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

total: 5,765 sq km
country comparison to the world: 173
land: 5,265 sq km
water: 500 sq km

slightly smaller than Delaware

total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km

161 km

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

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

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

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

petroleum, natural gas, timber

arable land: 0.52%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 98.61% (2011)

10 sq km (2003)

8.5 cu km (2011)

total: 0.09 cu km/yr (97%/0%/3%)
per capita: 301.6 cu m/yr (2009)

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

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

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

noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

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

Malay (official), English, Chinese

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

415,717 (July 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 175

0-14 years: 24.6% (male 52,761/female 49,538)
15-24 years: 17.5% (male 35,879/female 36,767)
25-54 years: 46.8% (male 94,827/female 99,779)
55-64 years: 7.3% (male 15,594/female 14,642)
65 years and over: 3.8% (male 7,767/female 8,163) (2013 est.)

total dependency ratio: 42 %
youth dependency ratio: 36 %
elderly dependency ratio: 6.1 %
potential support ratio: 16.4 (2013)

total: 29 years
male: 28.7 years
female: 29.2 years (2013 est.)

1.67% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 71

17.63 births/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 107

3.43 deaths/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 216

2.51 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 34

urban population: 76% of total population (2011)
rate of urbanization: 2.13% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

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

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2013 est.)

24 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)
country comparison to the world: 133

total: 10.81 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 140
male: 12.89 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2013 est.)

total population: 76.57 years
country comparison to the world: 76
male: 74.28 years
female: 78.97 years (2013 est.)

1.83 children born/woman (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world: 151

2.5% of GDP (2011)
country comparison to the world: 187

1.36 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

2.8 beds/1,000 population (2011)

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 159

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)
country comparison to the world: 114

7.5% (2008)
country comparison to the world: 141

3.3% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 133

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 95.4%
male: 97%
female: 93.9% (2011 est.)

total: 15 years
male: 15 years
female: 16 years (2011)

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

constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)

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)

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

drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; amended 1984, 2004, 2011; note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others since independence in 1984 (2011)

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

chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)
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 monarchy is hereditary

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
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
note: the Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; it passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; no timeframe for an election was announced

highest court(s): 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)
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; judge tenure NA
subordinate courts: Intermediate Court; Magistrate's Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts (2006)

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

NA

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

chief of mission: Ambassador Dato Yusoff Abd HAMID (since 2 October 2009)
chancery: 3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560

chief of mission: Ambassador Daniel L. SHIELDS III (since 28 March 2011)
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

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"

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

Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that depends on revenue from natural resource extraction but encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for 60% 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. For Bruneian citizens the government provides for all medical services and free education through the university level. The government of Brunei has been emphasizing through policy and resource investments it strong desire to diversity its economy both within the oil and gas sector and to new sectors.

$21.64 billion (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

$16.72 billion (2012 est.)

0.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

$54,100 (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 11
note: data are in 2012 US dollars

household consumption: 20.5%
government consumption: 17.3%
investment in fixed capital: 13.6%
investment in inventories: -1.5%
exports of goods and services: 81.4%
imports of goods and services: -31.2%

agriculture: 0.7%
industry: 71.1%
services: 28.2% (2012 est.)

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

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

-1.9% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 156

205,800 (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

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

2.6% (2011)
country comparison to the world: 20

NA%

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

revenues: $7.363 billion
expenditures: $5.122 billion (2012 est.)

44% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27

13.4% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 6

1 April - 31 March

0.5% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 7

5.5% (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 150

$3.509 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113

$11.62 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 101

$2.351 billion (31 December 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 129

$NA

$3.977 billion (2009 est.)
country comparison to the world: 32

$12.75 billion (2011)
country comparison to the world: 84

crude oil, natural gas, garments

Japan 45.7%, South Korea 15.1%, Australia 9.1%, NZ 6.6%, India 5.8%, Vietnam 4.7% (2012)

$3.02 billion (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 145

iron and steel, motor vehicles, machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Singapore 26.3%, China 21.3%, UK 21.3%, Malaysia 11.8% (2012)

$0 (2005)
country comparison to the world: 203

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

3.723 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 126

3.391 billion kWh (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 127

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 171

0 kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

759,000 kW (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 128

100% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 9

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 56

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 160

0% of total installed capacity (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 162

141,000 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 45

147,900 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 35

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 166

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 41

13,500 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 102

14,640 bbl/day (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 144

0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 157

3,198 bbl/day (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 169

12.44 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38

2.97 billion cu m (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 72

9.42 billion cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 27

0 cu m (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 167

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2013 es)
country comparison to the world: 35

8.656 million Mt (2011 est.)
country comparison to the world: 105

70,933 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 154

469,700 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 170

general assessment: service throughout the country is good; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
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; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2011)

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

.bn

49,457 (2012)
country comparison to the world: 96

314,900 (2009)
country comparison to the world: 128

1 (2013)
country comparison to the world: 213

total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

3 (2013)

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

total: 3,029 km
country comparison to the world: 166
paved: 2,425 km
unpaved: 604 km (2010)

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m; the Belait, Brunei, and Tutong rivers are major transport links) (2012)
country comparison to the world: 97

total: 9
country comparison to the world: 115
by type: chemical tanker 1, liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: 2 (UK 2) (2010)

major seaport(s): Muara
oil/gas terminal(s): Lumut, Seria

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

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)

males age 16-49: 112,688
females age 16-49: 117,536 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49: 95,141
females age 16-49: 99,386 (2010 est.)

male: 3,572
female: 3,465 (2010 est.)

2.43% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world: 89

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 Louisa Reef

stateless persons: 21,009 (2012); 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