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 Asia.

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Southeast Asia

slightly smaller than Delaware

161 km

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

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

petroleum, natural gas, timber

10 sq km (2003)

8.5 cu km (1999)

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia

395,027 (July 2010 est.)

1.733% (2010 est.)

18 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)

3.32 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)

2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2010 est.)

1.88 children born/woman (2010 est.)

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.)

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

Malay (official), English, Chinese

5.2% of GDP (2000)

constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)

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

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

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

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic sharia law supersedes civil law concerning Muslim marriages and inheritance; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

18 years of age for village elections; universal

The Sultan appointed a Legislative Council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005; the council has met in March of each year since then

Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Sharia courts deal with Islamic laws (2006)

National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]

NA

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

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 has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia, 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 into the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, increasing agricultural production, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

$19.43 billion (2009 est.)

$19.81 billion (2008 est.)

$20.19 billion (2007 est.)

$14.87 billion (2009 est.)

-1.9% (2009 est.)

-1.9% (2008 est.)

0.2% (2007 est.)

$50,100 (2009 est.)

$51,900 (2008 est.)

$53,900 (2007 est.)

188,800 (2008 est.)

3.7% (2008)

4% (2006)

NA%

2.7% (2008 est.)

0.3% (2007 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2008)

5.5% (February 2009)

$3.374 billion (30 March 2009)

$3.046 billion (31 December 2008)

$8.151 billion (30 March 2009)

$4.551 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.274 billion (31 December 2008)

$2.38 billion (31 December 2007)

$NA

rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

-5.4% (2008 est.)

3.069 billion kWh (2008)

2.98 billion kWh (2008)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

0 kWh (2008 est.)

175,200 bbl/day (2008)

15,000 bbl/day (2008 est.)

152,900 bbl/day (2007)

238 bbl/day (2007 est.)

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2009 est.)

13.4 billion cu m (2008 est.)

4.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

9.2 billion cu m (2008 est.)

0 cu m (2008 est.)

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2009 est.)

$7.024 billion (2008 est.)

$7.101 billion (2007 est.)

$10.67 billion (2008)

$8.25 billion (2007)

crude oil, natural gas, garments

Japan 40.4%, Indonesia 21.4%, South Korea 15.3%, Australia 10% (2008)

$2.61 billion (2008 est.)

$2.055 billion (2007 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Singapore 36.3%, Malaysia 18.9%, Japan 7.6%, China 5.4%, Thailand 5%, US 4.7%, UK 4.7% (2008)

$0 (2005)

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - 1.45 (2009), 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)

76,600 (2008)

376,000 (2008)

AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006)

4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service) (2006)

.bn

14,978 (2009)

217,000 (2008)

2 (2009)

3 (2009)

gas 37 km; oil 18 km (2009)

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2008)

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2010)

18 years of age (est.) for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve (2007)

4.5% of GDP (2006)

Brunei and Malaysia agreed in September 2008 to resolve their offshore and deepwater seabed dispute, resume hydrocarbon exploration, and renounce any territorial claims along their land boundary; despite no public territorial claim to Louisa Reef, Brunei implicitly lays claim by including it within the natural prolongation of its continental shelf and basis for a seabed median with Vietnam; 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

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