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 developing world.

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

4 30 N, 114 40 E

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

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: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)

10 sq km (2003)

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

379,444 (July 2006 est.)

0-14 years: 28.1% (male 54,411/female 52,134)
15-64 years: 68.8% (male 138,129/female 123,017)
65 years and over: 3.1% (male 5,584/female 6,169) (2006 est.)

total: 27.4 years
male: 28 years
female: 26.7 years (2006 est.)

1.87% (2006 est.)

18.79 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

3.45 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

3.31 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

total: 12.25 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.46 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 8.86 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

total population: 75.01 years
male: 72.57 years
female: 77.59 years (2006 est.)

2.28 children born/woman (2006 est.)

less than 0.1% (2003 est.)

less than 200 (2003 est.)

less than 200 (2003 est.)

noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

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

Malay (official), English, Chinese

definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)

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

constitutional sultanate

Bandar Seri Begawan

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

1 January 1984 (from 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)

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

none

Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)

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; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws (2006)

This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for nearly half of GDP and more than 90% of government revenues. 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 free education through the university level 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, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

$6.842 billion (2003 est.)

1.7% (2004 est.)

$23,600 (2003 est.)

agriculture: 3.6%
industry: 56.1%
services: 40.3% (2004 est.)

146,300
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labour force (2003 est.)

agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 61.1%
services: 36% (2003 est.)

4.8% (2004)

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

0.9% (2004)

revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)

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

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

7.3% (2003 est.)

2.906 billion kWh (2004)

2.726 billion kWh (2004)

200,800 bbl/day (2005)

10,770 bbl/day (2005 est.)

192,700 bbl/day (2005)

1.255 billion bbl (1 January 2002)

11.4 billion cu m (2003 est.)

 (2003 est.)

9 billion cu m (2001 est.)

390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2002)

$4.514 billion f.o.b. (2004 est.)

crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand 7.9%, Indonesia 6%, China 4.5% (2004)

$1.641 billion c.i.f. (2004 est.)

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

$4.3 million (1995)

Bruneian dollar (BND)

calendar year

90,000 (2002)

137,000 (2002)

general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available
international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0
note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service (2006)

4; note - including two UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service (2006)

.bn

27 (2005)

56,000 (2005)

2 (2005)

total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2005)

total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2005)

3 (2005)

gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

total: 1,150 km
paved: 399 km
unpaved: 751 km (1999)

209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2005)

total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8
foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2005)

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005)

in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated prompting consideration of international legal adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

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