1999 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1999 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km
Area--comparative
slightly smaller than Delaware
Climate
tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Coastline
161 km
Elevation extremes
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
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
Geographic coordinates
4 30 N, 114 40 E
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
Irrigated land
10 sq km (1993 est.)
Land boundaries
total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Land use
arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.)
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Map references
Southeast Asia
Maritime claims
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line territorial sea: 12 nm
Natural hazards
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Terrain
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 33% (male 54,154; female 51,766) 15-64 years: 63% (male 106,492; female 95,921) 65 years and over: 4% (male 7,945; female 6,704) (1999 est.)
Birth rate
24.69 births/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Death rate
5.21 deaths/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Ethnic groups
Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
Infant mortality rate
22.83 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)
Languages
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 71.84 years male: 70.35 years female: 73.42 years (1999 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Net migration rate
4.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1999 est.)
Population
322,982 (July 1999 est.)
Population growth rate
2.38% (1999 est.)
Religions
Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.11 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.19 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)
Total fertility rate
3.33 children born/woman (1999 est.)
Government
Administrative divisions
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular--daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Capital
Bandar Seri Begawan
Constitution
29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
Country name
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei
Data code
BX
Executive branch
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967); note--the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (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
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
Government type
constitutional sultanate
Independence
1 January 1984 (from UK)
International organization participation
APEC, 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: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Glen Robert RASE embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96534-0001
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 president]; the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988; 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 1985, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)
Legal system
based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas
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
National holiday
National Day, 23 February (1984)
Suffrage
none
Economy
Agriculture--products
rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo
Budget
revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $768 million (1995 est.)
Currency
1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Debt--external
$0
Economic aid--recipient
$4.3 million (1995)
Economy--overview
This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for over half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing. The government is beginning to show progress on its basic policy of diversifying the economy away from oil and gas. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion. Because of low world oil prices and the Asian crisis, growth in 1999 is expected to be moderate.
Electricity--consumption
1.48 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--exports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--imports
0 kWh (1996)
Electricity--production
1.48 billion kWh (1996)
Electricity--production by source
fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1996)
Exchange rates
Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1--1.6781 (January 1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994); note--the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Exports
$2.62 billion (f.o.b., 1996 est.)
Exports--commodities
crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
Exports--partners
ASEAN 31%, Japan 27%, South Korea 26%, UK, Taiwan (1996 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
GDP
purchasing power parity--$5.4 billion (1998 est.)
GDP--composition by sector
agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.)
GDP--per capita
purchasing power parity?$17,000 (1998 est.)
GDP--real growth rate
-1% (1998 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Imports
$2.65 billion (c.i.f., 1996 est.)
Imports--commodities
machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Imports--partners
Singapore 29%, UK 19%, US 13%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 5% (1994 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
4% (1997 est.)
Industries
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
2% (1997 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 4%, other 6% (1986 est.)
Population below poverty line
NA%
Unemployment rate
4.8% (1994 est.)
Communications
Radio broadcast stations
AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)
Radios
284,000 (1995 est.)
Telephone system
service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Telephones
90,000 (1997 est.)
Television broadcast stations
2 (1997)
Televisions
173,000 (1995 est.)
Transportation
Airports
2 (1998 est.) Airports--with paved runways: total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.) Airports--with unpaved runways: total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)
Heliports
3 (1998 est.)
Highways
total: 1,150 km paved: 399 km unpaved: 751 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 7 liquefied gas tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT (1998 est.)
Pipelines
crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km Ports and harbors: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Railways
total: 13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge
Waterways
209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m
Military and Security
Military branches
Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Military expenditures--dollar figure
$343 million (1997)
Military expenditures--percent of GDP
6% (1997)
Military manpower--availability
males age 15-49: 88,628 (1999 est.) Military manpower--fit for military service: males age 15-49: 51,270 (1999 est.)
Military manpower--military age
18 years of age
Military manpower--reaching military age annually
males: 3,078 (1999 est.)
Transnational Issues
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