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Communications

Broadband - fixed subscriptions [time series]

total: 41,209 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 9 (2017 est.)

Broadcast media [time series]

state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 5 channels; 3 Malaysian TV stations are available; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite systems; RTB operates 5 radio networks and broadcasts 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 (2017)

Internet country code [time series]

.bn

Internet users [time series]

total: 306,000 (July 2016 est.) | percent of population: 71.2% (July 2016 est.)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: service throughout the country is good; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US; while fixed-line is slowing down, mobile broadband has taken over in the advancement in the telecoms access market; broadband penetration slow to moderate growth predicted over the next five years to 2023 (2017) | domestic: every service available; 17 per 100 fixed-line, 123 per 100 mobile-cellular (2017) | international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable network provides new links to Asia and the US; the South-East Asia Japan Cable System linking Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Philipines and Thailand; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2017)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 74,213 (July 2016 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 17 (July 2016 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total subscriptions: 544,732 (2017 est.) | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 123 (2017 est.)

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: 2.245 billion (2017 est.) | expenditures: 4.345 billion (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-17.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

5.5% (31 December 2017 est.) | 5.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance [time series]

$2.021 billion (2017 est.) | $1.47 billion (2016 est.)

Debt - external [time series]

$0 (2014) | $0 (2013) | note: public external debt only; private external debt unavailable

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Brunei is an energy-rich sultanate on the northern coast of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Brunei boasts a well-educated, largely English-speaking population; excellent infrastructure; and a stable government intent on attracting foreign investment. Crude oil and natural gas production account for approximately 65% of GDP and 95% of exports, with Japan as the primary export market. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the world, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements income from domestic hydrocarbon production. Bruneian citizens pay no personal income taxes, and the government provides free medical services and free education through the university level. The Bruneian Government wants to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbon exports to other industries such as information and communications technology and halal manufacturing, permissible under Islamic law. Brunei’s trade increased in 2016 and 2017, following its regional economic integration in the ASEAN Economic Community, and the expected ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

Exchange rates [time series]

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar - | 1.394 (2017 est.) | 1.3814 (2016 est.) | 1.3814 (2015 est.) | 1.3749 (2014 est.) | 1.267 (2013 est.)

Exports [time series]

$5.885 billion (2017 est.) | $5.023 billion (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities [time series]

mineral fuels, organic chemicals

Exports - partners [time series]

Japan 27.8%, South Korea 12.4%, Thailand 11.5%, Malaysia 11.3%, India 9.3%, Singapore 7.7%, Switzerland 5%, China 4.7% (2017)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$12.13 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)

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

$33.87 billion (2017 est.) | $33.42 billion (2016 est.) | $34.27 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

household consumption: 25% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 24.8% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 32.6% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 8.5% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 45.9% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -36.8% (2017 est.)

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

agriculture: 1.2% (2017 est.) | industry: 56.6% (2017 est.) | services: 42.3% (2017 est.)

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

$78,900 (2017 est.) | $79,000 (2016 est.) | $82,200 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

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

1.3% (2017 est.) | -2.5% (2016 est.) | -0.4% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving [time series]

47.5% of GDP (2017 est.) | 50.1% of GDP (2016 est.) | 51.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA | highest 10%: NA

Imports [time series]

$2.998 billion (2017 est.) | $2.658 billion (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and mechanical appliance parts, mineral fuels, motor vehicles, electric machinery

Imports - partners [time series]

China 19.6%, Singapore 19%, Malaysia 18.8%, US 9.2%, Germany 5.9%, Japan 4.1%, UK 4% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

1.5% (2017 est.)

Industries [time series]

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

-0.2% (2017 est.) | -0.7% (2016 est.)

Labor force [time series]

203,600 (2014 est.)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 4.2% | industry: 62.8% | services: 33% (2008 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

Population below poverty line [time series]

Public debt [time series]

2.8% of GDP (2017 est.) | 3% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$3.488 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.366 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

Stock of broad money [time series]

$3.387 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.232 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$3.665 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $4.066 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$3.387 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $3.232 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

18.5% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

6.9% (2017 est.) | 6.9% (2016 est.)

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

10.04 million Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports [time series]

127,400 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports [time series]

160 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production [time series]

100,600 bbl/day (2017 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption [time series]

3.771 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

100% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

821,000 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production [time series]

4.014 billion kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access [time series]

population without electricity: 104,788 (2012) | electrification - total population: 76% (2012) | electrification - urban areas: 79% (2012) | electrification - rural areas: 67% (2012)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

3.936 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports [time series]

8.268 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production [time series]

12.74 billion cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

260.5 billion cu m (1 January 2018 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

18,000 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

6,948 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

10,310 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 5,765 sq km | land: 5,265 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 [time series]

mean elevation: 478 m | elevation extremes: 0 m lowest point: South China Sea | 1850 highest point: Bukit Pagon

Environment - current issues [time series]

no major environmental problems, but air pollution control is becoming a concern; seasonal trans-boundary haze from forest fires in Indonesia

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

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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; the eastern part, the Temburong district, is an exclave and is almost an enclave within Malaysia

Irrigated land [time series]

10 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 266 km | border countries (1): Malaysia 266 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 2.5% (2011 est.) | arable land: 0.8% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 1.1% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 0.6% (2011 est.) | forest: 71.8% (2011 est.) | other: 25.7% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Map references [time series]

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims [time series]

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

Natural hazards [time series]

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Terrain [time series]

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

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

name: Bandar Seri Begawan | geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E | time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Brunei | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 12 years

Constitution [time series]

history: drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984 (2017) | amendments: proposed by the monarch; passage requires submission to the Privy Council for Legislative Council review and finalization takes place by proclamation; the monarch can accept or reject changes to the original proposal provided by the Legislative Council; amended 1984, 2004, 2011 (2017)

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam | conventional short form: Brunei | local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam | local short form: Brunei | etymology: derivation of the name is unclear; according to legend, MUHAMMAD SHAH, who would become the first sultan of Brunei, upon discovering what would become Brunei exclaimed "Baru nah," which roughly translates as "there" or "that's it"

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Craig B. ALLEN (since 9 March 2015) | embassy: Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Datu, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115 | mailing address: Unit 4280, Box 40, FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam | telephone: [673] 238-4616 | FAX: [673] 238-4604

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Serbini ALI (since 28 January 2016) | chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 | telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838 | FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560 | consulate(s): New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch; note - 4 additional advisory councils appointed by the monarch are the Religious Council, Privy Council for constitutional issues, Council of Succession, and Legislative Council | elections/appointments: none; the monarchy 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; 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"

Government type [time series]

absolute monarchy or sultanate

Independence [time series]

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

International law organization participation [time series]

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

International organization participation [time series]

ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, 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

Judicial branch [time series]

highest courts: Supreme Court (consists of Court of Appeal and High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges); Sharia Court of Appeal (consists of judges appointed by the monarch); note - Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only | judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and older if approved by the monarch; Sharia Court of Appeal judges appointed by the monarch for life | subordinate courts: Intermediate Court; Magistrate's Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts

Legal system [time series]

mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law; note - in May 2014, the first of three phases of sharia-based penal codes was instituted, which applies to Muslims and non-Muslims and exists in parallel to the existing common law-based code

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Mesyuarat Negara Brunei (36 seats; members appointed by the sultan including 3 ex-officio members - the speaker and first and second secretaries; members appointed for 5-year terms) | elections: appointed by the sultan | election results: NA; composition - men 33, women 3, percent of women 8.3%

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty) | lyrics/music: Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap | note: adopted 1951

National holiday [time series]

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 protectionthe Sultan's birthday, 15 June

National symbol(s) [time series]

royal parasol; national colors: yellow, white, black

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

National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi] | note: Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] were deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have limited activity

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age for village elections; universal

Introduction

Background [time series]

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 the world. In 2017, Brunei celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH’s accession to the throne.

Military and Security

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

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2013)

Military expenditures [time series]

2.87% of GDP (2017) | 3.54% of GDP (2016) | 3.28% of GDP (2015) | 3.08% of GDP (2014) | 2.28% of GDP (2013)

Military service age and obligation [time series]

17 years of age for voluntary military service; non-Malays are ineligible to serve; recruits from the army, navy, and air force all undergo 43-week initial training (2013)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 22.82% (male 52,995 /female 49,836) | 15-24 years: 16.8% (male 37,707 /female 37,985) | 25-54 years: 46.9% (male 100,740 /female 110,596) | 55-64 years: 8.3% (male 18,859 /female 18,551) | 65 years and over: 5.17% (male 11,336 /female 11,960) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × East Asia/Southeast Asia :: Brunei Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Brunei. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate [time series]

16.9 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight [time series]

9.6% (2009)

Death rate [time series]

3.7 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 38.4 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 32.8 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 5.7 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 17.6 (2015 est.)

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

4.4% of GDP (2016)

Ethnic groups [time series]

Malay 65.7%, Chinese 10.3%, other 24% (2016 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

2.6% of GDP (2014)

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.7 beds/1,000 population (2015)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 9.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 11.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | female: 7.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.)

Languages [time series]

Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 77.5 years (2018 est.) | male: 75.2 years (2018 est.) | female: 80 years (2018 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write (2015 est.) | total population: 96% (2015 est.) | male: 97.5% (2015 est.) | female: 94.5% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

241,000 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2011) | note: the boundaries of the capital city were expanded in 2007, greatly increasing the city area; the population of the capital increased tenfold

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

23 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.)

Median age [time series]

total: 30.5 years | male: 30 years | female: 31 years (2018 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Bruneian(s) | adjective: Bruneian

Net migration rate [time series]

2.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

14.1% (2016)

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

1.75 physicians/1,000 population (2015)

Population [time series]

450,565 (July 2018 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

1.55% (2018 est.)

Religions [time series]

Muslim (official) 78.8%, Christian 8.7%, Buddhist 7.8%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 4.7% (2011 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 15 years (2015) | male: 14 years (2015) | female: 15 years (2015)

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 15-24 years: 0.99 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 55-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | 65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female (2017 est.) | total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

1.77 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 25.4% (2014 est.) | male: 23.5% (2014 est.) | female: 28.1% (2014 est.)

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 77.6% of total population (2018) | rate of urbanization: 1.66% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

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 Bruneinonetheless, Brunei claims a maritime boundary extending as far as a median with Vietnam, thus asserting an implicit claim to Louisa Reef

Illicit drugs [time series]

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

stateless persons: 20,524 (2017); note - thousands of stateless persons, often ethnic Chinese, are permanent residents and their families have lived in Brunei for generations; obtaining citizenship is difficult and requires individuals to pass rigorous tests on Malay culture, customs, and language; stateless residents receive an International Certificate of Identity, which enables them to travel overseas; the government is considering changing the law prohibiting non-Bruneians, including stateless permanent residents, from owning land

Transportation

Airports [time series]

1 (2013)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

V8 (2016)

Heliports [time series]

3 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 106 (2018) | by type: general cargo 20, LNG tanker 5, other 81 (2018)

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 1 (2015) | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 10 (2015) | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 1,150,003 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 115.147 million mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

33 km condensate, 86 km condensate/gas, 628 km gas, 492 km oil (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Muara | oil terminal(s): Lumut, Seria | LNG terminal(s) (export): Lumut

Roadways [time series]

total: 2,976 km (2014) | paved: 2,559 km (2014) | unpaved: 417 km (2014)

Waterways [time series]

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong Rivers are major transport links) (2012)