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.

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
Extremes lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
Extremes highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: 10 km² (1989 est.)

Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Bruneian(s)
Adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups:

Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese

Religions:

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Environment
Current issues: NA
Current issues Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified_Law of the Sea
International agreements 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

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.24 male(s)/female
All ages:

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 71.39 years (1996 est.); 71.24 years (1995 est.)
Male: 69.82 years (1996 est.); 69.65 years (1995 est.)
Female: 73.04 years (1996 est.); 72.91 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 88.2%
Male: 92.6%
Female: 83.4%

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 U.K.)

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

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 is composed chiefly of members of the royal family, appointed and presided over by the sultan; deals with executive matters Religious Council:Is appointed by the sultan; advises on religious matters Privy Council:Is appointed by the sultan; deals with constitutional matters the Council of Succession:Is appointed by the sultan; determines the succession to the throne if the need arises

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, chief justice and judges are sworn in by the sultan for a three-year term

International organization participation: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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 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 growth rate:

Real gdp per capita:

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

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 12.9% (1987; accounts for 42% of GDP (1990), includes mining, quarrying, and manufacturing

Labor force: 119,000 (1993 est.), note_includes members of the Army
By occupation Government:
By occupation naturalgas services and construction:
By occupation forestry and fishing: 3.8% (1986)
By occupation note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)

Unemployment rate:

Budget
Revenues: $2.1 billion (1993); $1.5 billion
Expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $427 million (1993); $1.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $255 million (1990 est.)

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Exports:
Commodities:
Partners:

Debt external: $0

Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1: 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (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

Electricity
Capacity: 380,000 kW
Production: 1.2 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 3,971 kWh (1993)

Telephone system: 76,900 telephones (1993); service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations

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

Airports: 2
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1

Heliports: 3 (1995 est.)

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

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