Country List | World Factbook Home
The World Factbook
| Brunei |

Introduction | Brunei

Background: | The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked 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. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the developing world.

Geography | Brunei

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 water: 500 sq km land: 5,270 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: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are 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 | Brunei

Population: | 358,098 (July 2003 est.)
Age structure: | 0-14 years: 29.6% (male 54,118; female 51,902) 15-64 years: 67.6% (male 128,421; female 113,480) 65 years and over: 2.8% (male 4,804; female 5,373) (2003 est.)
Median age: | total: 26.4 years male: 27 years female: 25.7 years (2002)
Population growth rate: | 2% (2003 est.)
Birth rate: | 19.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Death rate: | 3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Net migration rate: | 3.75 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Sex ratio: | at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
Infant mortality rate: | total: 13.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.71 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) male: 17.09 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: | total population: 74.3 years male: 71.9 years female: 76.82 years (2003 est.)
Total fertility rate: | 2.37 children born/woman (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (2001 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (2001 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: 91.8% male: 94.8% female: 88.5% (2003 est.)

Government | Brunei

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]; note - 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, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Anak Dato Haji PUTEH FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the US: | chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY 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

Economy | Brunei

Economy - overview: | This small, wealthy economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly 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, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.
GDP: | purchasing power parity - $6.5 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2002 est.)
GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $18,600 (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: | agriculture: 5% industry: 45% services: 50% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: | NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share: | lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): | -2% (2002 est.)
Labor force: | 143,400 note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (1999 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: | government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: | 10% (2001 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: | 5% (2002 est.)
Electricity - production: | 2.497 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source: | fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2001) nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: | 2.322 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (2001)
Oil - production: | 217,200 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - consumption: | 13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)
Oil - exports: | NA (2001)
Oil - imports: | NA (2001)
Oil - proved reserves: | 1.255 billion bbl (37257)
Natural gas - production: | 10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - consumption: | 1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - exports: | 9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - imports: | 0 cu m (2001 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves: | 315 billion cu m (37257)
Agriculture - products: | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo
Exports: | $3 billion f.o.b. (2000 est.)
Exports - commodities: | crude oil, natural gas, refined products
Exports - partners: | Japan 40.3%, South Korea 12.3%, Thailand 12.1%, Australia 9.2%, US 8.1%, China 6.4%, Singapore 5.7% (2002)
Imports: | $1.4 billion c.i.f. (2000 est.)
Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Imports - partners: | Singapore 30.6%, Japan 21.5%, Malaysia 17.4%, UK 6.1%, Hong Kong 4% (2002)
Debt - external: | $0
Economic aid - recipient: | $4.3 million (1995)
Currency: | Bruneian dollar (BND)
Currency code: | BND
Exchange rates: | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.79 (2002), 1.79 (2001), 1.72 (2000), 1.69 (1999), 1.67 (1998)
Fiscal year: | calendar year

Communications | Brunei

Telephones - main lines in use: | 79,000 (1996)
Telephones - mobile cellular: | 43,524 (1996)
Telephone system: | general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (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: | 35,000 (2002)

Transportation | Brunei

Railways: | total: 13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge (2001 est.)
Highways: | total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Waterways: | 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m
Pipelines: | gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2003)
Ports and harbors: | Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Merchant marine: | total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT ships by type: liquefied gas 8 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: UK 7 (2002 est.)
Airports: | 2 (2002)
Airports - with paved runways: | total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways: | total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Heliports: | 3 (2002)

Military | Brunei

Military branches: | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 110,888 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 63,966 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 3,277 (2003 est.)
Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $329.7 million (FY02)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 5% (FY02)

Transnational Issues | Brunei

Disputes - international: | Involved in dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; claimants in November 2002 signed the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea", a mechanism to ease tension but which fell short of a legally binding "code of conduct"
Illicit drugs: | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003