| Background: |
The Sultanate of
Brunei's heyday occurred 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.
Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in
the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled
in Brunei for over six centuries. |
| 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
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km |
| Area
- comparative: |
slightly smaller
than Delaware |
| Land
boundaries: |
total:
381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 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:
1%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 1%
forests and woodland: 85%
other: 12% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated
land: |
10 sq km (1993
est.) |
| Natural
hazards: |
typhoons,
earthquakes, and severe flooding are very 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 |
| Population: |
343,653 (July
2001 est.) |
| Age
structure: |
0-14 years:
30.77% (male 53,977; female 51,772)
15-64 years: 66.52% (male 121,601; female
107,007)
65 years and over: 2.71% (male 4,449; female
4,847) (2001 est.) |
| Population
growth rate: |
2.11% (2001 est.) |
| Birth
rate: |
20.45
births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death
rate: |
3.38 deaths/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Net
migration rate: |
4.07 migrant(s)/1,000
population (2001 est.) |
| Sex
ratio: |
at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female
total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001
est.) |
| Infant
mortality rate: |
14.4 deaths/1,000
live births (2001 est.) |
| Life
expectancy at birth: |
total
population: 73.82 years
male: 71.45 years
female: 76.31 years (2001 est.) |
| Total
fertility rate: |
2.44 children
born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- adult prevalence rate: |
0.2% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS
- people living with HIV/AIDS: |
less than 100
(1999 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: 88.2%
male: 92.6%
female: 83.4% (1995 est.) |
| 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 |
| 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]; 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, CCC, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO,
Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU,
NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO |
| Diplomatic
representation in the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
Ibni Mohammad Alam
chancery: 3520 International Court NW,
Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159
FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158 |
| Diplomatic
representation from the US: |
chief of
mission: Ambassador Sylvia Gaye STANFIELD
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
- overview: |
This small,
wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic
entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare
measures, and village tradition. Exports of crude oil and
natural gas account for over 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, a further
widening of the economic base beyond oil and gas. |
| GDP: |
purchasing power
parity - $5.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- real growth rate: |
3% (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- per capita: |
purchasing power
parity - $17,600 (2000 est.) |
| GDP
- composition by sector: |
agriculture:
5%
industry: 46%
services: 49% (1996 est.) |
| Population
below poverty line: |
NA% |
| Household
income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Inflation
rate (consumer prices): |
1% (1999 est.) |
| Labor
force: |
144,000 (1995
est.); note - includes foreign workers and military
personnel
note: temporary residents make up 41% of labor
force (1991) |
| Labor
force - by occupation: |
government 48%,
production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction
42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.) |
| Unemployment
rate: |
4.9% (1995 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: |
4% (1997 est.) |
| Electricity
- production: |
2.445 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity
- consumption: |
2.274 billion kWh
(1999) |
| Electricity
- exports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity
- imports: |
0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture
- products: |
rice, vegetables,
fruits, chickens, water buffalo |
| Exports: |
$2.55 billion
(f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Exports
- commodities: |
crude oil,
natural gas, refined products |
| Exports
- partners: |
Japan 42%, US
17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999) |
| Imports: |
$1.3 billion
(c.i.f., 1999 est.) |
| Imports
- commodities: |
machinery and
transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals |
| Imports
- partners: |
Singapore 34%, UK
15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$4.3 million
(1995) |
| Currency: |
Bruneian dollar (BND) |
| Exchange
rates: |
Bruneian dollars
per US dollar - 1.7365 (January 2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950
(1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996); note -
the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar |
| Fiscal
year: |
calendar year |
| Telephones
- main lines in use: |
79,000 (1996) |
| Telephones
- mobile cellular: |
43,524 (1996) |
| Telephone
system: |
general
assessment: service throughout country is
excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and
East Asia
domestic: every service available
international: satellite earth stations - 2
Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital
submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and
Philippines (2001) |
| Radio
broadcast stations: |
AM 3, FM 10,
shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
201,900 (1998) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bn |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
28,000 (2001) |
| Railways: |
total:
13 km (private line)
narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge |
| Highways: |
total:
1,712 km
paved: 1,284 km
unpaved: 428 km (1996) |
| Waterways: |
209 km; navigable
by craft drawing less than 1.2 m |
| Pipelines: |
crude oil 135 km;
petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km |
| Ports
and harbors: |
Bandar Seri
Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong |
| Merchant
marine: |
total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT
ships by type: liquefied gas 7 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with paved runways: |
total:
1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports
- with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Military
branches: |
Land Forces,
Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police |
| Military
manpower - military age: |
18 years of age |
| Military
manpower - availability: |
males age
15-49: 106,725 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - fit for military service: |
males age
15-49: 61,640 (2001 est.) |
| Military
manpower - reaching military age annually: |
males:
3,005 (2001 est.) |
| Military
expenditures - dollar figure: |
$343 million
(FY98) |
| Military
expenditures - percent of GDP: |
5.1% (FY98) |
| Disputes
- international: |
possibly involved
in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China,
Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; in 1984, Brunei
established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses
Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not
publicly claimed the island |
| Illicit
drugs: |
drug trafficking
and illegally importing controlled substances are serious
offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty |
|
