Brunei

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.

Land

5,265 sq km

Total

5,765 sq km

Water

500 sq km

slightly smaller than Delaware

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

161 km

Asia

Highest point

Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Mean elevation

478 m

4 30 N, 114 40 E

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

10 sq km (2012)

Border countries

Malaysia 266 km

number of neighbors

1

Total

266 km

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.)

arable land

0.76%

Forest

72.1% (2023 est.)

Other

25.4% (2023 est.)

permanent crops

1.14%

No

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

Google Maps

https://goo.gl/maps/4jb4CqBXhr8vNh579

OpenStreetMap

https://www.openstreetmap.org/relation/2103120

Southeast Asia

Exclusive economic zone

200 nm or to median line

Territorial sea

12 nm

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

petroleum, natural gas, timber

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

South-Eastern Asia

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

UTC+08:00

number of time zones

1

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)

Beer

0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Total

0.69 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

15.58 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

3.96 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

adult female

94 per 1,000

adult male

137 per 1,000

Elderly dependency ratio

10.6 (2024 est.)

Potential support ratio

9.4 (2024 est.)

Total dependency ratio

41.2 (2024 est.)

Youth dependency ratio

30.6 (2024 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99.9% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: rural

rural: 0% of population

Unimproved: total

total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: urban

urban: 0.4% of population

Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.4% national budget (2016 est.)

Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.)

0.85 (2025 est.)

2 % of GDP

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.2% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

6.4% of national budget (2022 est.)

3.9 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Female

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Male

12.2 deaths/1,000 live births

neonatal

5 deaths/1,000 live births

Total

9.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)

Languages

Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects

Major-language sample(s)

<br>Buku Fakta Dunia, sumber yang diperlukan untuk maklumat asas. (Malay)<br><br>The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

number of languages

1

Female

81.3 years

Male

76.5 years

Total population

78.9 years (2024 est.)

266,682 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2021)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the boundaries of the capital city were expanded in 2007, greatly increasing the city area; the population of the capital increased tenfold

36 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Female

33.1 years

Male

31.4 years

Total

32.6 years (2025 est.)

9 births/1,000 women 15-19

Adjective

Bruneian

Noun

Bruneian(s)

2.09 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

14.1% (2016)

1.89 physicians/1,000 population (2021)

Female

252,760

Male

239,140

Total

491,900 (2024 est.)

1.37% (2025 est.)

Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.)

Improved: total

total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

Unimproved: total

total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)

Female

14 years (2023 est.)

Male

13 years (2023 est.)

Total

14 years (2023 est.)

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

At birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Total population

0.95 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Female

1.9% (2025 est.)

Male

31.2% (2025 est.)

Total

17% (2025 est.)

1.73 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Rate of urbanization

1.44% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Urban population

79.1% of total population (2023)

measles

99%

4 districts (<em>daerah-daerah</em>, singular - <em>daerah</em>); Belait, Brunei dan Muara, Temburong, Tutong

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)

Geographic coordinates

4 53 N, 114 56 E

Name

Bandar Seri Begawan

Time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

svg

https://mainfacts.com/media/images/coats_of_arms/bn.svg

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

History

drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959

Note

<strong>note:</strong> some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a state of emergency, others suspended since independence in 1984

alternative spellings

BN, Brunei Darussalam, Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace

Conventional long form

Brunei Darussalam

Conventional short form

Brunei

Etymology

derivation of the name is unclear; the name may come from the Sanskrit word <em>bhumi</em>, meaning "land" or "region"

FIFA code

BRU

Local long form

Negara Brunei Darussalam

local long form (msa)

Nation of Brunei, Abode Damai

Local short form

Brunei

Chief of mission

Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021)

Email address and website

<br>ConsularBrunei@state.gov<br><br>https://bn.usembassy.gov/

Embassy

Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Duta, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115

FAX

(673) 238-7533

Mailing address

4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC&nbsp; 20521-4020

Telephone

(673) 238-7400

Chancery

3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Chief of mission

Ambassador&nbsp;(vacant); Charg&eacute; d'Affaires IZZATI Baharuddin (since 6 May 2025)

Consulate(s)

New York

Email address and website

<br>info@bruneiembassy.org<br><br>http://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html

FAX

[1] (202) 885-0560

Telephone

[1] (202) 237-1838

Cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch

Chief of state

Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)

Election/appointment process

none; the monarchy is hereditary

Head of government

Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)

Note

<strong>note 1:</strong> the monarch is both chief of state and head of government, as well as Minister of Finance, Defense, and Foreign Affairs and Trade<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> 4 additional advisory councils appointed by the monarch are the Religious Council, Privy Council for Constitutional Issues, Council of Succession, and Legislative Council

<strong>description:</strong> 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"<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> 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) 

The flag of Brunei has a yellow field with two adjoining diagonal bands of white and black that extend from the upper hoist side of the field to the lower fly side. The red emblem of Brunei is centered on the field.

svg

https://flagcdn.com/bn.svg

absolute monarchy or sultanate

1 January 1984 (from the UK)

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

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

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

Note

<strong>note:</strong> Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council (in London) serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only

Subordinate courts

Intermediate Court; Magistrates' Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts

mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law

note

<strong>note:</strong> in 2019, sharia penal codes came into force and apply to Muslims and partly to non-Muslims in parallel with common law codes

Electoral system

plurality/majority

Expected date of next election

January 2028

Legislative structure

unicameral

Legislature name

Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara)

Most recent election date

1/20/2023

Number of seats

45 (all appointed)

Percentage of women in chamber

11.4%

Scope of elections

full renewal

Term in office

5 years

yellow, white, black

National Day, 23 February (1984)

note

<strong>note:</strong> 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection; the Sultan's birthday, 15 June

royal parasol

National Development Party or NDP

note

<strong>note:</strong> the NDP is Brunei’s only registered party, but does not have representation in the Legislative Council, which is appointed

Monday

18 years of age for village elections; universal

Yes

chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, bananas, beans, cucumbers/gherkins, pineapples, beef (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Expenditures

$3.189 billion (2020 est.)

Revenues

$1.058 billion (2020 est.)

code

BND, SGD

name

Brunei dollar (BND) [$], Singapore dollar (SGD) [$]

$2.23 billion

Current account balance 2022

$3.256 billion (2022 est.)

Current account balance 2023

$1.944 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance 2024

$2.23 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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

Currency

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2020

1.38 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.344 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

1.379 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

1.343 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2024

1.336 (2024 est.)

$11.39 billion

Exports 2022

$14.405 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$11.573 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$11.483 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, hydrocarbons, fertilizers (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Australia 21%, Japan 17%, China 17%, Singapore 16%, Malaysia 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

net inflows

$29.06 million

Exports of goods and services

74.3% (2024 est.)

Government consumption

23% (2024 est.)

Household consumption

28.5% (2024 est.)

Imports of goods and services

-58.9% (2024 est.)

Investment in fixed capital

28.2% (2024 est.)

Investment in inventories

0.2% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agriculture

1.2% (2024 est.)

Industry

61.7% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Services

38.7% (2024 est.)

$15.463 billion (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

$33,153

$15.83 billion

$36,020

28 % of GDP

$8.95 billion

Imports 2022

$10.099 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$9.077 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$9.11 billion (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

crude petroleum, gold, refined petroleum, coal, cars (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Malaysia 23%, UAE 10%, China 10%, UK 10%, Australia 6% (2023)

note

<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

5.7% (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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

-0.39%

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

3.7% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

0.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024

-0.4% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

233,500 (2024 est.)

note

<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

total

237,763 persons

agriculture

1.2%

industry

20.39%

services

78.41%

Note

<strong>note:</strong> central government debt as a % of GDP

Public debt 2017

2.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

$41.59 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$34.771 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$35.163 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024

$36.64 billion (2024 est.)

4.05%

Note

<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2022

-1.6% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2024

4.2% (2024 est.)

$89,879

Note

<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2022

$76,400 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$76,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2024

$79,200 (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

$4.41 billion

Note

<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$5.035 billion (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$4.483 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024

$4.414 billion (2024 est.)

5.28%

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2022

5.2% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

5.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

5.2% (2024 est.)

Female

21.6% (2024 est.)

Male

16.5% (2024 est.)

Note

<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

Total

18.5% (2024 est.)

Consumption

841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Imports

841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Consumption

5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)

consumption per capita

11,197 kWh

Installed generating capacity

904,000 kW (2023 est.)

Transmission/distribution losses

502.188 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Fossil fuels

99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

hydroelectric

0%

nuclear

0%

renewable

0.02%

Solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

9,537 kg of oil equivalent

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

403.365 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Consumption

3.911 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Exports

5.733 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Production

10.093 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Proven reserves

260.515 billion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Crude oil estimated reserves

1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Total petroleum production

95,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

0%

per 100 inhabitants

20 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2023 est.)

Total

93,000 (2023 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

.bn

Percent of population

99% (2023 est.)

@@####

+673

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2023 est.)

Total subscriptions

122,000 (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100

127 per 100

Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

118 (2024 est.)

Total subscriptions

582,919 (2023 est.)

passengers carried

820,886 passengers

registered carrier departures

7,522 departures

2 (2025)

V8

Left

14 (2025)

By type

general cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77

Total

97 (2023)

Key ports

Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Lumut, Muara Harbor, Seria Oil Loading Terminal

Large

0

Medium

0

Ports with oil terminals

5

Small

2

Total ports

5 (2024)

Very small

3

BRU

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 insurgency<br><br>Brunei 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 detachment<br><br>the 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)

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)

active duty personnel

8,000

note

<strong>note 1: </strong>the Gurkha Security Unit under the Ministry of Defense is a special guard force for the Sultan, the royal family, and the country’s oil installations<br><br><strong>note 2: </strong>the Royal Brunei Police Force (RBPF) is under the Prime Minister's Office

percent of total labor force

3.57 %

approximately 7,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

the military's s inventory includes equipment and weapons systems from a variety of suppliers from Asia, Europe, and the US (2025)

4 % of GDP

current USD

$558,608,209

Military Expenditures 2019

3.1% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

3.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

3% of GDP (2023 est.)

percent of central government expenditure

12.07 %

percent of GDP

3.58 % of GDP

18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (2025)

note

<strong>note:</strong> the Gurkha Reserve Unit (GRU) employs hundreds of Gurkhas from Nepal, the majority of whom are veterans of the British Army and the Singapore Police Force who have joined the GRU as a second career

Stateless persons

20,863 (2024 est.)

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/

From coal and metallurgical coke

998,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From consumed natural gas

7.65 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

From petroleum and other liquids

2.175 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Total emissions

10.823 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

air pollution, including seasonal haze from forest fires in Indonesia

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

Agriculture

0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Energy

50.5 kt (2022-2024 est.)

Other

0.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste

9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

7.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

8 % of total land area

0 % of total

8.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

1 % of internal resources

Agricultural

5.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal

151.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Municipal solid waste generated annually

216,300 tons (2024 est.)

Percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20% (2022 est.)