Brunei

Internet country code

.bn

Internet hosts

6,409 (2003)

Internet users

35,000 (2002)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Telephone system

general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US domestic: every service available international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Telephones - main lines in use

90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

137,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1997)

Agriculture - products

rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Budget

revenues: $4.9 billion expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code)

Bruneian dollar (BND)

Debt - external

$0

Economic aid - recipient

NA

Economy - overview

This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly 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 free education through the university level 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, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Electricity - consumption

2.286 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

2.458 billion kWh (2002)

Exchange rates

Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Exports

$7.7 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners

Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand 7.9%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$6.842 billion (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 5% industry: 45% services: 50% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

3.2% (2003 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA

Imports

$5.2 billion c.i.f. (2003)

Imports - commodities

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

Industrial production growth rate

5% (2002 est.)

Industries

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.3% (2003 est.)

Labor force

158,000 note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

1.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - exports

9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

10.35 billion cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

315 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

Oil - consumption

13,000 bbl/day (2001 est.)

Oil - exports

199,000 bbl/day (2003)

Oil - imports

NA

Oil - production

204,000 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

Population below poverty line

NA

Unemployment rate

3.2% (2002 est.)

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, Hazardous Wastes, 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 (1998 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Land use

arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001)

Location

Southeastern Asia, 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

Terrain

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

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON 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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

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

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, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005 elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

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

Political parties and leaders

National Development Party (NDP) [Yassin AFFENDI]; National Unity Party of Brunei (PPKB) [leader NA]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR) [leader NA] note: parties are small and inactive (2005)

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

none

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 developing world.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 103,885 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: approx. 85,045 (2005 est.)

Manpower reaching military service age annually

males: 3,478 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$290.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

5.1% (2004)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.) (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 28.6% (male 54,342/female 52,084) 15-64 years: 68.4% (male 134,908/female 119,814) 65 years and over: 3% (male 5,301/female 5,912) (2005 est.)

Birth rate

19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Death rate

3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Ethnic groups

Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

less than 200 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.93 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

Languages

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 74.8 years male: 72.36 years female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.4% (2002)

Median age

total: 27.04 years male: 27.63 years female: 26.4 years (2005 est.)

Nationality

noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian

Net migration rate

3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Population

372,361 (July 2005 est.)

Population growth rate

1.9% (2005 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: 1.13 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

Total fertility rate

2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)

Disputes - international

in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated prompting consideration of international legal adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Illicit drugs

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

Airports

2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Heliports

3 (2004 est.)

Highways

total: 2,525 km paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Merchant marine

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign-owned: 8 (United Kingdom 8) (2005)

Pipelines

gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

Ports and harbors

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Waterways

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004)