style="font-size:15px;"> entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royalsuccession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.
Geography Brunei
Location:
Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Geographic coordinates:
4 30 N, 114 40 E
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly smaller than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: territorial sea: 12 nm 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 extremes:
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m
Natural resources:
petroleum, natural gas, timber
Land use: arable land: 0.57% permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001)
Irrigated land:
10 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards:
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Environment - current issues:
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea,
Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - 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
People Brunei
Population:
372,361 (July 2005 est.)
Age structure:
0–14 years: 28.6% (male 54,342/female 52,084)
15–64 years: 68.4% (male 134,908/female 119,814)
65 years and over: 3% (male 5,301/female 5,912) (2005 est.)
Median age:
total: 27.04 years
male: 27.63 years
female: 26.4 years (2005 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.9% (2005 est.)
Birth rate:
19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Death rate:
3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Net migration rate:
3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 1.09 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
total: 12.61 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.93 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 9.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 74.8 years
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:
