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.

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

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Southeast Asia

slightly smaller than Delaware

161 km

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

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

highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

petroleum, natural gas, timber

arable land 0.8%; permanent crops 1.1%; permanent pasture 0.6%

10 sq km (2012)

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

443,593 (July 2017 est.)

Malay 65.7%, Chinese 10.3%, other indigenous 3.4%, other 20.6% (2011 est.)

Malay (official), English, Chinese dialects

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

1.57% (2017 est.)

17 births/1,000 population (2017 est.)

3.6 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

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

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) 241,000

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

1.78 children born/woman (2017 est.)

2.6% of GDP (2014)

1.47 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

2.8 beds/1,000 population (2012)

NA

NA

NA

14.1% (2016)

9.6% (2009)

3.7% of GDP (2016)

absolute monarchy or sultanate

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 suspended since independence in 1984 (2016)

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

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

18 years of age for village elections; universal

National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]

NA

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

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"

royal parasol; national colors: yellow, white, black

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 in 2016 was set to increase following its regional economic integration in the ASEAN Economic Community, and the expected ratification of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

$32.76 billion (2016 est.)

$33.17 billion (2015 est.)

$32.95 billion (2014 est.)

$11.4 billion (2016 est.)

-2.5% (2016 est.)

-0.4% (2015 est.)

-2.5% (2014 est.)

$77,500 (2016 est.)

$80,600 (2015 est.)

$81,900 (2014 est.)

43.5% of GDP (2016 est.)

51.3% of GDP (2015 est.)

58.1% of GDP (2014 est.)

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

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

-2.9% (2016 est.)

203,600 (2014 est.)

6.9% (2016 est.)

9.3% (2011 est.)

NA%

24% of GDP (2016 est.)

-16.8% of GDP (2016 est.)

3.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

3% of GDP (2015 est.)

1 April - 31 March

-0.7% (2016 est.)

-0.4% (2015 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2016 est.)

5.5% (31 December 2015 est.)

$3.232 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$3.31 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$10.08 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$10.16 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$4.066 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

$5.323 billion (31 December 2015 est.)

$NA

$1.091 billion (2016 est.)

$2.071 billion (2015 est.)

$5.023 billion (2016 est.)

$6.126 billion (2015 est.)

mineral fuels, organic chemicals

Japan 36.5%, South Korea 16.8%, Thailand 10.6%, India 9.8%, Malaysia 6.6%, China 4.6% (2016)

$3.119 billion (2016 est.)

$3.216 billion (2015 est.)

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

US 28.4%, Malaysia 24%, Singapore 7.1%, Indonesia 5.7%, Japan 5.3%, China 4.9%, Australia 4.3% (2016)

$0 (2014)

$0 (2013)

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

1.3814 (2016 est.)

1.3814 (2015 est.)

1.3749 (2014 est.)

1.267 (2013 est.)

1.25 (2012 est.)

3.948 billion kWh (2015 est.)

3.679 billion kWh (2015 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

0 kWh (2016 est.)

841,000 kW (2015 est.)

99.9% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

0.1% of total installed capacity (2015 est.)

109,100 bbl/day (2016 est.)

119,500 bbl/day (2014 est.)

160 bbl/day (2014 est.)

1.1 billion bbl (1 January 2017 es)

8,345 bbl/day (2014 est.)

18,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

314.3 bbl/day (2014 est.)

8,313 bbl/day (2014 est.)

12 billion cu m (2015 est.)

4.545 billion cu m (2015 est.)

8.52 billion cu m (2015 est.)

0 cu m (2014 est.)

311.5 billion cu m (1 January 2017 es)

8.4 million Mt (2013 est.)

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)

.bn

V8 (2016)

1 (2013)

3 (2013)

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

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

3.54% of GDP (2016)

3.28% of GDP (2015)

3.08% of GDP (2014)

2.28% of GDP (2013)

2.16% of GDP (2012)

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)