male: 72.36 years
female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)
Total fertility rate:
2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
less than 0.1% (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
HIV/AIDS - deaths:
less than 200 (2003 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic groups:
Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%
Religions:
Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous
beliefs and other 10%
Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9%
male: 96.3%
female: 91.4% (2002)
Government Brunei
Country name:
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
Government type:
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); note - 1 January 1984 was the
date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of
independence from British protection
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 English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law
supersedes civil law in a number of areas
Suffrage:
none
Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah
(since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of
state and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters; note - there is also a
Religious Council (members appointed by the monarch) that advises on
religious matters, a Privy Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that deals with constitutional matters, and the Council of
Succession (members appointed by the monarch) that determines the
succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
Legislative branch:
Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20
years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional
amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members;
Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new
council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
elections: last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch
for three-year terms)
Political parties and leaders:
National Development Party (NDP) [Yassin AFFENDI]; National Unity
Party of Brunei (PPKB) [leader NA]; People's Awareness Party (PAKAR)
[leader NA]
note: parties are small and inactive (2005)
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, C, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN,
UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 237–1838
FAX: [1] (202) 885–0560
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri
Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293
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
Economy Brunei
Economy - overview:
This small, well-to-do economy encompasses a mixture of foreign and
domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures,
and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account
for nearly half of GDP. Per capita GDP is far above most other Third
World countries, and substantial income from overseas investment
supplements income from domestic production. The government provides
for all medical services and free education through the university
level and subsidizes rice and housing. Brunei's leaders are
concerned that steadily increased integration in the world economy
will undermine internal social cohesion, although it became a more
prominent player by serving as chairman for the 2000