|
Brunei | |
| Introduction Geography People Government Economy Communications Transportation Military Transnational Issues | ||
|
|
||
| Brunei | Introduction | Top of Page |
| Background: | The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred 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. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled in Brunei for over six centuries. |
| Brunei | Geography | Top of Page |
| Location: | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia |
| Geographic coordinates: | 4 30 N, 114 40 E |
| Map references: | Southeast Asia |
| Area: |
total:
5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
| Area - comparative: | slightly smaller than Delaware |
| Land boundaries: |
total:
381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
| Coastline: | 161 km |
| Maritime claims: |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM or to median line
territorial sea: 12 NM |
| Climate: | tropical; hot, humid, rainy |
| Terrain: | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west |
| Elevation extremes: |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
| Natural resources: | petroleum, natural gas, timber |
| Land use: |
arable land:
1%
permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.) |
| Irrigated land: | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
| Natural hazards: | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Brunei | People | Top of Page |
| Population: | 343,653 (July 2001 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years:
30.77% (male 53,977; female 51,772)
15-64 years: 66.52% (male 121,601; female 107,007) 65 years and over: 2.71% (male 4,449; female 4,847) (2001 est.) |
| Population growth rate: | 2.11% (2001 est.) |
| Birth rate: | 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Death rate: | 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Net migration rate: | 4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| 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: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
| Infant mortality rate: | 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
| Life expectancy at birth: |
total population:
73.82 years
male: 71.45 years female: 76.31 years (2001 est.) |
| Total fertility rate: | 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: | 0.2% (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: | less than 100 (1999 est.) |
| HIV/AIDS - deaths: | NA |
| Nationality: |
noun:
Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian |
| Ethnic groups: | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% |
| Religions: | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10% |
| Languages: | Malay (official), English, Chinese |
| Literacy: |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.) |
| Brunei | Government | Top of Page |
| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei |
| Government type: | constitutional sultanate |
| Capital: | Bandar Seri Begawan |
| Administrative divisions: | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong |
| Independence: | 1 January 1984 (from UK) |
| 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 |
| Constitution: | 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) |
| Legal system: | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas |
| Suffrage: | none |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; 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) |
| Political pressure groups and leaders: | NA |
| International organization participation: | APEC, ARF, 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: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159 FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158 |
| 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: [673] (2) 229670 FAX: [673] (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 |
| Brunei | Economy | Top of Page |
| Economy - overview: | This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. Exports of crude oil and natural gas account 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 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, a further widening of the economic base beyond oil and gas. |
| GDP: | purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion (2000 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate: | 3% (2000 est.) |
| GDP - per capita: | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2000 est.) |
| GDP - composition by sector: |
agriculture:
5%
industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.) |
| Population below poverty line: | NA% |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share: |
lowest 10%:
NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| 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.) |
| Unemployment rate: | 4.9% (1995 est.) |
| Budget: |
revenues:
$2.5 billion
expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.) |
| Industries: | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction |
| Industrial production growth rate: | 4% (1997 est.) |
| Electricity - production: | 2.445 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - production by source: |
fossil fuel:
100%
hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
| Electricity - consumption: | 2.274 billion kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - exports: | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Electricity - imports: | 0 kWh (1999) |
| Agriculture - products: | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo |
| Exports: | $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
| Exports - commodities: | crude oil, natural gas, refined products |
| Exports - partners: | Japan 42%, US 17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999) |
| Imports: | $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.) |
| Imports - commodities: | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals |
| Imports - partners: | Singapore 34%, UK 15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999) |
| Debt - external: | $0 |
| Economic aid - recipient: | $4.3 million (1995) |
| Currency: | Bruneian dollar (BND) |
| Currency code: | BND |
| Exchange rates: | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7365 (January 2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar |
| Fiscal year: | calendar year |
| Brunei | Communications | Top of Page |
| Telephones - main lines in use: | 79,000 (1996) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular: | 43,524 (1996) |
| Telephone system: |
general assessment:
service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia
domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines (2001) |
| Radio broadcast stations: | AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998) |
| Radios: | 329,000 (1998) |
| Television broadcast stations: | 2 (1997) |
| Televisions: | 201,900 (1998) |
| Internet country code: | .bn |
| Internet Service Providers (ISPs): | 2 (2000) |
| Internet users: | 28,000 (2001) |
| Brunei | Transportation | Top of Page |
| Railways: |
total:
13 km (private line)
narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge |
| Highways: |
total:
1,712 km
paved: 1,284 km unpaved: 428 km (1996) |
| Waterways: | 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m |
| Pipelines: | crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km |
| Ports and harbors: | Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong |
| Merchant marine: |
total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT
ships by type: liquefied gas 7 (2000 est.) |
| Airports: | 2 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with paved runways: |
total:
1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways: |
total:
1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
| Heliports: | 3 (2000 est.) |
| Brunei | Military | Top of Page |
| Military branches: | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police |
| Military manpower - military age: | 18 years of age |
| Military manpower - availability: | males age 15-49: 106,725 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - fit for military service: | males age 15-49: 61,640 (2001 est.) |
| Military manpower - reaching military age annually: | males: 3,005 (2001 est.) |
| Military expenditures - dollar figure: | $343 million (FY98) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP: | 5.1% (FY98) |
| Brunei | Transnational Issues | Top of Page |
| 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 |
| Illicit drugs: | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty |