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 (2008)

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

401,890 (July 2011 est.)

1.712% (2011 est.)

17.87 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)

3.35 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)

2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) 22,000 (2009)

1.86 children born/woman (2011 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

NA

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)

mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law

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

18 years of age for village elections; universal

The Sultan appointed a Legislative Council with 29 members in September 2005; he increased the size of the council to 33 members in June 2011; the council meets annually in March

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, 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, 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; 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"

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. A new monetary authority was established in January 2011 with responsibilities that include monetary policy, monitoring of financial institutions, and currency trading activities.

$20.38 billion (2010 est.)

$19.58 billion (2009 est.)

$19.93 billion (2008 est.)

$13.02 billion (2010 est.)

4.1% (2010 est.)

-1.8% (2009 est.)

-1.9% (2008 est.)

$51,600 (2010 est.)

$50,400 (2009 est.)

$52,300 (2008 est.)

188,800 (2008)

3.7% (2008)

3.4% (2007)

NA%

2.7% (2008 est.)

0.3% (2007 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2009 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2008 est.)

$3.374 billion (30 March 2009)

$3.046 billion (31 December 2008)

$8.569 billion (31 December 2009)

$7.597 billion (31 December 2008)

$1.274 billion (31 December 2008 est.)

$2.38 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

$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.)

146,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

16,000 bbl/day (2009 est.)

152,900 bbl/day (2007)

237.6 bbl/day (2007 est.)

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2010 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 2010 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 38.04%, Indonesia 25.95%, South Korea 14.17%, Australia 7.24% (2009)

$2.61 billion (2008 est.)

$2.055 billion (2007 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Singapore 38.4%, Malaysia 18.7%, Japan 7.2%, China 5.42%, Thailand 5.19%, US 4.45%, UK 4.25% (2009)

$0 (2005)

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

1.36 (2010)

1.45 (2009)

2 (2006)

2 (2005)

2 (2004)

80,500 (2009)

425,000 (2009)

state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 4 channels; 3 Malaysian TV stations are available; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite and cable systems; RTB operates 5 radio networks broadcasting 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 (2009)

.bn

50,997 (2010)

314,900 (2009)

2 (2010)

3 (2010)

condensate 33 km; gas 37 km; oil 18 km (2010)

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong rivers are major transport links) (2011)

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)

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 Lousia Reef

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