Brunei (2005) | Slovakia (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong | 8 regions (kraje, singular - kraj); Banskobystricky, Bratislavsky, Kosicky, Nitriansky, Presovsky, Trenciansky, Trnavsky, Zilinsky |
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.) |
0-14 years:
18.86% (male 522,563; female 498,832) 15-64 years: 69.6% (male 1,872,496; female 1,896,249) 65 years and over: 11.54% (male 236,996; female 387,801) (2001 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo | grains, potatoes, sugar beets, hops, fruit; pigs, cattle, poultry; forest products |
Airports | 2 (2004 est.) | 35 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 8 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2004 est.) |
total:
17 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 7 (2000 est.) |
Area | total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
total:
48,845 sq km land: 48,800 sq km water: 45 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Delaware | about twice the size of New Hampshire |
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. 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. | In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II, Czechoslovakia became a communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate peacefully on 1 January 1993. Historic, political, and geographic factors have caused Slovakia to experience more difficulty in developing a modern market economy than some of its Central European neighbors. |
Birth rate | 19.01 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 10.05 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $4.9 billion
expenditures: $4.2 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (2003 est.) |
revenues:
$5.2 billion expenditures: $5.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1999) |
Capital | Bandar Seri Begawan | Bratislava |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid, rainy | temperate; cool summers; cold, cloudy, humid winters |
Coastline | 161 km | 0 km (landlocked) |
Constitution | 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) | ratified 1 September 1992, fully effective 1 January 1993; changed in September 1998 to allow direct election of the president; amended February 2001 to allow Slovakia to apply for NATO and EU membership |
Country name | conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei |
conventional long form:
Slovak Republic conventional short form: Slovakia local long form: Slovenska Republika local short form: Slovensko |
Currency | - | Slovak koruna (SKK) |
Death rate | 3.42 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 9.25 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 | $10.3 billion (2000 est.) |
Diplomatic representation from the US | 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Carl SPIELVOGEL embassy: Hviezdoslavovo Namestie 4, 81102 Bratislava mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [421] (7) 5443-3338 FAX: [421] (7) 5443-0096 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | 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 |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Martin BUTORA chancery: Suite 250, 2201 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; note - new chancery opening in June 2001 at International Court NW, Washington, DC telephone: [1] (202) 965-5161 FAX: [1] (202) 965-5166 |
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 | Gabcikovo/Nagymaros Dam dispute with Hungary is before the ICJ |
Economic aid - recipient | NA | $421.9 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | 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. | Slovakia continues the difficult transition from a centrally planned economy to a modern market economy. The economic slowdown in 1999 stemmed from large budget and current account deficits, fast-growing external debt, and persistent corruption. Even though GDP growth reached only 2.2% in 2000, the year was marked by positive developments such as foreign direct investment of $1.5 billion, strong export performance, restructuring and privatization in the banking sector, entry into the OECD, and initial efforts to stem corruption. Strong challenges face the government in 2001, especially the maintenance of fiscal balance, the further privatization of the economy, and the reduction of unemployment. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.286 billion kWh (2002) | 21.471 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2002) | 930 million kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2002) | 1.4 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 2.458 billion kWh (2002) | 22.582 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel:
37.56% hydro: 18.27% nuclear: 44.17% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
lowest point:
Bodrok River 94 m highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m |
Environment - current issues | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia | air pollution from metallurgical plants presents human health risks; acid rain damaging forests |
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 |
party to:
Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Air Pollution-Persistent Organic Pollutants, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol |
Ethnic groups | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% | Slovak 85.7%, Hungarian 10.6%, Roma 1.6% (the 1992 census figures underreport the Gypsy/Romany community, which is about 500,000), Czech, Moravian, Silesian 1.1%, Ruthenian and Ukrainian 0.6%, German 0.1%, Polish 0.1%, other 0.2% (1996) |
Exchange rates | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000) | koruny per US dollar - 48.09 (March 2001), 46.395 (2000), 41.363 (1999), 35.233 (1998), 33.616 (1997), 30.654 (1996) |
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 Rudolf SCHUSTER (since 15 June 1999) head of government: Prime Minister Mikulas DZURINDA (since 30 October 1998) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by direct popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 29 May 1999 (next to be held NA May/June 2004); following National Council elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president election results: Rudolf SCHUSTER elected president in the first direct, popular election; percent of vote - Rudolf SCHUSTER 57% note: government coalition - SDK, SDL, SMK, SOP, KDH |
Exports | 199,000 bbl/day (2003) | $12 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil, natural gas, refined products | machinery and transport equipment 39.4%, intermediate manufactured goods 27.5%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 13%, chemicals 8% (1999) |
Exports - partners | Japan 38.1%, South Korea 14%, Australia 11.2%, US 8.6%, Thailand 7.9%, Indonesia 5.9%, China 4.5% (2004) | EU 59.7% (Germany 27.8%, Austria 8%, Italy 8.9%), Czech Republic 18.1% (1999) |
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 white (top), blue, and red superimposed with the Slovak cross in a shield centered on the hoist side; the cross is white centered on a background of red and blue |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $55.3 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 5%
industry: 45% services: 50% (2001 est.) |
agriculture:
4.5% industry: 29.3% services: 66.2% (1999 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $23,600 (2003 est.) | purchasing power parity - $10,200 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.2% (2003 est.) | 2.2% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 30 N, 114 40 E | 48 40 N, 19 30 E |
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 | landlocked |
Heliports | 3 (2004 est.) | - |
Highways | total: 2,525 km
paved: 2,525 km unpaved: 0 km (2000) |
total:
17,710 km paved: 17,533 km (including 288 km of expressways) unpaved: 177 km (1998 est.) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA
highest 10%: NA |
lowest 10%:
5.1% highest 10%: 18.2% (1992) |
Illicit drugs | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty | transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin bound for Western Europe |
Imports | NA | $12.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals | machinery and transport equipment 37.7%, intermediate manufactured goods 18%, fuels 13%, chemicals 11%, miscellaneous manufactured goods 9.5% (1999) |
Imports - partners | Singapore 32.7%, Malaysia 21.2%, UK 8.3%, Japan 7.2% (2004) | EU 51.4% (Germany 26%, Italy 7.1%), Czech Republic 16.6%, Russia 11.9% (1999) |
Independence | 1 January 1984 (from UK) | 1 January 1993 (Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia) |
Industrial production growth rate | 5% (2002 est.) | 9.3% (2000 est.) |
Industries | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction | metal and metal products; food and beverages; electricity, gas, coke, oil, nuclear fuel; chemicals and manmade fibers; machinery; paper and printing; earthenware and ceramics; transport vehicles; textiles; electrical and optical apparatus; rubber products |
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.) |
8.97 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.3% (2003 est.) | 12.2% (2000 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 | Australia Group, BIS, BSEC (observer), CCC, CE, CEI, CERN, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NAM (guest), NSG, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNDOF, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 6 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (1998 est.) | 800 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms) | Supreme Court (judges are elected by the National Council); Constitutional Court (judges appointed by president from group of nominees approved by the National Council) |
Labor force | 158,000
note: includes foreign workers and military personnel; temporary residents make up about 40% of labor force (2002 est.) |
3 million (1999) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, government 48% (1999 est.) | industry 29.3%, agriculture 8.9%, construction 8%, transport and communication 8.2%, services 45.6% (1994) |
Land boundaries | total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
total:
1,355 km border countries: Austria 91 km, Czech Republic 215 km, Hungary 515 km, Poland 444 km, Ukraine 90 km |
Land use | arable land: 0.57%
permanent crops: 0.76% other: 98.67% (2001) |
arable land:
31% permanent crops: 3% permanent pastures: 17% forests and woodland: 41% other: 8% (1993 est.) |
Languages | Malay (official), English, Chinese | Slovak (official), Hungarian |
Legal system | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas | civil law system based on Austro-Hungarian codes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; legal code modified to comply with the obligations of Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and to expunge Marxist-Leninist legal theory |
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) |
unicameral National Council of the Slovak Republic or Narodna Rada Slovenskej Republiky (150 seats; members are elected on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 25-26 September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - HZDS 27%, SDK 26.3%, SDL 14.7%, SMK 9.1%, SNS 9.1%, SOP 8%; seats by party - governing coalition 93 (SDK 42, SDL 23, SMK 15, SOP 13), opposition 57 (HZDS 43, SNS 14) |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.8 years
male: 72.36 years female: 77.36 years (2005 est.) |
total population:
73.97 years male: 69.95 years female: 78.2 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 93.9% male: 96.3% female: 91.4% (2002) |
definition:
NA total population: NA% male: NA% female: NA% |
Location | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia | Central Europe, south of Poland |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Europe |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line |
none (landlocked) |
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) |
total:
3 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,041 GRT/19,517 DWT ships by type: cargo 3 (2000 est.) |
Military branches | Royal Brunei Armed Forces: Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force | Ground Forces, Air and Air Defense Forces, Territorial Defense Forces, Civil Defense Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $290.7 million (2004) | $380 million (FY00) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.1% (2004) | 1.71% (FY00) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
1,487,093 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
1,136,811 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
45,502 (2001 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 | Constitution Day, 1 September (1992) |
Nationality | noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian |
noun:
Slovak(s) adjective: Slovak |
Natural hazards | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare | NA |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, timber | brown coal and lignite; small amounts of iron ore, copper and manganese ore; salt; arable land |
Net migration rate | 3.45 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) | 0.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 665 km; oil 439 km (2004) | petroleum products NA km; natural gas 2,700 km |
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) |
Christian Democratic Movement or KDH [Pavol HRUSOVSKY]; Liberal Democratic Union or LDU [Jan BUDAJ]; Movement for a Democratic Slovakia or HZDS [Vladimir MECIAR]; Party of Civic Understanding or SOP [Pavol HAMZIK]; Party of the Democratic Left or SDL [Jozef MIGAS]; Party of the Hungarian Coalition or SMK [Bela BUGAR]; Slovak Democratic and Christian Union or SDKU [Mikulas DZURINDA]; note - this is DZURINDA's new party for 2002 elections; he remains chairman of a rump and splintering SDK; Slovak Democratic Coalition or SDK (loose parliamentary club grouping representing members of the smaller SSDS, SZS, and those committed to run under SDKU in 2002) [Mikulas DZURINDA]; Slovak National Party or SNS [Anna MALIKOVA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | Association of Employers of Slovakia; Association of Towns and Villages or ZMOS; Confederation of Trade Unions or KOZ; Metal Workers Unions or KOVO and METALURG |
Population | 372,361 (July 2005 est.) | 5,414,937 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.9% (2005 est.) | 0.13% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Lumut, Muara, Seria | Bratislava, Komarno |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 15, FM 78, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | - | 3.12 million (1997) |
Railways | - | total:
3,660 km broad gauge: 102 km 1.520-m gauge standard gauge: 3,507 km 1.435-m gauge (1,505 km electrified; 1,011 km double track) narrow gauge: 51 km (46 km 1,000-m gauge; 5 km 0.750-m gauge) (1998) |
Religions | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10% | Roman Catholic 60.3%, atheist 9.7%, Protestant 8.4%, Orthodox 4.1%, other 17.5% |
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.) |
at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.61 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
Suffrage | none | 18 years of age; universal |
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) |
general assessment:
a modernization and privatization program is increasing accessibility to telephone service, reducing the waiting time for new subscribers, and generally improving service quality domestic: predominantly an analog system that is now receiving digital equipment and is being enlarged with fiber-optic cable, especially in the larger cities; mobile cellular capability has been added international: three international exchanges (one in Bratislava and two in Banska Bystrica) are available; Slovakia is participating in several international telecommunications projects that will increase the availability of external services |
Telephones - main lines in use | 90,000 (2002) | 1,934,558 (1998) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 137,000 (2002) | 736,662 (April 1999) |
Television broadcast stations | 2 (1997) | 38 (plus 864 repeaters) (1995) |
Terrain | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west | rugged mountains in the central and northern part and lowlands in the south |
Total fertility rate | 2.3 children born/woman (2005 est.) | 1.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 3.2% (2002 est.) | 17% (2000 est.) |
Waterways | 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2004) | 172 km (all on the Danube) |