2023 Edition

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 world. In 2017, Brunei celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH’s accession to the throne.

Area

land

5,265 sq km

total

5,765 sq km

water

500 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Coastline

161 km

Elevation

highest point

Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

mean elevation

478 m

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; the eastern part, the Temburong district, is an exclave and is almost an enclave within Malaysia

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Malaysia 266 km

total

266 km

Land use

agricultural land

2.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest

71.8% (2018 est.)

other

25.7% (2018 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, 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 rare

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Population distribution

the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan

Terrain

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Age structure

0-14 years

21.83% (male 54,523/female 51,334)

15-64 years

71.07% (male 164,957/female 179,721)

65 years and over

7.1% (2023 est.) (male 16,748/female 17,708)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

16 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

2.4% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.9 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Brunei is a small, oil-rich sultanate of less than half a million people, making it the smallest country in Southeast Asia by population.  Its total fertility rate – the average number of births per woman – has been steadily declining over the last few decades, from over 3.5 in the 1980s to below replacement level today at nearly 1.8.  The trend is due to women’s increased years of education and participation in the workforce, which have resulted in later marriages and fewer children.  Yet, the population continues to grow because of the large number of women of reproductive age and a reliance on foreign labor – mainly from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, and South Asian countries – to fill low-skilled jobs. Brunei is officially Muslim, and Malay is the official language.  The country follows an official Malay national ideology, Malay Islamic Monarchy, which promotes Malay language and culture, Islamic values, and the monarchy.  Only seven of Brunei’s native groups are recognized in the constitution and are defined as “Malay” – Brunei Malays, Belait, Kedayan, Dusun, Bisayak, Lun Bawang, and Sama-Baiau.  Together they make up about 66% percent of the population and are referred to as the Bumiputera.  The Bumiputera are entitled to official privileges, including land ownership, access to certain types of employment (Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Brunei Shell Petroleum), easier access to higher education, and better job opportunities in the civil service.  Brunei’s Chinese population descends from migrants who arrived when Brunei was a British protectorate (1888 and 1984).  They are prominent in the non-state commercial sector and account for approximately 10% of the population.  Most Bruneian Chinese are permanent residents rather than citizens despite roots going back several generations.  Many are stateless and are denied rights granted to citizens, such as land ownership, subsidized health care, and free secondary and university education.  Because of the discriminatory policies, the number of Chinese in Brunei has shrunk considerably in the last 50 years.  Native ethnic groups that are not included in the Bumiputera are not recognized in the constitution and are not officially identified as “Malay” or automatically granted citizenship.  Foreign workers constitute some quarter of the labor force.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

8.1

potential support ratio

12.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

39.2

youth dependency ratio

31.1

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 99.9% of population

improved: urban

urban: 99.7% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2020)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

Education expenditures

4.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Ethnic groups

Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.9 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

7.9 deaths/1,000 live births

male

12.6 deaths/1,000 live births

total

10.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

Languages

Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects

major-language sample(s)

Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Life expectancy at birth

female

81.1 years

male

76.3 years

total population

78.6 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.9% (2021)

male

98.3%

total population

97.6%

Major urban areas - population

266,682 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2021)

note

note: the boundaries of the capital city were expanded in 2007, greatly increasing the city area; the population of the capital increased tenfold

Maternal mortality ratio

44 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

32.8 years

male

31.1 years

total

32 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Bruneian

noun

Bruneian(s)

Net migration rate

2.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.1% (2016)

Physicians density

1.61 physicians/1,000 population (2017)

Population

484,991 (2023 est.)

note

note: immigrants make up approximately 26% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Population distribution

the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan

Population growth rate

1.43% (2023 est.)

Religions

Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: NA

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: NA

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

14 years (2020)

male

14 years

total

14 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.95 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2.3% (2020 est.)

male

30% (2020 est.)

total

16.2% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.74 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

79.1% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

27.6%

male

20.7%

total

23.4% (2021 est.)

Administrative divisions

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei dan Muara, Temburong, Tutong

Capital

etymology

named in 1970 after Sultan Omar Ali SAIFUDDIEN III (1914-1986; "The Father of Independence") who adopted the title of "Seri Begawan" (approximate meaning "honored lord") upon his abdication in 1967; "bandar" in Malay means "town" or "city"; the capital had previously been called Bandar Brunei (Brunei Town)

geographic coordinates

4 53 N, 114 56 E

name

Bandar Seri Begawan

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

the father must be a citizen of Brunei

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

12 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by the monarch; passage requires submission to the Privy Council for Legislative Council review and finalization takes place by proclamation; the monarch can accept or reject changes to the original proposal provided by the Legislative Council; amended several times, last in 2010

history

drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984

Country name

conventional long form

Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form

Brunei

etymology

derivation of the name is unclear; according to legend, MUHAMMAD SHAH, who would become the first sultan of Brunei, upon discovering what would become Brunei exclaimed "Baru nah," which roughly translates as "there" or "that's it"

local long form

Negara Brunei Darussalam

local short form

Brunei

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021)

email address and website

ConsularBrunei@state.govhttps://bn.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Duta, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115

FAX

(673) 238-7533

mailing address

4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC  20521-4020

telephone

(673) 238-7400

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador Dato Paduka Haji Serbini bin Haji ALI (since 28 January 2016)

consulate(s)

New York

email address and website

info@bruneiembassy.orghttp://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html

FAX

[1] (202) 885-0560

telephone

[1] (202) 237-1838

Executive branch

cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; note - 4 additional advisory councils appointed by the monarch are the Religious Council, Privy Council for constitutional issues, Council of Succession, and Legislative Council; Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah is also Minister of Finance, Defense, and Foreign Affairs and Trade

chief of state

Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government

elections/appointments

none; the monarchy is hereditary

head of government

Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)

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; yellow is the color of royalty and symbolizes the sultanate; the white and black bands denote Brunei's chief ministers; the emblem includes five main components: a swallow-tailed flag, the royal umbrella representing the monarchy, the wings of four feathers symbolizing justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace, the two upraised hands signifying the government's pledge to preserve and promote the welfare of the people, and the crescent moon denoting Islam, the state religion; the state motto "Always render service with God's guidance" appears in yellow Arabic script on the crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace"

Government type

absolute monarchy or sultanate

Independence

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges); Sharia Court (consists the Court of Appeals and the High Court); note - Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council (in London) serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and older if approved by the monarch; Sharia Court judges appointed by the monarch for life

subordinate courts

Intermediate Court; Magistrates' Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts

Legal system

mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law; note - in April 2019, the full sharia penal codes came into force and apply to Muslims and partly to non-Muslims in parallel with present common law codes

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei (33 seats; 20 members appointed by the sultan from ex-officio cabinet ministers, titled people, and prominent citizens in public service and various professional fields, 13 members from 4 multi-seat constituencies, and 3 ex-officio members - the speaker and first and second secretaries); members serve 5-year terms

election results

Legislative Council last appointed January 2023; composition men 30, women 4, percent of women 11.8%

elections

January 2017 - appointed by the sultan

National anthem

lyrics/music

Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap

name

"Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty)

note

note: adopted 1951

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; the Sultan's birthday, 15 June

National symbol(s)

royal parasol; national colors: yellow, white, black

Political parties and leaders

National Development Party or NDP [Zainal Talib]

note

note: the NDP is Brunei’s only registered party, but does not have representation in the Legislative Council, which is appointed

Suffrage

18 years of age for village elections; universal

Agricultural products

poultry, eggs, fruit, cassava, bananas, legumes, cucumbers, rice, pineapples, beef

Budget

expenditures

$3.189 billion (2020 est.)

revenues

$1.058 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$893.759 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$513.713 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$1.57 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2013

$0 (2013)

Debt - external 2014

$0 (2014)

note

note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable

Economic overview

almost exclusively an oil and gas economy; high income country; expansive and robust welfare system; the majority of the population works for the government; promulgating a nationalized halal brand; considering establishment of a bond market and stock exchange

Exchange rates

Currency

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1.381 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1.349 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1.364 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.38 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.344 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$7.828 billion (2019 est.)

Exports 2020

$6.886 billion (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$11.202 billion (2021 est.)

note

note: Data are in current year dollars and do not include illicit exports or re-exports.

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, industrial hydrocarbons, industrial alcohols  (2021)

Exports - partners

Singapore 21%, China 20%, Japan 19%, Australia 14%, Malaysia 5% (2021)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

45.9% (2017 est.)

government consumption

24.8% (2017 est.)

household consumption

25% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-36.8% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

32.6% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

8.5% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

1.2% (2017 est.)

industry

56.6% (2017 est.)

services

42.3% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$12.13 billion (2017 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$6.806 billion (2019 est.)

Imports 2020

$6.382 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$9.219 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, cars, coal, packaged medicines (2021)

Imports - partners

Malaysia 20%, Russia 14%, Singapore 11%, Saudi Arabia 10%, China 8% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

-4.17% (2021 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

-0.39% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

1.94% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

1.73% (2021 est.)

Labor force

219,800 (2021 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

4.2%

industry

62.8%

services

33% (2008 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

2.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$26.907 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$27.212 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$26.779 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

3.87% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

1.13% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

-1.59% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$61,400 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$61,600 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$60,100 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2018

$3.407 billion (31 December 2018 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$4.273 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$3.997 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

18.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

6.92% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

7.68% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

7.65% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

27.6%

male

20.7%

total

23.4% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

7.569 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

2.387 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

9.956 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

4,140,140,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

installed generating capacity

1.261 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

497 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

100% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

415.184 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

4,166,987,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

7,774,406,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

12,498,299,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

260.515 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

103,100 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

18,800 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

107,300 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,948 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

10,310 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

16 (2020 est.)

total

71,078 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 5 channels; 3 Malaysian TV stations are available; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite systems; RTB operates 5 radio networks and broadcasts on multiple frequencies; British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides radio broadcasts on 2 FM stations; some radio broadcast stations from Malaysia are available via repeaters

Internet country code

.bn

Internet users

percent of population

98% (2021 est.)

total

441,000 (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

25 per 100 fixed-line, 136 per 100 mobile-cellular (2021)

general assessment

Brunei’s mobile market experienced drop-off in subscriber numbers in 2020; in 2022 there was a concerted effort to build out the fixed-line infrastructure while progressing towards introducing 5G mobile services; Brunei’s fixed-line market is one of the few countries in the world to have displayed significant growth rather than a decline in teledensity in the last few years; this upward trend is set to continue as the new Unified National Network (UNN) works diligently to expand and enhance the fixed-line infrastructure around the country; strong growth was also seen in the fixed broadband space, on the back of those same infrastructure developments that are part of the Brunei Vision 2035 initiative; fixed broadband is starting from a relatively low base by international standards and is still only at 18%, leaving lots of room for growth; mobile and mobile broadband, on the other hand, are still suffering from the market contractions first felt in 2020; Brunei’s 2G GSM network is shut down, with the spectrum to be reallocated to 3G, 4G, and potentially 5G use (2021)

international

country code - 673; landing points for the SEA-ME-WE-3, SJC, AAG, Lubuan-Brunei Submarine Cable via optical telecommunications submarine cables that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

25 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

112,298 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

136 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

603,486 (2021 est.)

Airports

1 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

1

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V8

Heliports

3 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

general cargo 18, oil tanker 3, other 77

total

98 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

129.35 million (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

1,234,455 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

10

number of registered air carriers

1 (2020)

Pipelines

33 km condensate, 86 km condensate/gas, 628 km gas, 492 km oil (2013)

Ports and terminals

LNG terminal(s) (export)

Lumut

major seaport(s)

Muara

oil terminal(s)

Lumut, Seria

Roadways

paved

2,559 km (2014)

total

2,976 km (2014)

unpaved

417 km (2014)

Waterways

209 km (2012) (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong Rivers are major transport links)

Military - note

the Royal Brunei Armed Forces were formed in 1961 with British support as the Brunei Malay Regiment; "Royal" was added as an honorary title in 1965 and its current name was given in 1984; the military is a small and professional force responsible for ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as countering outside aggression, terrorism, and insurgency; the Army is comprised of a few infantry battalions and an armored reconnaissance squadron, while the Navy has several corvettes and patrol vessels for monitoring the country’s territorial waters; the small Air Force does not have any combat aircraft, but operates some maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters Brunei has a long-standing defense relationship with the United Kingdom and hosts a British Army garrison, which includes a Gurkha battalion and a jungle warfare school; Brunei also hosts a Singaporean military training base (2023)

Military and security forces

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Land Force, Navy, Air Force, Joint ForceMinistry of Home Affairs: Royal Brunei Police Force (2023)

note

note: the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) under the Ministry of Defense is a special guard force for the Sultan, the royal family, and the country’s oil installations

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,000 total active-duty troops (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a wide variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

2.7% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

3.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.5% of GDP (2022)

Military service age and obligation

17 years of age for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2023)

note

note: the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) employs about 500 Gurkhas from Nepal, the majority of whom are veterans of the British Army and the Singapore Police Force who have joined the GRU as a second career

Disputes - international

per Letters of Exchange signed in 2009, Malaysia in 2010 ceded two hydrocarbon concession blocks to Brunei in exchange for Brunei's sultan dropping claims to the Limbang corridor, which divides Brunei; nonetheless, Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Louisa Reef

Illicit drugs

drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

20,863 (2022); note - thousands of stateless persons, often ethnic Chinese, are permanent residents and their families have lived in Brunei for generations; obtaining citizenship is difficult and requires individuals to pass rigorous tests on Malay culture, customs, and language; stateless residents receive an International Certificate of Identity, which enables them to travel overseas; the government is considering changing the law prohibiting non-Bruneians, including stateless permanent residents, from owning land

Trafficking in persons

tier rating

Tier 2 Watch List — Brunei does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Brunei was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; key achievements included referring two alleged traffickers for prosecution, including one Bruneian national, identifying and providing assistance to 14 victims, opening two shelters for victims, and signing a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with Bangladesh on recruitment of migrant workers; however, the government did not effectively screen for trafficking among foreign nationals in commercial sex and migrant workers; officials handled some potential trafficking cases administratively, if at all, and probably inappropriately detained, prosecuted, and deported potentially unidentified sex and labor trafficking victims; for the sixth consecutive year, the government did not convict any traffickers under its anti-trafficking law, and other laws that could be used to prosecute traffickers did not provide sufficiently stringent sentences (2023)

trafficking profile

human traffickers exploit foreign victims in Brunei; some men and women who migrate to Brunei to work in domestic service, retail, or construction work are subject to involuntary servitude, debt-based coercion, contract switching, non-payment of wages, passport confiscation, physical abuse, or confinement; some female migrants entering Brunei on tourist visas are forced into prostitution, and some Kenyan women reportedly faced forced labor in Brunei; workers from Bangladesh and China may have been forced to work in Brunei at Chinese-run projects; some traffickers use Brunei as a transit point for victims used for sex and labor trafficking in Malaysia and Indonesia; Anti-LGBTQI+ laws place some LGBTQI+ individuals at higher risk; trafficking experts in Brunei have received threats from traffickers (2023)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

7.66 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

8.4 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

6.86 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Environment - current issues

no major environmental problems, but air pollution control is becoming a concern; seasonal trans-boundary haze from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified

none of the selected agreements

Land use

agricultural land

2.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.8% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 1.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0.6% (2018 est.)

forest

71.8% (2018 est.)

other

25.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0.05% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8.5 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

10 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

150 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

79.1% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

216,253 tons (2016 est.)