from
CIA World Factbook 2006
Brunei
Introduction
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
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and
Malaysia
Geographic 4 30 N, 114 40 E
coordinates:
Map Southeast Asia
references:
Area: total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - slightly smaller than Delaware
comparative:
Land total: 381 km
boundaries: border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime territorial sea: 12 nm
claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly
lowland in west
Elevation lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
extremes: highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
Natural petroleum, natural gas, timber
resources:
Land use: arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)
Irrigated 10 sq km (2003)
land:
Natural typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
hazards:
Environment - seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in
current Indonesia
issues:
Environment - party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
international the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
agreements: signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements
Geography - close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea
note: linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically
separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within
Malaysia
People
Population: 379,444 (July 2006 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006
est.)
Median age: total: 27.4 years
male: 28 years
female: 26.7 years (2006 est.)
Population 1.87% (2006 est.)
growth rate:
Birth rate: 18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Death rate: 3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)
Net migration 3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)
rate:
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: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
Infant total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births
mortality male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births
rate: female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
Life total population: 75.01 years
expectancy at male: 72.57 years
birth: female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)
Total 2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)
fertility
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
adult
prevalence
rate:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
people living
with HIV/AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - less than 200 (2003 est.)
deaths:
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: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)
Government
Country name: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
local short form: Brunei
Government constitutional sultanate
type:
Capital: name: Bandar Seri Begawan
geographic coordinates: 4 52 S, 114 55 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
Administrative 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait,
divisions: Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
National National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984
holiday: 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 chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL
branch: 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 Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first
branch: time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the
Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a
45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan
dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a
new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next
election NA)
Judicial Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in
branch: by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of
Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for
civil cases; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws
(2006)
Political Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd
parties and HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin]; National Development
leaders: Party (NDP) [YASSIN Affendi]; People's Awareness Party
(PAKAR) [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad]
note: parties are small and have limited activity
(2005)
Political NA
pressure
groups and
leaders:
International APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO,
organization ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO
participation: (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
representation chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington,
in the US: DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
Diplomatic chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
representation embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan,
from the US: Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box
2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei
Darussalam
telephone: [673] 222-0384
FAX: [673] 222-5293
Flag yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost
description: 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
Economy - This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of
overview: foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government
regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition.
Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly
half of GDP and more than 90% of government revenues.
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
free education through the university level 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 $6.842 billion (2003 est.)
(purchasing
power parity):
GDP (official $5.486 billion
exchange
rate):
GDP - real 1.7% (2004 est.)
growth rate:
GDP - per $23,600 (2003 est.)
capita (PPP):
GDP - agriculture: 3.6%
composition by industry: 56.1%
sector: services: 40.3% (2004 est.)
Labor force: 146,300
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel;
temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force
(2003 est.)
Labor force - agriculture: 2.9%
by occupation: industry: 61.1%
services: 36% (2003 est.)
Unemployment 4.8% (2004)
rate:
Population NA%
below poverty
line:
Household lowest 10%: NA%
income or highest 10%: NA%
consumption by
percentage
share:
Inflation rate 0.9% (2004)
(consumer
prices):
Budget: revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital
expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs
products:
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas,
construction
Industrial 7.3% (2003 est.)
production
growth rate:
Electricity - 2.906 billion kWh (2004)
production:
Electricity - fossil fuel: 100%
production by hydro: 0%
source: nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - 2.726 billion kWh (2004)
consumption:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2004)
exports:
Electricity - 0 kWh (2004)
imports:
Oil - 200,800 bbl/day (2005)
production:
Oil - 10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)
consumption:
Oil - exports: 192,700 bbl/day (2005)
Oil - imports: NA bbl/day
Oil - proved 1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)
reserves:
Natural gas - 11.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)
production:
Natural gas - 1.73 billion cu m (2003 est.)
consumption:
Natural gas - 9 billion cu m (2001 est.)
exports:
Natural gas - 0 cu m (2001 est.)
imports:
Natural gas - 390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)
proved
reserves:
Exports: $4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)
Exports - crude oil, natural gas, refined products
commodities:
Exports - Japan 36.8%, Indonesia 19.3%, South Korea 12.7%, US
partners: 9.5%, Australia 9.3% (2005)
Imports: $1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)
Imports - machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods,
commodities: food, chemicals
Imports - Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 23.3%, Japan 6.9%, UK 5.3%,
partners: Thailand 4.5%, South Korea 4.1% (2005)
Debt - $0 $NA
external:
Economic aid - $770,000 (2004)
recipient:
Currency Bruneian dollar (BND)
(code):
Currency code: BND
Exchange Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902
rates: (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications
Telephones - 90,000 (2002)
main lines in
use:
Telephones - 205,900 (2004)
mobile
cellular:
Telephone general assessment: service throughout the country is
system: excellent; international service is good to East Asia,
Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth
stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the
Philippines, and Singapore (2001)
Radio AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies),
broadcast shortwave 0
stations: note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS)
station transmits two FM signals with English and
Nepali service (2006)
Radios: 329,000 (1998)
Television 4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a
broadcast subscription service (2006)
stations:
Televisions: 201,900 (1998)
Internet .bn
country code:
Internet 27 (2005)
hosts:
Internet 2 (2000)
Service
Providers
(ISPs):
Internet 56,000 (2005)
users:
Transportation
Airports: 2 (2006)
Airports - total: 1
with paved over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Airports - total: 1
with unpaved 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2006)
runways:
Heliports: 3 (2006)
Pipelines: gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006)
Roadways: total: 2,525 km
paved: 2,338 km
unpaved: 187 km (2000)
Waterways: 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m)
(2005)
Merchant total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393
marine: DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2006)
Ports and Lumut, Muara, Seria
terminals:
Military
Military Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces,
branches: Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera
Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005)
Military 18 years of age (est.) (2004)
service age
and
obligation:
Manpower males age 18-49: 103,885
available for females age 18-49: 93,024 (2005 est.)
military
service:
Manpower fit males age 18-49: 85,045
for military females age 18-49: 77,436 (2005 est.)
service:
Manpower males age 18-49: 3,478
reaching females age 18-49: 3,342 (2005 est.)
military
service age
annually:
Military $290.7 million (2003 est.)
expenditures -
dollar figure:
Military 5.1% (2003 est.)
expenditures -
percent of
GDP:
Transnational
Issues
Disputes - in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil
international: exploration in their disputed offshore and deepwater
seabeds and negotiations have stalemated prompting
consideration of international legal adjudication;
Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is
in dispute; 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; the 2002 "Declaration on
the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has
eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short
of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by
several of the disputants
Illicit drugs: drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled
substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a
mandatory death penalty