Brunei Facts, Map, Population, GDP

Capital

Bandar Seri Begawan

Population

491,900 (2024 est.)

Area

5,765 sq km

Location

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

🧭 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.

🗺️ Geography

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

Area — land

5,265 sq km

Area — water

500 sq km

Area - comparative

Slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries — total

266 km

Land boundaries — border countries

Malaysia 266 km

Coastline

161 km

Maritime claims — territorial sea

12 nm

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 — highest point

Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Elevation — lowest point

South China Sea 0 m

Elevation — mean elevation

478 m

Natural resources

Petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use — agricultural land

2.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

72.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — 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

👥 People and Society⬆️ Top

Population — total

491,900 (2024 est.)

Population — male

239,140

Population — female

252,760

Nationality — noun

Bruneian(s)

Nationality — adjective

Bruneian

Ethnic groups

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

Languages — Languages

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

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 — 0-14 years

21.7% (male 54,924/female 51,710)

Age structure — 15-64 years

70.8% (male 166,289/female 182,011)

Age structure — 65 years and over

7.5% (2024 est.) (male 17,927/female 19,039)

Dependency ratios — total dependency ratio

41.2 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — youth dependency ratio

30.6 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — elderly dependency ratio

10.6 (2024 est.)

Dependency ratios — potential support ratio

9.4 (2024 est.)

Median age — total

32.6 years (2025 est.)

Median age — male

31.4 years

Median age — 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)

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 — at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 0-14 years

1.06 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 15-64 years

0.91 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 65 years and over

0.94 male(s)/female

Sex ratio — 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.)

Infant mortality rate — male

12.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Infant mortality rate — female

7.7 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth — total population

78.9 years (2024 est.)

Life expectancy at birth — male

76.5 years

Life expectancy at birth — 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.)

Drinking water source — unimproved: urban

Urban: 0.4% of population

Drinking water source — unimproved: rural

Rural: 0% of population

Drinking water source — unimproved: total

Total: 0.1% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure — Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

2.2% of GDP (2021)

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 — improved: total

Total: 99.5% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access — 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.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — beer

0.66 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — wine

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Alcohol consumption per capita — other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use — total

17% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — male

31.2% (2025 est.)

Tobacco use — female

1.9% (2025 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% GDP)

4.4% of GDP (2016 est.)

Education expenditure — Education expenditure (% national budget)

11.4% national budget (2016 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — total

14 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — male

13 years (2023 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) — female

14 years (2023 est.)

🌿 Environment⬆️ Top

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

International environmental agreements — signed, but not ratified

None of the selected agreements

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Land use — agricultural land

2.5% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: arable land

Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent crops

Permanent crops: 1.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — agricultural land: permanent pasture

Permanent pasture: 0.6% (2023 est.)

Land use — forest

72.1% (2023 est.)

Land use — other

25.4% (2023 est.)

Urbanization — urban population

79.1% of total population (2023)

Urbanization — 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.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — from coal and metallurgical coke

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

Carbon dioxide emissions — from petroleum and other liquids

2.175 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions — 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.)

Methane emissions — agriculture

0.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — waste

9.2 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Methane emissions — other

0.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Waste and recycling — municipal solid waste generated annually

216,300 tons (2024 est.)

Waste and recycling — percent of municipal solid waste recycled

20% (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — municipal

151.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal — agricultural

5.3 million cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total renewable water resources

8.5 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

🏛️ Government⬆️ Top

Country name — conventional long form

Brunei Darussalam

Country name — conventional short form

Brunei

Country name — local long form

Negara Brunei Darussalam

Country name — local short form

Brunei

Country name — 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

Capital — geographic coordinates

4 53 N, 114 56 E

Capital — time difference

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

Capital — 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

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 birth

No

Citizenship — citizenship by descent only

The father must be a citizen of Brunei

Citizenship — dual citizenship recognized

No

Citizenship — 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)

Executive branch — head of government

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

Executive branch — cabinet

Council of Ministers appointed and presided over by the monarch

Executive branch — election/appointment process

None; the monarchy is hereditary

Legislative branch — legislature name

Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara)

Legislative branch — legislative structure

Unicameral

Legislative branch — number of seats

45 (all appointed)

Legislative branch — electoral system

Plurality/majority

Legislative branch — scope of elections

Full renewal

Legislative branch — term in office

5 years

Legislative branch — most recent election date

1/20/2023

Legislative branch — percentage of women in chamber

11.4%

Legislative branch — 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)

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

Judicial branch — 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)

Diplomatic representation in the US — chancery

3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic representation in the US — telephone

[1] (202) 237-1838

Diplomatic representation in the US — FAX

[1] (202) 885-0560

Diplomatic representation in the US — email address and website

Info@bruneiembassy.org http://www.bruneiembassy.org/index.html

Diplomatic representation in the US — consulate(s)

New York

Diplomatic representation from the US — chief of mission

Ambassador Caryn R. McCLELLAND (since December 2021)

Diplomatic representation from the US — embassy

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

Diplomatic representation from the US — mailing address

4020 Bandar Seri Begawan Place, Washington DC 20521-4020

Diplomatic representation from the US — telephone

(673) 238-7400

Diplomatic representation from the US — FAX

(673) 238-7533

Diplomatic representation from the US — email address and website

ConsularBrunei@state.gov https://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)

National anthem(s) — lyrics/music

Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap

National anthem(s) — history

Adopted 1951

💹 Economy⬆️ Top

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) — Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$35.163 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) — 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 — Real GDP growth rate 2023

1.1% (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate — 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 — Real GDP per capita 2023

$76,600 (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita — 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) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

0.4% (2023 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) — Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

3.7% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — agriculture

1.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — industry

61.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin — services

38.7% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — household consumption

28.5% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — government consumption

23% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in fixed capital

28.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — investment in inventories

0.2% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — exports of goods and services

74.3% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use — 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 — Unemployment rate 2023

5.2% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate — Unemployment rate 2022

5.2% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — total

18.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — male

16.5% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) — female

21.6% (2024 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances — Remittances 2021

0% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget — revenues

$1.058 billion (2020 est.)

Budget — 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 — Current account balance 2023

$1.944 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance — Current account balance 2022

$3.256 billion (2022 est.)

Exports — Exports 2024

$11.483 billion (2024 est.)

Exports — Exports 2023

$11.573 billion (2023 est.)

Exports — 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 — Imports 2023

$9.077 billion (2023 est.)

Imports — 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 — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$4.483 billion (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold — Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$5.035 billion (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Currency

Bruneian dollars (BND) per US dollar -

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2024

1.336 (2024 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2023

1.343 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2022

1.379 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2021

1.344 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates — Exchange rates 2020

1.38 (2020 est.)

⚡ Energy⬆️ Top

Electricity access — electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity — installed generating capacity

904,000 kW (2023 est.)

Electricity — consumption

5.081 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity — transmission/distribution losses

502.188 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — fossil fuels

99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources — solar

0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal — consumption

841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Coal — imports

841,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum — total petroleum production

95,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — refined petroleum consumption

15,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Petroleum — crude oil estimated reserves

1.1 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas — production

10.093 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — consumption

3.911 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — exports

5.733 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Natural gas — 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.)

📡 Communications⬆️ Top

Telephones - fixed lines — total subscriptions

122,000 (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular — total subscriptions

582,919 (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 — percent of population

99% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — total

93,000 (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions — subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2023 est.)

🚚 Transportation⬆️ Top

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

V8

Airports

2 (2025)

Heliports

14 (2025)

Merchant marine — total

97 (2023)

Merchant marine — by type

General cargo 18, oil tanker 2, other 77

Ports — total ports

5 (2024)

Ports — large

0

Ports — medium

0

Ports — small

2

Ports — very small

3

Ports — ports with oil terminals

5

Ports — key ports

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

🛡️ Military and Security⬆️ Top

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 — Military Expenditures 2022

2.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2021

3.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military expenditures — Military Expenditures 2020

3.7% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military expenditures — 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 insurgency 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)

🌐 Transnational Issues⬆️ Top

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/