*British Virgin Islands, Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK
*Brunei, Geography
Location:
Southeast Asia, on the northern coast of Borneo almost completely surrounded
by Malaysia
Map references:
Asia, Oceania, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
5,770 km2 land area:
5,270 km2
comparative area:
slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundaries:
total 381 km, Malysia 381 km
Coastline:
161 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
200 nm
territorial sea:
12 nm
International disputes:
may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country; all of
the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them
are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an
exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly
claimed the island
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain:
flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use:
arable land:
1%
permanent crops:
1%
meadows and pastures:
1%
forest and woodland:
79%
other:
18%
Irrigated land:
10 km2 (1989 est.)
Environment:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Note:
close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific
Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of
Malaysia
*Brunei, People
Population:
276,984 (July 1993 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.77% (1993 est.)
Birth rate:
26.55 births/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 5.02 deaths/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate:
6.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1993 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
25.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
70.94 years
male:
69.27 years
female:
72.65 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate:
3.45 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Bruneian(s)
adjective:
Bruneian
Ethnic divisions:
Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
Religions:
Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and
other 15% (1981)
Languages:
Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1981)
total population:
77%
male:
85%
female:
69%
Labor force:
89,000 (includes members of the Army)
by occupation:
government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction
41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986)
note:
33% of labor force is foreign (1988)
*Brunei, Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form:
Brunei
Digraph:
BX
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)
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 Islamic law
National holiday:
23 February (1984)
Political parties and leaders:
Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei
National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned),
leader NA
Suffrage:
none
Elections:
Legislative Council:
last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive
body by decree of the sultan and no elections are planned
Executive branch:
sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers
Legislative branch:
unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji
HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
Member of:
APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO
(correspondent), ITU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Mohamed KASSIM bin Haji Mohamed Daud
chancery:
2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 3000, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
(202) 342-0159
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Donald Burnham ENSENAT
embassy:
Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
*Brunei, Government
mailing address:
American Embassy Box B, APO AP 96440
telephone: [673] (2) 229-670
FAX:
[673] (2) 225-293
Flag:
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