The 1996 CIA World Factbook page on Brunei

From: The CIA'sTHE WORLD FACTBOOK 1996

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Brunei

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Map

Location: 4 30 N, 114 40 E -- Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

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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

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Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total area: 5,770 sq km
land area: 5,270 sq km
comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundaries:
total: 381 km
border country: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country; all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: 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
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land: 1%
permanent crops: 1%
meadows and pastures: 1%
forest and woodland: 79%
other: 18%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues: NA
natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Geographic 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

People

Population: 299,939 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 33% (male 51,266; female 49,194)
15-64 years: 62% (male 98,806; female 88,323)
65 years and over: 5% (male 6,843; female 5,507) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.56% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 25.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio:
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: 1.24 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.39 years
male: 69.82 years
female: 73.04 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic divisions: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
Religions: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.)
total population: 88.2%
male: 92.6%
female: 83.4%

Government

Name of country:
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
Data code: BX
Type of government: 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)
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 Islamic law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch:
chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967) is a traditional Islamic monarch
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers is composed chiefly of members of the royal family, appointed and presided over by the sultan; deals with executive matters
Religious Council: is appointed by the sultan; advises on religious matters
Privy Council: is appointed by the sultan; deals with constitutional matters
the Council of Succession: is appointed by the sultan; determines the succession to the throne if the need arises
Legislative branch: unicameral
Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri): elections last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan; 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 sultan for a three-year term
Political parties and leaders: Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei National Solidarity Party (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA; Brunei Peoples Party (banned), leader NA
International organization participation: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador JAYA bin Abdul Latif
chancery: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159
FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Theresa A. TULL
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
mailing address: American Embassy Box B, Bandar Seri Begawan, APO AP 96440
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293
Flag: 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

Economic overview: The 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 more than 40% of GDP. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $15,800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: 3%
industry: 42%
services: 55%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 119,000 (1993 est.); note - includes members of the Army
by occupation: government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)
note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)
Unemployment rate: 4.8% (1994 est.)
Budget:
revenues: $2.1 billion
expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $427 million (1993)
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 12.9% (1987)
Electricity:
capacity: 380,000 kW
production: 1.2 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 3,971 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo, pigs
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
commodities: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products
partners: Japan 50%, UK 19%, Thailand 10%, Singapore 9% (1994 est.)
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
partners: Singapore 29%, UK 19%, US 13%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 5% (1994 est.)
External debt: 0
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year

Transportation

Railways:
total: 13 km private line
narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge
Highways:
total: 2,443 km
paved: 1,296 km
unpaved: 1,147 km (1993)
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: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Merchant marine:
total: 7 liquefied gas tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT (1994 est.)
Airports:
total: 2
with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1
with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1995 est.)

Communications

Telephones: 76,900 (1993)
Telephone system: service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 115,000 (1993)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1984 est.)
Televisions: 78,000 (1993 est.)

Defense

Branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49: 83,641
males fit for military service: 48,559
males reach military age (18) annually: 2,918 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $312 million, 6.2% of GDP (1994)

Brunei

Original publicaton at http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/nsolo/wfb-all.htm (June 17, 1997).