Brunei (2007) | French Polynesia (2003) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
Administrative divisions | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 5 archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, and Iles Sous-le-Vent
note: Clipperton Island is administered by France from French Polynesia |
Age structure | 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 53,512/female 50,529)
15-64 years: 69% (male 130,134/female 128,488) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 5,688/female 6,226) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 28.3% (male 37,804; female 36,249)
15-64 years: 66.3% (male 90,421; female 83,304) 65 years and over: 5.4% (male 7,226; female 7,121) (2003 est.) |
Agriculture - products | rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs | coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits; poultry, beef, dairy products, coffee |
Airports | 2 (2007) | 45 (2002) |
Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 8 (2002) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 5 (2002) |
Area | total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than Delaware | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
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 Asia. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. |
Birth rate | 18.56 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 17.74 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Budget | revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion (2004 est.) |
revenues: $1 billion
expenditures: $900 million, including capital expenditures of $185 million (1996) |
Capital | name: Bandar Seri Begawan
geographic coordinates: 4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Papeete |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid, rainy | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 161 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984) | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form: Brunei |
conventional long form: Territory of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Territoire de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | - | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF); note - may adopt the euro in 2003 |
Death rate | 3.26 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Debt - external | $0 (2005) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas territory of France since 1946 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission: Ambassador Emil SKODON
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan, BS8811 mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam telephone: [673] 222-0384 FAX: [673] 222-5293 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
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 |
none (overseas territory of France) |
Disputes - international | Brunei and Malaysia are still considering international adjudication over their disputed offshore and deepwater seabeds, where hydrocarbon exploration was terminated in 2003 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 the 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 | none |
Economic aid - recipient | $NA (2004) | $367 million (1997) |
Economy - overview | Brunei has a small well-to-do economy that encompasses a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation, welfare measures, and village tradition. Crude oil and natural gas production account for just over half of GDP and more than 90% of exports. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia, 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. 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. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 2.625 billion kWh (2005 est.) | 398.3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production | 2.735 billion kWh (2005) | 428.3 million kWh (2001) |
Electricity - production by source | - | fossil fuel: 60.7%
hydro: 39.3% nuclear: 0% other: 0%; note - sun, wind, biomass (2001) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, 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% | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 126.41 (2002), 133.26 (2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
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) 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 Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Michel MATHIEU (since 24 October 2001)
head of government: President of the Territorial Government of French Polynesia Gaston FLOSSE (since 4 April 1991); President of the Territorial Assembly Lucette TAERO (since 17 May 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the Territorial Government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly |
Exports | 205,600 bbl/day (2006) | NA (2001) |
Exports - commodities | crude oil, natural gas, refined products, clothing | cultured pearls 50%, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat (1997) |
Exports - partners | Japan 30.5%, Indonesia 19.9%, South Korea 14.9%, Australia 11.5%, US 7.7% (2006) | France 37.4%, Japan 35.5%, US 17.5% (2002) |
Fiscal year | 1 April - 31 March | 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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | - | purchasing power parity - $1.3 billion (2001 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 71.6% services: 27.5% (2005 est.) |
agriculture: 6%
industry: 18% services: 76% (1997) |
GDP - per capita | - | purchasing power parity - $5,000 (2001 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 0.4% (2005 est.) | 4% (2001 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 4 30 N, 114 40 E | 15 00 S, 140 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 within Malaysia | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Heliports | 3 (2007) | - |
Highways | - | total: 2,590 km
paved: 1,735 km unpaved: 855 km (1999) |
Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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 | 660.1 bbl/day (2004) | NA (2001) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | Singapore 31.6%, Malaysia 19%, UK 8.1%, Japan 5.6%, China 5.5%, Thailand 4.6% (2006) | France 58.9%, Australia 12.2%, New Zealand 6.9%, US 6.6% (2002) |
Independence | 1 January 1984 (from UK) | none (overseas territory of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1.8% (2005 est.) | NA% |
Industries | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
Infant mortality rate | total: 13.12 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 8.78 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 10.12 deaths/1,000 live births female: 7.38 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.1% (2005) | 1.5% |
International organization participation | APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | - | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 10 sq km (2003) | NA sq km |
Judicial branch | Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws (2006) | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 180,400 (2006 est.) | 70,000 (1996) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 61.1% services: 36% (2003 est.) |
agriculture 13%, industry 19%, services 68% (1997) |
Land boundaries | total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87% other: 97.05% (2005) |
arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 6.01% other: 92.35% (1998 est.) |
Languages | Malay (official), English, Chinese | French (official), Tahitian (official) |
Legal system | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | based on French system |
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 Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (49 seats - changed from 41 seats for May 2001 election; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 6 May 2001 (next to be held NA May 2006) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - People's Rally for the Republic (Gaullist) 28, Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia 13, New Fatherland Party 7, other 1 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on NA September 1998 (next to be held NA September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population: 75.3 years
male: 73.12 years female: 77.59 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 75.45 years
male: 73.08 years female: 77.93 years (2003 est.) |
Literacy | definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.7% male: 95.2% female: 90.2% (2001 census) |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia | Oceania, archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Southeast Asia | Oceania |
Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line |
exclusive economic zone: 200 NM
territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total: 8 ships (1000 GRT or over) 465,937 GRT/413,393 DWT
by type: liquefied gas 8 foreign-owned: 8 (UK 8) (2007) |
total: 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 12,679 GRT/13,915 DWT
ships by type: cargo 2, passenger/cargo 3, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 (2002 est.) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF): Royal Brunei Land Forces, Royal Brunei Navy, Royal Brunei Air Force (Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei) (2005) | no regular indigenous military forces; French Forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force), Gendarmerie |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 4.5% (2006) | - |
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 | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, timber | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.99 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) |
Pipelines | gas 672 km; oil 463 km (2006) | - |
Political parties and leaders | Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu]; National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]
note: People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] was deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have limited activity |
Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; The New Star (Te Fetia Api) [leader NA] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 374,577 (July 2007 est.) | 262,125 (July 2003 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.81% (2007 est.) | 1.62% (2003 est.) |
Ports and harbors | - | Mataura, Papeete, Rikitea, Uturoa |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 2 (transmitting on 18 different frequencies), shortwave 0 (British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) station transmits two FM signals with English and Nepali service) (2006) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Railways | - | 0 km |
Religions | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10% | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.013 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.914 male(s)/female total population: 1.022 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.09 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.07 male(s)/female (2003 est.) |
Suffrage | none | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | general assessment: service throughout the country is excellent; international service is good to Southeast Asia, Middle East, Western Europe, and the US
domestic: every service available international: country code - 673; landing point for the SEA-ME-WE-3 optical telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to Asia, the Middle East, and Europe; the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable network, scheduled for completion by late 2008, will provide new links to Asia and the US; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) (2007) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 80,200 (2006) | 52,000 (1997) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 254,000 (2006) | 5,427 (1997) |
Television broadcast stations | 4 (includes 2 UHF stations broadcasting a subscription service) (2006) | 7 (plus 17 low-power repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 1.97 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 2.14 children born/woman (2003 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 4% (2006) | 11.8% (1994) |
Waterways | 209 km (navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m) (2007) | none |