Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

1 (1999)

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios [time series]

319,408 (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

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

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

68,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

57,000 (1998)

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1997)

Televisions [time series]

196,009 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo

Budget [time series]

revenues: $2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $768 million (1995 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$0

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$4.3 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting 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 food and housing. The government has shown progress in its basic policy of diversifying the economy away from oil and gas. Brunei's leaders are concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy will undermine internal social cohesion although it has taken steps to become a more prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Growth in 1999 is estimated at 2.5% due to higher oil prices in the second half.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

2.381 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

2.56 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.6733 (January 2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar

Exports [time series]

$2.04 billion (f.o.b., 1998 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 51%, UK 14%, US 10%, Singapore 8%, Thailand 3% (1998)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $5.6 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 5% industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $17,400 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

2.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$1.38 billion (c.i.f., 1998 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

Singapore 32%, UK 17%, Malaysia 12%, France 12%, US 5% (1998)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4% (1997 est.)

Industries [time series]

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

1% (1999 est.)

Labor force [time series]

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 [time series]

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

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Unemployment rate [time series]

4.9% (1995 est.)

Area [time series]

total: 5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than Delaware

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Coastline [time series]

161 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Geography - note [time series]

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 [time series]

10 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Land use [time series]

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line territorial sea: 12 nm

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Bandar Seri Begawan

Constitution [time series]

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

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei

Data code [time series]

BX

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

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

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

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

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (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 (Flag description) [time series]

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 [time series]

constitutional sultanate

Independence [time series]

1 January 1984 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

APEC, 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

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court, chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms

Legal system [time series]

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Legislative branch [time series]

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

National holiday [time series]

National Day, 23 February (1984)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

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)

Suffrage [time series]

none

Background [time series]

Although greatly reduced in size since its heyday of the 16th century, the Sultanate of Brunei sits atop extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$343 million (FY98)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

5.1% (FY98)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 104,447 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 60,395 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - military age [time series]

18 years of age

Military manpower - reaching military age annually [time series]

males: 2,957 (2000 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 31% (male 53,812; female 51,628) 15-64 years: 66% (male 118,207; female 103,819) 65 years and over: 3% (male 4,317; female 4,593) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

20.81 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

3.39 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Malay 62%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 17%

Infant mortality rate [time series]

14.84 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 73.58 years male: 71.23 years female: 76.06 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian

Net migration rate [time series]

4.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population [time series]

336,376 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

2.17% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

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: 0.94 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.47 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

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 [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

2 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Heliports [time series]

3 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 1,150 km paved: 399 km unpaved: 751 km (1996 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT ships by type: liquified gas 7 (1999 est.)

Pipelines [time series]

crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong

Railways [time series]

total: 13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m