Brunei

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 93,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 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: 99% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 122,000 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 582,919 (2023 est.) subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, bananas, beans, cucumbers/gherkins, pineapples, beef (2023) note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

revenues: $1.058 billion (2020 est.) expenditures: $3.189 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance

$2.23 billion (2024 est.) $1.944 billion (2023 est.) $3.256 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - 1.336 (2024 est.) 1.343 (2023 est.) 1.379 (2022 est.) 1.344 (2021 est.) 1.38 (2020 est.)

Exports

$11.483 billion (2024 est.) $11.573 billion (2023 est.) $14.405 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, hydrocarbons, fertilizers (2023) note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

Australia 21%, Japan 17%, China 17%, Singapore 16%, Malaysia 6% (2023) note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP (official exchange rate)

$15.463 billion (2024 est.) note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 28.5% (2024 est.) government consumption: 23% (2024 est.) investment in fixed capital: 28.2% (2024 est.) investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.) exports of goods and services: 74.3% (2024 est.) imports of goods and services: -58.9% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.) industry: 61.7% (2024 est.) services: 38.7% (2024 est.) note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Imports

$9.11 billion (2024 est.) $9.077 billion (2023 est.) $10.099 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

crude petroleum, gold, refined petroleum, coal, cars (2023) note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

Malaysia 23%, UAE 10%, China 10%, UK 10%, Australia 6% (2023) note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

5.7% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-0.4% (2024 est.) 0.4% (2023 est.) 3.7% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

233,500 (2024 est.) note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Public debt

2.8% of GDP (2017 est.) note: central government debt as a % of GDP

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$36.64 billion (2024 est.) $35.163 billion (2023 est.) $34.771 billion (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP growth rate

4.2% (2024 est.) 1.1% (2023 est.) -1.6% (2022 est.) note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP per capita

$79,200 (2024 est.) $76,600 (2023 est.) $76,400 (2022 est.) note: data in 2021 dollars

Remittances

0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) 0% of GDP (2021 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$4.414 billion (2024 est.) $4.483 billion (2023 est.) $5.035 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Unemployment rate

5.2% (2024 est.) 5.2% (2023 est.) 5.2% (2022 est.) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 18.5% (2024 est.) male: 16.5% (2024 est.) female: 21.6% (2024 est.) note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Coal

consumption: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.) imports: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 904,000 kW (2023 est.) consumption: 5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.) transmission/distribution losses: 502.188 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.) solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

403.365 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

production: 10.093 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) consumption: 3.911 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) exports: 5.733 billion cubic meters (2023 est.) proven reserves: 260.515 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

total petroleum production: 95,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.) crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

10.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from coal and metallurgical coke: 998,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from petroleum and other liquids: 2.175 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.) from consumed natural gas: 7.65 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Environmental issues

air pollution, including seasonal haze from forest fires in Indonesia

International environmental 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% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 72.1% (2023 est.) other: 25.4% (2023 est.)

Methane emissions

energy: 50.5 kt (2022-2024 est.) agriculture: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.) waste: 9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.) other: 0.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 151.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.) agricultural: 5.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 216,300 tons (2024 est.) percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2022 est.)

Area

total : 5,765 sq km land: 5,265 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

total: 266 km border countries (1): Malaysia 266 km

Land use

agricultural land: 2.5% (2023 est.) arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.) permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.) permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.) forest: 72.1% (2023 est.) other: 25.4% (2023 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

territorial sea: 12 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Bandar Seri Begawan geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time) etymology: named in 1970 after Sultan Omar Ali SAIFUDDIEN III (1914-1986), who adopted the title of "Seri Begawan" (approximately meaning "honored lord") when he abdicated in 1967; "bandar" means "city" or "port" in Malay; the capital had previously been called Bandar Brunei (Brunei City)

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

history: drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959 amendment process: 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 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 local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei etymology: derivation of the name is unclear; the name may come from the Sanskrit word bhumi , meaning "land" or "region"

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021) embassy: Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Duta, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115 mailing address: 4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC 20521-4020 telephone: (673) 238-7400 FAX: (673) 238-7533 email address and website: ConsularBrunei@state.gov https://bn.usembassy.gov/

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Charg d'Affaires IZZATI Baharuddin (since 6 May 2025) chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 email address and website: info@bruneiembassy.org http://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html consulate(s): New York

Executive branch

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary note 1: the monarch is both chief of state and head of government, as well as Minister of Finance, Defense, and Foreign Affairs and Trade note 2: 4 additional advisory councils appointed by the monarch are the Religious Council, Privy Council for Constitutional Issues, Council of Succession, and Legislative Council

Flag

description: yellow with a diagonal white band and second below it in black, both starting from the upper left; the national emblem in red is at the center; the state motto, "Always render service with God's guidance," appears in yellow Arabic script on the emblem's crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace" meaning: yellow symbolizes the sultanate, and the white and black bands stand for the chief ministers; the emblem includes a royal umbrella (the monarchy), two wings with four feathers (justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace), two upraised hands (the government's pledge to preserve and promote the people's welfare), and the crescent moon of Islam (the state religion)

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) 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 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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

legislature name: Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara) legislative structure: unicameral number of seats: 45 (all appointed) electoral system: plurality/majority scope of elections: full renewal term in office: 5 years most recent election date: 1/20/2023 percentage of women in chamber: 11.4% expected date of next election: January 2028

National anthem(s)

title: "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty) lyrics/music: Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap history: adopted 1951

National color(s)

yellow, white, black

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

Political parties

National Development Party or NDP 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

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. Internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy subsequently brought on a period of decline. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries, and in 2017, the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH s accession to the throne. Brunei has one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world, thanks to extensive petroleum and natural gas fields.

Military - note

the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) are responsible for ensuring the country s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as countering outside aggression, terrorism, and insurgency Brunei has a long-standing defense relationship with the UK and hosts a British Army garrison, which includes a Gurkha battalion and a jungle warfare school; Brunei also has close security ties with Singapore and hosts a Singaporean military training detachment the RBAF was 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 (2025)

Military and security forces

Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) or Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB): Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) (2025) note 1: the Gurkha Security Unit under the Ministry of Defense is a special guard force for the Sultan, the royal family, and the country s oil installations note 2: the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) is under the Prime Minister's Office

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 7,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2025)

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2023 est.) 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.) 3.7% of GDP (2020 est.) 3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (2025) note: the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) employs hundreds of 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 21.7% (male 54,924/female 51,710) 15-64 years: 70.8% (male 166,289/female 182,011) 65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 17,927/female 19,039)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) beer: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.) other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

15.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 41.2 (2024 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.6 (2024 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 10.6 (2024 est.) potential support ratio: 9.4 (2024 est.)

Drinking water source

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.) urban: 0.4% of population rural: 0% of population total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Education expenditure

4.4% of GDP (2016 est.) 11.4% national budget (2016 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Gross reproduction rate

0.85 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

2.2% of GDP (2021) 6.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

3.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

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

total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.) male: 76.5 years female: 81.3 years

Major urban areas - population

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

36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

total: 32.6 years (2025 est.) male: 31.4 years female: 33.1 years

Nationality

noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian

Net migration rate

2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

14.1% (2016)

Physician density

1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Population

total: 491,900 (2024 est.) male: 239,140 female: 252,760

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

1.37% (2025 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.) total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 14 years (2023 est.) male: 13 years (2023 est.) female: 14 years (2023 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 17% (2025 est.) male: 31.2% (2025 est.) female: 1.9% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 20,863 (2024 est.)

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; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brunei/

Airports

2 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V8

Heliports

14 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 97 (2023) by type: general cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77

Ports

total ports: 5 (2024) large: 0 medium: 0 small: 2 very small: 3 ports with oil terminals: 5 key ports: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Lumut, Muara Harbor, Seria Oil Loading Terminal