Map of Brunei | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

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Background: Although greatly reduced in size since its heyday of the 16th century the Sultanate of Brunei sits atop extensive petroleum and natural gas fields the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries.


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

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total area total: 5,770 km²
Land: 5,270 km²
Comparative: slightly larger than Delaware

Land boundaries: total 381 km, Malysia 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

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use
Arable land: 1%
Permanent crops: 1%
Meadows and pastures: 1%
Forest and woodland: 79%
Other: 18%

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

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


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Population: 292,266 (July 1995 est.)
Growth rate: 2.63% (1995 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Bruneian(s)
Adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%

Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese

Religions: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 34% (female 48,458; male 50,624)
15-64 years: 62% (female 85,581; male 95,955)
65 years and over: 4% (female 5,172; male 6,476) (July 1995 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 2.63% (1995 est.)

Birth rate: 25.83 births/1000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate: 5.07 deaths/1000 population (1995 est.)

Net migration rate: 5.49 migrant(s)/1000 population (1995 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare
Current issues international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 24.7 deaths/1000 live births (1995 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.24 years
Male: 69.65 years
Female: 72.91 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.41 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1991)
Total population: 88%
Male: 92%
Female: 82%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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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

Dependent areas

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 Islamic law

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: none

Executive branch
Chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
Cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers; composed chiefly of members of the royal family

Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Council Majlis Masyuarat Megeri: elections last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan; an elected legislative Council is being considered as part of constitution reform, but elections are unlikely for several years

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Haji JAYA bin Abdul Latif
In the us chancery: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2,600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Theresa A. TULL
From the us embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Box B, APO AP 96,440
From the us telephone: [673] (2) 229,670
From the us FAX: [673] (2) 225,293

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

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The 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 more than 40% of GDP. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: -4% (1993 est.)

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: imports about 80% of its food needs; principal crops and livestock include rice, cassava, bananas, buffaloes, and pigs

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

Industrial production growth rate: 12.9% (1987; accounts for 41.6% of GDP (1990), includes mining, quarrying, and manufacturing

Labor force: 119,000 (1993 est.); note - includes members of the Army
By occupation government: 47.5%
By occupation productionofoil naturalgas services and construction: 41.9%
By occupation agriculture forestry and fishing: 3.8% (1986)
Note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)

Unemployment rate: 5% (1993 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $1.5 billion
Expenditures: $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $255 million (1990 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Current account balance

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $2.2 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
Partners: Japan 52%, South Korea 10%, UK 9%, Thailand 7%, Singapore 6% (1991)

Imports: $1.2 billion (c.i.f., 1993 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Partners: Singapore 34%, UK 23%, US 10%, Japan 8%, Malaysia 7%, Switzerland 4% (1991)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $0

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.4524 (January 1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990; note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar


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Electricity access

Electricity production: 1.2 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,971 kWh (1993)

Electricity consumption

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: 33,000 telephones (1987); service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: INTELSAT (NA Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $312 million, 6.2% of GDP (1994)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 5
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 3
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1

Airports with paved runways
Over 3047 m: 1
Under 914 m: 3

Airports with unpaved runways
914 to 1523 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines: crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 meters

Merchant marine: total:7 liquefied gas carriers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country; all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs