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Guide
Introduction
| |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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.) |
| 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.) |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| Economic
aid - recipient: |
$4.3 million (1995) |
| Currency: |
Bruneian dollar (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 |
| 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) |
| Television
broadcast stations: |
2 (1997) |
| Televisions: |
201,900 (1998) |
| Internet
country code: |
.bn |
| Internet
Service Providers (ISPs): |
2 (2000) |
| Internet
users: |
28,000 (2001) |
| 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
- 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.) |
| 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) |
| 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 |
|
