Brunei

Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace

LOCATION

Background: 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. Internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy subsequently brought on a period of decline. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries, and in 2017, the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH’s accession to the throne. Brunei has one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world, thanks to extensive petroleum and natural gas fields.

Location: Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 5,765 sq km
land: 5,265 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 266 km
border countries: Malaysia 266 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Elevation: highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 478 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: agricultural land: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 72.1% (2023 est.)
other: 25.4% (2023 est.)
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (2012)
Population distribution: the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan
Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Geography - note: 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

Population: total: 491,900 (2024 est.)
male: 239,140
female: 252,760
Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups: Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.)
Languages: Languages: Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects
major-language sample(s): Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
Religions: Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 21.7% (male 54,924/female 51,710)
15-64 years: 70.8% (male 166,289/female 182,011)
65 years and over: 7.5% (2024 est.) (male 17,927/female 19,039)
Dependency ratios: total dependency ratio: 41.2 (2024 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 30.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9.4 (2024 est.)
Median age: total: 32.6 years (2025 est.)
male: 31.4 years
female: 33.1 years
Population growth rate: 1.37% (2025 est.)
Birth rate: 15.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate: 3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate: 2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution: the vast majority of the population is found along the coast in the western part of Brunei, which is separated from the eastern portion by Malaysia; the largest population concentration is in the far north on the western side of the Brunei Bay, in and around the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan
Urbanization: urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population: 266,682 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2021)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio: 36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate: total: 9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 78.9 years (2024 est.)
male: 76.5 years
female: 81.3 years
Total fertility rate: 1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate: 0.85 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source: improved: total: total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0.4% of population
unimproved: rural: rural: 0% of population
unimproved: total: total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure: Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 2.2% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 6.4% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density: 1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2021)
Hospital bed density: 3.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access: improved: total: total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate: 14.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita: total: 0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use: total: 17% (2025 est.)
male: 31.2% (2025 est.)
female: 1.9% (2025 est.)
Education expenditure: Education expenditure (% GDP): 4.4% of GDP (2016 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.4% national budget (2016 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): total: 14 years (2023 est.)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)

Environmental issues: air pollution, including seasonal haze from forest fires in Indonesia
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Land use: agricultural land: 2.5% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land: arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops: permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture: permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)
forest: 72.1% (2023 est.)
other: 25.4% (2023 est.)
Urbanization: urban population: 79.1% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 10.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 998,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 2.175 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 7.65 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Methane emissions: energy: 50.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)
agriculture: 0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
waste: 9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)
other: 0.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 216,300 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 20% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 151.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 5.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 8.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Country name: 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; the name may come from the Sanskrit word bhumi, meaning "land" or "region"
Government type: absolute monarchy or sultanate
Capital: 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)
etymology: named in 1970 after Sultan Omar Ali SAIFUDDIEN III (1914-1986), who adopted the title of "Seri Begawan" (approximately meaning "honored lord") when he abdicated in 1967; "bandar" means "city" or "port" in Malay; the capital had previously been called Bandar Brunei (Brunei City)
Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei dan Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Legal system: mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law
Constitution: history: drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959
amendment process: 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
International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICC
Citizenship: 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
Suffrage: 18 years of age for village elections; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)
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
election/appointment process: none; the monarchy is hereditary
Legislative branch: legislature name: Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara)
legislative structure: unicameral
number of seats: 45 (all appointed)
electoral system: plurality/majority
scope of elections: full renewal
term in office: 5 years
most recent election date: 1/20/2023
percentage of women in chamber: 11.4%
expected date of next election: January 2028
Judicial branch: highest court(s): Supreme Court (consists of the Court of Appeal and the High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges); Sharia Court (consists the Court of Appeals and the High Court)
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 judges appointed by the monarch for life
subordinate courts: Intermediate Court; Magistrates' Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts
Political parties: National Development Party or NDP
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires IZZATI Baharuddin (since 6 May 2025)
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
email address and website: info@bruneiembassy.orghttp://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html
consulate(s): New York
Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021)
embassy: Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Duta, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115
mailing address: 4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC 20521-4020
telephone: (673) 238-7400
FAX: (673) 238-7533
email address and website: ConsularBrunei@state.govhttps://bn.usembassy.gov/
International organization participation: 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
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from the UK)
National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)
Flag: description: yellow with a diagonal white band and second below it in black, both starting from the upper left; the national emblem in red is at the center; the state motto, "Always render service with God's guidance," appears in yellow Arabic script on the emblem's crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace"meaning: yellow symbolizes the sultanate, and the white and black bands stand for the chief ministers; the emblem includes a royal umbrella (the monarchy), two wings with four feathers (justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace), two upraised hands (the government's pledge to preserve and promote the people's welfare), and the crescent moon of Islam (the state religion)
National symbol(s): royal parasol
National color(s): yellow, white, black
National anthem(s): title: "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty)
lyrics/music: Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap
history: adopted 1951

Economic overview: almost exclusively an oil and gas economy; high income country; expansive and robust welfare system; the majority of the population works for the government; promulgating a nationalized halal brand; considering establishment of a bond market and stock exchange
Real GDP (purchasing power parity): Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $36.64 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $35.163 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $34.771 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate: Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4.2% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita: Real GDP per capita 2024: $79,200 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $76,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $76,400 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $15.463 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: -0.4% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 3.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin: agriculture: 1.2% (2024 est.)
industry: 61.7% (2024 est.)
services: 38.7% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use: household consumption: 28.5% (2024 est.)
government consumption: 23% (2024 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 28.2% (2024 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.2% (2024 est.)
exports of goods and services: 74.3% (2024 est.)
imports of goods and services: -58.9% (2024 est.)
Agricultural products: chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, bananas, beans, cucumbers/gherkins, pineapples, beef (2023)
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation
Industrial production growth rate: 5.7% (2024 est.)
Labor force: 233,500 (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate: Unemployment rate 2024: 5.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 5.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 5.2% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24): total: 18.5% (2024 est.)
male: 16.5% (2024 est.)
female: 21.6% (2024 est.)
Remittances: Remittances 2023: 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget: revenues: $1.058 billion (2020 est.)
expenditures: $3.189 billion (2020 est.)
Public debt: Public debt 2017: 2.8% of GDP (2017 est.)
Current account balance: Current account balance 2024: $2.23 billion (2024 est.)
Current account balance 2023: $1.944 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $3.256 billion (2022 est.)
Exports: Exports 2024: $11.483 billion (2024 est.)
Exports 2023: $11.573 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $14.405 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners: Australia 21%, Japan 17%, China 17%, Singapore 16%, Malaysia 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities: refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, hydrocarbons, fertilizers (2023)
Imports: Imports 2024: $9.11 billion (2024 est.)
Imports 2023: $9.077 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $10.099 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners: Malaysia 23%, UAE 10%, China 10%, UK 10%, Australia 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities: crude petroleum, gold, refined petroleum, coal, cars (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold: Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024: $4.414 billion (2024 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $4.483 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $5.035 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates: Currency: Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -
Exchange rates 2024: 1.336 (2024 est.)
Exchange rates 2023: 1.343 (2023 est.)
Exchange rates 2022: 1.379 (2022 est.)
Exchange rates 2021: 1.344 (2021 est.)
Exchange rates 2020: 1.38 (2020 est.)

Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Electricity: installed generating capacity: 904,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 502.188 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources: fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal: consumption: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum: total petroleum production: 95,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas: production: 10.093 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
consumption: 3.911 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
exports: 5.733 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
proven reserves: 260.515 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Energy consumption per capita: Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 403.365 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines: total subscriptions: 122,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular: total subscriptions: 582,919 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 118 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media: 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
Internet country code: .bn
Internet users: percent of population: 99% (2023 est.)
Broadband - fixed subscriptions: total: 93,000 (2023 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: V8
Airports: 2 (2025)
Heliports: 14 (2025)
Merchant marine: total: 97 (2023)
by type: general cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77
Ports: total ports: 5 (2024)
large: 0
medium: 0
small: 2
very small: 3
ports with oil terminals: 5
key ports: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Lumut, Muara Harbor, Seria Oil Loading Terminal

Military and security forces: Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) or Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB): Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) (2025)
Military expenditures: Military Expenditures 2023: 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 3.7% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military Expenditures 2019: 3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths: approximately 7,000 active Armed Forces (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions: the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2025)
Military service age and obligation: 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (2025)
Military - note: the Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) are responsible for ensuring the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as countering outside aggression, terrorism, and insurgencyBrunei has a long-standing defense relationship with the UK and hosts a British Army garrison, which includes a Gurkha battalion and a jungle warfare school; Brunei also has close security ties with Singapore and hosts a Singaporean military training detachmentthe RBAF was formed in 1961 with British support as the Brunei Malay Regiment; "Royal" was added as an honorary title in 1965 and its current name was given in 1984 (2025)

Refugees and internally displaced persons: stateless persons: 20,863 (2024 est.)
Trafficking in persons: tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List — Brunei does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking but is making significant efforts to do so, therefore Brunei was upgraded to Tier 2 Watch List; for more details, go to: https://www.state.gov/reports/2025-trafficking-in-persons-report/brunei/