Brunei
Brunei Darussalam
Population
491.9K
Area
5,765 km²
GDP
$15.46B
GDP Per Capita
$79,200
Pop. Density
85/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
$Brunei dollar(BND)
Calling Code
+673
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Languages
Malay
Driving Side
left
Demonym
Bruneian
Background
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑21.3% since 2006Population
↑26.9% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 75.3 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography17
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
land: 5,265 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries
border countries: Malaysia 266 km
Coastline
161 km
Maritime claims
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
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
mean elevation: 478 m
Natural resources
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
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
People & Society31
Population
male: 239,140
female: 252,760
Nationality
adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups
Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.)
Languages
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
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
youth dependency ratio: 30.6 (2024 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 10.6 (2024 est.)
potential support ratio: 9.4 (2024 est.)
Median age
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
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
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
male: 12.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 7.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
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
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 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
unimproved: total: total: 0.5% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
14.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
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
male: 31.2% (2025 est.)
female: 1.9% (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 11.4% national budget (2016 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 13 years (2023 est.)
female: 14 years (2023 est.)
Government22
Country name
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
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
Legal system
mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law
Constitution
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 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
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 structure
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
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
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
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
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)
lyrics/music: Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap
history: adopted 1951
Economy26
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) 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 2023: 1.1% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: -1.6% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
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) 2023: 0.4% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 3.7% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 61.7% (2024 est.)
services: 38.7% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
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 2023: 5.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 5.2% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 16.5% (2024 est.)
female: 21.6% (2024 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $3.189 billion (2020 est.)
Public debt
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: $1.944 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $3.256 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
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 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 2023: $4.483 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $5.035 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy7
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 502.188 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
imports: 841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
refined petroleum consumption: 15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
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
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 26 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
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
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)
Transportation5
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
V8
Airports
2 (2025)
Heliports
14 (2025)
Merchant marine
by type: general cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security6
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 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
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
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)