Brunei

§1. 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.

§2. Brunei Geography

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 km²
  land: 5,270 km²
  water: 500 km²

Area - comparative:
  slightly smaller than Delaware

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

Coastline:
  161 km

Maritime claims:
  territorial sea: 12 nm
  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 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: 2.08%
  permanent crops: 0.87%
  other: 97.05% (2005)

Irrigated land:
  10 km² (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, Hazardous Wastes, 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
  within Malaysia

§3. Brunei 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 growth rate:
  1.87% (2006 est.)

Birth rate:
  18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate:
  3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Net migration rate:
  3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

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 mortality rate:
  total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births
  male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births
  female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 75.01 years
  male: 72.57 years
  female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
  less than 200 (2003 est.)

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)

§4. Brunei Government

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:
  Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first 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 branch:
  Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in 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 parties and leaders:
  Brunei Solidarity National Party (PPKB) [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal
  Abidin]; National Development 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 pressure groups and leaders:
  NA

International organization participation:
  APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF,
  IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD,
  UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
  chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
  FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
  embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan,
    BS8811
  mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
  telephone: [673] (2) 220-384
  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

§5. Brunei Economy

Economy - overview:
  This small, well-to-do 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 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 (purchasing power parity):
  $6.842 billion (2003 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):
  NA

GDP - real growth rate:
  1.7% (2004 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
  $23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 3.6%
  industry: 56.1%
  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 - by occupation:
  agriculture, forestry, and fishing 2.9%, production of oil, natural gas,
  services, and construction 61.1%, government 36% (2003 est.)

Unemployment rate:
  4.8% (2004)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.9% (2004)

Budget:
  revenues: $3.765 billion
  expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004
    est.)

Agriculture - products:
  rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, eggs

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  7.3% (2003 est.)

Electricity - production:
  2.906 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - consumption:
  2.726 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (2004)

Oil - production:
  200,800 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - consumption:
  10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports:
  192,700 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports:
  NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves:
  1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Natural gas - production:
  11.4 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - consumption:
  1.73 billion m³ (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports:
  9 billion m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports:
  0 m³ (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves:
  390.8 billion m³ (1 January 2002)

Exports:
  $4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

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

Exports - partners:
  Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand 7.9%,
  Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004)

Imports:
  $1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

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

Imports - partners:
  Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

Debt - external:
  $NA

Economic aid - recipient:
  $4.3 million (1995)

Currency (code):
  Bruneian dollar (BND)

Exchange rates:
  Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422
  (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001)

Fiscal year:
  calendar year

§6. Brunei Communications

Telephones - main lines in use:
  90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular:
  137,000 (2002)

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

Television broadcast stations:
  2 (1997)

Internet country code:
  .bn

Internet hosts:
  27 (2005)

Internet users:
  56,000 (2005)

§7. Brunei Transportation

Airports:
  2 (2005)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 1
  over 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 1
  914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

Heliports:
  3 (2005)

Pipelines:
  gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Roadways:
  total: 1,150 km
  paved: 399 km
  unpaved: 751 km (1999)

Waterways:
  209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005)

Merchant marine:
  total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
  by type: liquefied gas 8
  foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2005)

Ports and terminals:
  Lumut, Muara, Seria

§8. Brunei Military

Military branches:
  Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy,
    Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005)

Military service age and obligation:
  18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Manpower available for military service:
  males age 18-49: 103,885 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service:
  males age 18-49: approx. 85,045 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually:
  males: 3,478 (2005 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $290.7 million (2003 est.)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  5.1% (2003 est.)

§9. Brunei Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil 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


<Factbook 2006>
