.)

Brunei | Military | Top of Page

Military branches: | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 106,725 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 61,640 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 3,005 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $343 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 5.1% (FY98)

Brunei | Transnational Issues | Top of Page

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

Illicit drugs: | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty