Compare Akrotiri (2006) - Brunei (2005)

Akrotiri (2006)

Brunei (2005)

Administrative divisions

-

4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong

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.)

Agriculture - products

-

rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo

Airports

-

2 (2004 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

-

total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways

-

total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.)

Area

total: 123 sq km

note: includes a salt lake and wetlands

total: 5,770 sq km

land: 5,270 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative

about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC

slightly smaller than Delaware

Background

By terms of the 1960 Treaty of Establishment that created the independent Republic of Cyprus, the UK retained full sovereignty and jurisdiction over two areas of almost 254 square kilometers - Akrotiri and Dhekelia. The southernmost and smallest of these is the Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area, which is also referred to as the Western Sovereign Base Area.

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. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, 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.

Birth rate

-

19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Budget

-

revenues: $4.9 billion

expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (2003 est.)

Capital

name: Episkopi Cantonment; also serves as capital of Dhekelia

geographic coordinates: 34 40 N, 32 51 E

time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Bandar Seri Begawan

Climate

temperate; Mediterranean with hot, dry summers and cool winters

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Coastline

56.3 km

161 km

Constitution

Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia Order in Council 1960, effective 16 August 1960

29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)

Country name

conventional long form: Akrotiri Sovereign Base Area

conventional short form: Akrotiri

conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

Death rate

-

3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Debt - external

-

$0

Dependency status

overseas territory of UK; administered by an administrator who is also the Commander, British Forces Cyprus

-

Diplomatic representation from the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

none (overseas territory of the UK)

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

Disputes - international

-

in 2003 Brunei and Malaysia ceased gas and oil exploration in their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds and negotiations have stalemated prompting consideration of international legal adjudication; Malaysia's land boundary with Brunei around Limbang is in dispute; Brunei established an exclusive economic fishing zone encompassing Louisa Reef in southern Spratly Islands in 1984 but makes no public territorial claim to the offshore reefs; the 2002 "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" has eased tensions in the Spratly Islands but falls short of a legally binding "code of conduct" desired by several of the disputants

Economic aid - recipient

-

NA

Economy - overview

Economic activity is limited to providing services to the military and their families located in Akrotiri. All food and manufactured goods must be imported.

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 APEC (Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation) forum. Plans for the future include upgrading the labor force, reducing unemployment, strengthening the banking and tourist sectors, and, in general, further widening the economic base beyond oil and gas.

Electricity - consumption

-

2.286 billion kWh (2002)

Electricity - exports

-

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - imports

-

0 kWh (2002)

Electricity - production

-

2.458 billion kWh (2002)

Elevation extremes

-

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Environment - current issues

shooting around the salt lake; note - breeding place for loggerhead and green turtles; only remaining colony of griffon vultures is on the base

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

Ethnic groups

-

Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Exchange rates

-

Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000)

Executive branch

chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952)

head of government: Administrator Air Vice-Marshal Richard LACEY (since 26 April 2006); note - reports to the British Ministry of Defence

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; the administrator is appointed by the monarch

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

Exports

-

199,000 bbl/day (2003)

Exports - commodities

-

crude oil, natural gas, refined products

Exports - partners

-

Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand 7.9%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004)

Fiscal year

-

calendar year

Flag description

the flag of the UK is used

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

GDP - composition by sector

-

agriculture: 5%

industry: 45%

services: 50% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita

-

purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

-

3.2% (2003 est.)

Geographic coordinates

34 37 N, 32 58 E

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Geography - note

British extraterritorial rights also extended to several small off-post sites scattered across Cyprus

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

Heliports

-

3 (2004 est.)

Highways

-

total: 2,525 km

paved: 2,525 km

unpaved: 0 km (2000)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

-

lowest 10%: NA

highest 10%: NA

Illicit drugs

-

drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty

Imports

-

NA

Imports - commodities

-

machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals

Imports - partners

-

Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004)

Independence

-

1 January 1984 (from UK)

Industrial production growth rate

-

5% (2002 est.)

Industries

-

petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction

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.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

-

0.3% (2003 est.)

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

Irrigated land

-

10 sq km (1998 est.)

Judicial branch

-

Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms)

Labor force

-

158,000

note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (2002 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

-

agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.)

Land boundaries

total: 47.4 km

border countries: Cyprus 47.4 km

total: 381 km

border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Land use

-

arable land: 0.57%

permanent crops: 0.76%

other: 98.67% (2001)

Languages

English, Greek

Malay (official), English, Chinese

Legal system

the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas

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)

Life expectancy at birth

-

total population: 74.8 years

male: 72.36 years

female: 77.36 years (2005 est.)

Literacy

-

definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 93.9%

male: 96.3%

female: 91.4% (2002)

Location

peninsula on the southwest coast of Cyprus

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Map references

Middle East

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

-

territorial sea: 12 nm

exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Merchant marine

-

total: 8 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT

by type: liquefied gas 8

foreign-owned: 8 (United Kingdom 8) (2005)

Military - note

Akrotiri has a full RAF base, Headquarters for British Forces on Cyprus, and Episkopi Support Unit

-

Military branches

-

Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force

Military expenditures - dollar figure

-

$290.7 million (2004)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

-

5.1% (2004)

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

Nationality

-

noun: Bruneian(s)

adjective: Bruneian

Natural hazards

-

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Natural resources

-

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Net migration rate

-

3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.)

Pipelines

-

gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004)

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

Population

no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,300 military personnel are on the base; there are another 5,000 British citizens who are families of military personnel or civilian staff on both Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Cyprus citizens work on the base, but do not live there

372,361 (July 2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

-

NA

Population growth rate

-

1.9% (2005 est.)

Ports and harbors

-

Lumut, Muara, Seria

Radio broadcast stations

FM 1

note: British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides Radio 1 and Radio 2 service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Religions

-

Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

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.)

Suffrage

-

none

Telephone system

-

general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to East Asia, Europe, and the US

domestic: every service available

international: country code - 673; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singapore (2001)

Telephones - main lines in use

-

90,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

-

137,000 (2002)

Television broadcast stations

British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) provides multi-channel satellite service to Akrotiri, Dhekelia, and Nicosia (2006)

2 (1997)

Terrain

-

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west