2000 Edition

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

land

5,270 sq km

total

5,770 sq km

water

500 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Coastline

161 km

Elevation extremes

highest point

Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 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

border countries

Malaysia 381 km

total

381 km

Land use

arable land

1%

forests and woodland

85%

other

12% (1993 est.)

permanent crops

1%

permanent pastures

1%

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 31% (male 53,812; female 51,628) 15-64 years: 66% (male 118,207; female 103,819) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,317; female 4,593) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

20.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Malay 62%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 17%

Infant mortality rate

14.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Life expectancy at birth

female

76.06 years (2000 est.)

male

71.23 years

total population

73.58 years

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

83.4% (1995 est.)

male

92.6%

total population

88.2%

Nationality

adjective

Bruneian

noun

Bruneian(s)

Net migration rate

4.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

336,376 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

2.17% (2000 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

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: 0.94 male(s)/female

total population

1.1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.47 children born/woman (2000 est.)

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

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

(2) 229670

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH Ibni Mohammad Alam

telephone

(202) 342-0159

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; deals with executive matters

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

elections

none; the monarch is hereditary

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

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

FAX

(202) 342-0158

(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

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

Judicial branch

Supreme Court, chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms

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)

Political parties and leaders

Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay ; 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)

Suffrage

none

Agriculture - products

rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo

Budget

expenditures

$2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $768 million (1995 est.)

revenues

$2.5 billion

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 has shown progress in 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 although it has taken steps to become a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Growth in 1999 is estimated at 2.5% due to higher oil prices in the second half.

Electricity - consumption

2.381 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

2.56 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel

100%

hydro

0%

nuclear

0%

other

0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.6733 (January 2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Exports

$2.04 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products

Exports - partners

Japan 51%, UK 14%, US 10%, Singapore 8%, Thailand 3% (1998)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $5.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture

5%

industry

46%

services

49% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $17,400 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

2.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

Singapore 32%, UK 17%, Malaysia 12%, France 12%, US 5% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

4% (1997 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

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.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

4.9% (1995 est.)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios

319,408 (1997)

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); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines

Telephones - main lines in use

68,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

57,000 (1998)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Televisions

196,009 (1997)

Airports

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total

1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total

1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Heliports

3 (1999 est.)

Highways

paved

399 km

total

1,150 km

unpaved

751 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine

ships by type

liquified gas 7 (1999 est.)

total

7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT

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

narrow gauge

13 km 0.610-m gauge

total

13 km (private line)

Waterways

209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Military branches

Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$343 million (FY98)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 104,447 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 60,395 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males

2,957 (2000 est.)

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

BULGARIA