Brunei (2001) | Ghana (2002) | |
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Administrative divisions | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong | 10 regions; Ashanti, Brong-Ahafo, Central, Eastern, Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta, Western |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
30.77% (male 53,977; female 51,772) 15-64 years: 66.52% (male 121,601; female 107,007) 65 years and over: 2.71% (male 4,449; female 4,847) (2001 est.) |
0-14 years: 40.4% (male 4,116,600; female 4,063,654)
15-64 years: 56.1% (male 5,625,397; female 5,723,786) 65 years and over: 3.5% (male 338,352; female 376,365) (2002 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo | cocoa, rice, coffee, cassava (tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber |
Airports | 2 (2000 est.) | 12 (2001) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2002) |
Area | total:
5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
total: 239,460 sq km
land: 230,940 sq km water: 8,520 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Delaware | slightly smaller than Oregon |
Background | The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred 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. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled in Brunei for over six centuries. | Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996, but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election. |
Birth rate | 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 28.08 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.) |
revenues: $1.603 billion
expenditures: $1.975 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2001 est.) |
Capital | Bandar Seri Begawan | Accra |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid, rainy | tropical; warm and comparatively dry along southeast coast; hot and humid in southwest; hot and dry in north |
Coastline | 161 km | 539 km |
Constitution | 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) | new constitution approved 28 April 1992 |
Country name | conventional long form:
Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei |
conventional long form: Republic of Ghana
conventional short form: Ghana former: Gold Coast |
Currency | Bruneian dollar (BND) | cedi (GHC) |
Death rate | 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 10.31 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $5.96 billion (2001 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Sylvia Gaye STANFIELD 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 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Mary Carlin YATES
embassy: 6th and 10th Lanes, 798/1 Osu, Accra mailing address: P. O. Box 194, Accra telephone: [233] (21) 775-347, 775-348 FAX: [233] (21) 701-813 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato Haji PUTEH Ibni Mohammad Alam chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159 FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158 |
chief of mission: Ambassador Alan J. KYEREMATEN
chancery: 3512 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 686-4520 FAX: [1] (202) 686-4527 consulate(s) general: New York |
Disputes - international | possibly involved in a complex dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but has not publicly claimed the island | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $4.3 million (1995) | $6.9 billion (1999) (1999) |
Economy - overview | This small, wealthy economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. Exports of crude oil and natural gas account for over 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 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, a further widening of the economic base beyond oil and gas. | Well endowed with natural resources, Ghana has roughly twice the per capita output of the poorer countries in West Africa. Even so, Ghana remains heavily dependent on international financial and technical assistance. Gold, timber, and cocoa production are major sources of foreign exchange. The domestic economy continues to revolve around subsistence agriculture, which accounts for 36% of GDP and employs 60% of the work force, mainly small landholders. Excessively expansionary monetary and fiscal policy prior to the 2000 elections led to accelerating inflation in early 2001. A depressed cocoa market and continued weak growth in non-traditional exports led to disappointing growth in 2001. The late 2002 crisis in Cote d'Ivoire has boosted cocoa prices markedly. It remains to be seen if this portends a long-term shift in the cocoa market. Ghana opted for debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) program in 2002. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.274 billion kWh (1999) | 5.484 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 422 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 400 million kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production | 2.445 billion kWh (1999) | 5.92 billion kWh (2000) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel: 30%
hydro: 70% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Afadjato 880 m |
Environment - current issues | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia | recurrent drought in north severely affects agricultural activities; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; poaching and habitat destruction threatens wildlife populations; water pollution; inadequate supplies of potable water |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation |
Ethnic groups | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% | black African 98.5% (major tribes - Akan 44%, Moshi-Dagomba 16%, Ewe 13%, Ga 8%, Gurma 3%, Yoruba 1%), European and other 1.5% (1998) |
Exchange rates | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.7365 (January 2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar | cedis per US dollar - 7,195 (January 2002), 7,170.76 (2001), 5,455.06 (2000), 2,669.30 (1999), 2,314.15 (1998), 2,050.17 (1997) |
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 |
chief of state: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President John Agyekum KUFUOR (since 7 January 2001); Vice President Alhaji Aliu MAHAMA (since 7 January 2001); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers; president nominates members subject to approval by Parliament elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 7 and 28 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: John Agyekum KUFUOR elected president in runoff election; percent of vote - John KUFUOR 56.4%, John Atta MILLS 43.6% |
Exports | $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) | $1.94 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil, natural gas, refined products | gold, cocoa, timber, tuna, bauxite, aluminum, manganese ore, diamonds |
Exports - partners | Japan 42%, US 17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999) | Togo, UK, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, US, France (1998) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | three equal horizontal bands of red (top), yellow, and green with a large black five-pointed star centered in the yellow band; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia; similar to the flag of Bolivia, which has a coat of arms centered in the yellow band |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $39.4 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
5% industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.) |
agriculture: 36%
industry: 25% services: 39% (2000 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2000 est.) | purchasing power parity - $1,980 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3% (2000 est.) | 3% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 30 N, 114 40 E | 8 00 N, 2 00 W |
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 | Lake Volta is the world's largest artificial lake |
Heliports | 3 (2000 est.) | - |
Highways | total:
1,712 km paved: 1,284 km unpaved: 428 km (1996) |
total: 38,940 km
paved: 9,346 km (including 30 km of expressways) unpaved: 29,594 km (2001) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%:
NA% highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: 2%
highest 10%: 30% (1998) |
Illicit drugs | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty | illicit producer of cannabis for the international drug trade; major transit hub for Southwest and Southeast Asian heroin and, to a lesser extent, South American cocaine destined for Europe and the US; widespread crime and corruption have made money laundering a problem, but the lack of a well-developed financial infrastructure limits the country's utility as a money-laundering center |
Imports | $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.) | $2.83 billion f.o.b. (2000) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals | capital equipment, petroleum, foodstuffs |
Imports - partners | Singapore 34%, UK 15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999) | UK, Nigeria, US, Germany, Italy, Spain (1998) |
Independence | 1 January 1984 (from UK) | 6 March 1957 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | 4% (1997 est.) | 3.8% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction | mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing |
Infant mortality rate | 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 55.64 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1% (1999 est.) | 25% (2001 est.) |
International organization participation | APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CCC, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO | ABEDA, ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM, OAS (observer), OAU, OPCW, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNIKOM, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNU, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 2 (2000) | 12 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1993 est.) | 110 sq km (1998 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms) | Supreme Court |
Labor force | 144,000 (1995 est.); note - includes foreign workers and military personnel
note: temporary residents make up 41% of labor force (1991) |
9 million (2000 est.) |
Labor force - by occupation | government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.) | agriculture 60%, industry 15%, services 25% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | total:
381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
total: 2,094 km
border countries: Burkina Faso 549 km, Cote d'Ivoire 668 km, Togo 877 km |
Land use | arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 15.82%
permanent crops: 7.47% other: 76.71% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Malay (official), English, Chinese | English (official), African languages (including Akan, Moshi-Dagomba, Ewe, and Ga) |
Legal system | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas | based on English common law and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
Legislative branch | unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held in March 1962 note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are unlikely for several years |
unicameral Parliament (200 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 7 December 2000 (next to be held NA December 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NPP 100, NDC 92, PNC 3, CPP 1, independents 4 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
73.82 years male: 71.45 years female: 76.31 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 57.06 years
male: 55.66 years female: 58.51 years (2002 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 64.5% male: 75.9% female: 53.5% (1995 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia | Western Africa, bordering the Gulf of Guinea, between Cote d'Ivoire and Togo |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Africa |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM or to median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
contiguous zone: 24 NM
continental shelf: 200 NM exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT ships by type: liquefied gas 7 (2000 est.) |
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,450 GRT/22,097 DWT
ships by type: petroleum tanker 2, refrigerated cargo 5 note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Brazil 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1, Spain 1 (2002 est.) |
Military branches | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police | Army, Navy, Air Force, National Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $343 million (FY98) | $35.2 million (FY01) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.1% (FY98) | 0.7% (FY01) |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
106,725 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 5,045,355 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
61,640 (2001 est.) |
males age 15-49: 2,799,292 (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | 18 years of age | 18 years of age (2002 est.) |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
3,005 (2001 est.) |
males: 213,237 (2002 est.) |
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 | Independence Day, 6 March (1957) |
Nationality | noun:
Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian |
noun: Ghanaian(s)
adjective: Ghanaian |
Natural hazards | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare | dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to March; droughts |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, timber | gold, timber, industrial diamonds, bauxite, manganese, fish, rubber, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | -0.74 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) |
People - note | - | there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000 Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002) |
Pipelines | crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km | 0 km |
Political parties and leaders | Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988, it was revived in 1995 and again in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988) | Convention People's Party or CPP [Nii Noi DOWUONA, general secretary]; Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere or EGLE [Owuraku AMOFA, chairman]; Great Consolidated Popular Party or GCPP [Dan LARTY]; National Convention Party or NCP [Sarpong KUMA-KUMA]; National Democratic Congress or NDC [Dr. Huudu YAHAYA, general secretary]; New Patriotic Party or NPP [Samuel Arthur ODOI-SYKES]; People's Convention Party or PCP [P. K. DONKOH-AYIFI, acting chairman]; People's Heritage Party or PHP [Emmanuel Alexander ERSKINE]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward MAHAMA]; Reform Party [Kyeretwie OPUKU, general secretary] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 343,653 (July 2001 est.) | 20,244,154
note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2002 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | 31% (1992 est.) |
Population growth rate | 2.11% (2001 est.) | 1.7% (2002 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong | Takoradi, Tema |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 0, FM 49, shortwave 3 (2001) |
Radios | 329,000 (1998) | 12.5 million (2001) |
Railways | total:
13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge |
total: 953 km
narrow gauge: 953 km 1.067-m gauge; undergoing major rehabilitation (2001 est.) |
Religions | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10% | indigenous beliefs 21%, Muslim 16%, Christian 63% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female total population: 0.99 male(s)/female (2002 est.) |
Suffrage | none | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment:
service throughout country is excellent; international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia domestic: every service available international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean); digital submarine cable links to Malaysia, Singapore, and Philippines (2001) |
general assessment: poor to fair system; Internet accessible; many rural communities not yet connected; expansion of services is underway
domestic: primarily microwave radio relay; wireless local loop has been installed international: satellite earth stations - 4 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean); microwave radio relay link to Panaftel system connects Ghana to its neighbors |
Telephones - main lines in use | 79,000 (1996) | 240,000 (2001) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 43,524 (1996) | 150,000 (2001) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 10 (2001) |
Terrain | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west | mostly low plains with dissected plateau in south-central area |
Total fertility rate | 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 3.69 children born/woman (2002 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4.9% (1995 est.) | 20% (1997 est.) |
Waterways | 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m | 1,293 km
note: Volta, Ankobra, and Tano Rivers provide 168 km of perennial navigation for launches and lighters; Lake Volta provides 1,125 km of arterial and feeder waterways |