New Caledonia (2001) | Brunei (2001) | |
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Administrative divisions | none (overseas territory of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 3 provinces named Iles Loyaute, Nord, and Sud | 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong |
Age structure | 0-14 years:
30.31% (male 31,674; female 30,416) 15-64 years: 63.95% (male 66,014; female 65,006) 65 years and over: 5.74% (male 5,548; female 6,205) (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Agriculture - products | vegetables; beef, deer, other livestock products | rice, vegetables, fruits, chickens, water buffalo |
Airports | 29 (2000 est.) | 2 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
23 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 11 (2000 est.) |
total:
1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.) |
Area | total:
19,060 sq km land: 18,575 sq km water: 485 sq km |
total:
5,770 sq km land: 5,270 sq km water: 500 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly smaller than New Jersey | slightly smaller than Delaware |
Background | Settled by both Britain and France during the first half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in 1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864. Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to have dissipated. | 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. |
Birth rate | 20.37 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$861.3 million expenditures: $735.3 million, including capital expenditures of $52 million (1996 est.) |
revenues:
$2.5 billion expenditures: $2.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $1.35 billion (1997 est.) |
Capital | Noumea | Bandar Seri Begawan |
Climate | tropical; modified by southeast trade winds; hot, humid | tropical; hot, humid, rainy |
Coastline | 2,254 km | 161 km |
Constitution | 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) | 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:
Territory of New Caledonia and Dependencies conventional short form: New Caledonia local long form: Territoire des Nouvelle-Caledonie et Dependances local short form: Nouvelle-Caledonie |
conventional long form:
Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei |
Currency | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique franc (XPF) | Bruneian dollar (BND) |
Death rate | 5.62 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Debt - external | $79 million (1998 est.) | $0 |
Dependency status | overseas territory of France since 1956 | - |
Diplomatic representation from the US | none (overseas territory of France) | 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 |
Diplomatic representation in the US | none (overseas territory of France) | 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 |
Disputes - international | Matthew and Hunter Islands east of New Caledonia claimed by France and Vanuatu | 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 |
Economic aid - recipient | $880 million annual subsidy from France | $4.3 million (1995) |
Economy - overview | New Caledonia has more than 20% of the world's known nickel resources. In recent years, the economy has suffered because of depressed international demand for nickel, the principal source of export earnings. Only a negligible amount of the land is suitable for cultivation, and food accounts for about 20% of imports. In addition to nickel, the substantial financial support from France and tourism are keys to the health of the economy. The situation in 1998 was clouded by the spillover of financial problems in East Asia and by lower prices for nickel. Nickel prices jumped in 1999-2000, and large additions were made to capacity. French Government interests in the New Caledonian nickel industry are being transferred to local ownership. | 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. |
Electricity - consumption | 1.414 billion kWh (1999) | 2.274 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production | 1.52 billion kWh (1999) | 2.445 billion kWh (1999) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
78.95% hydro: 21.05% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: Mont Panie 1,628 m |
lowest point:
South China Sea 0 m highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m |
Environment - current issues | erosion caused by mining exploitation and forest fires | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia |
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 |
Ethnic groups | Melanesian 42.5%, European 37.1%, Wallisian 8.4%, Polynesian 3.8%, Indonesian 3.6%, Vietnamese 1.6%, other 3% | Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12% |
Exchange rates | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - 127.11 (January 2001), 129.44 (2000), 111.93 (1999), 107.25 (1998), 106.11 (1997), 93.00 (1996); note - linked at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro | 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 |
Executive branch | chief of state:
President of France Jacques CHIRAC (since 17 May 1995), represented by High Commissioner Thierry LATASTE (since 19 July 1999) head of government: President of the Government Jean LEQUES (since 28 May 1999) cabinet: Consultative Committee elections: French president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the government elected by the members of the Territorial Congress |
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 | $411 million (f.o.b., 1999) | $2.55 billion (f.o.b., 1999 est.) |
Exports - commodities | ferronickels, nickel ore, fish | crude oil, natural gas, refined products |
Exports - partners | Japan 27%, France 17%, Taiwan 12%, South Korea 9% (1999) | Japan 42%, US 17%, South Korea 14%, Thailand 3% (1999) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
Flag description | the flag of France 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 | purchasing power parity - $3 billion (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $5.9 billion (2000 est.) |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
4% industry: 30% services: 66% (1997 est.) |
agriculture:
5% industry: 46% services: 49% (1996 est.) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $15,000 (1998 est.) | purchasing power parity - $17,600 (2000 est.) |
GDP - real growth rate | 3.5% (1998 est.) | 3% (2000 est.) |
Geographic coordinates | 21 30 S, 165 30 E | 4 30 N, 114 40 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 |
Heliports | 6 (2000 est.) | 3 (2000 est.) |
Highways | total:
4,825 km paved: 2,287 km unpaved: 2,538 km (1999) |
total:
1,712 km paved: 1,284 km unpaved: 428 km (1996) |
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 | $843 million (f.o.b., 1999) | $1.3 billion (c.i.f., 1999 est.) |
Imports - commodities | transport equipment, machinery and electrical equipment, fuels, minerals, wine, sugar, rice | machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals |
Imports - partners | France 49%, Australia 14%, Singapore 6%, New Zealand 5%, US 5% (1999) | Singapore 34%, UK 15%, Malaysia 15%, US 5% (1999) |
Independence | none (overseas territory of France); note - a referendum on independence was held in 1998 but did not pass | 1 January 1984 (from UK) |
Industrial production growth rate | -0.6% (1996) | 4% (1997 est.) |
Industries | nickel mining and smelting | petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction |
Infant mortality rate | 8.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 1.5% (1998 est.) | 1% (1999 est.) |
International organization participation | ESCAP (associate), FZ, ICFTU, SPC, WFTU, WMO | 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 |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 1 (2000) | 2 (2000) |
Irrigated land | 160 sq km (1991) | 10 sq km (1993 est.) |
Judicial branch | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; County Courts; Joint Commerce Tribunal Court; Children's Court | Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms) |
Labor force | 79,395 (including 15, 018 unemployed, 1996) | 144,000 (1995 est.); note - includes foreign workers and military personnel
note: temporary residents make up 41% of labor force (1991) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 7%, industry 23%, services 70% (1999 est.) | government 48%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 42%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 10% (1999 est.) |
Land boundaries | 0 km | total:
381 km border countries: Malaysia 381 km |
Land use | arable land:
0% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 12% forests and woodland: 39% other: 49% (1993 est.) |
arable land:
1% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 1% forests and woodland: 85% other: 12% (1993 est.) |
Languages | French (official), 33 Melanesian-Polynesian dialects | Malay (official), English, Chinese |
Legal system | the 1988 Matignon Accords grant substantial autonomy to the islands; formerly under French law | based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas |
Legislative branch | unicameral Territorial Congress or Congres Territorial (54 seats; members are members of the three Provincial Assemblies or Assemblees Provinciales elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 9 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004) election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - RPCR 24, FLNKS 12, UNI 6, FCCI 4, FN 4, Alliance pour la Caledonie 3, LKS 1 note: New Caledonia elects 1 seat to the French Senate; elections last held 27 September 1992 (next to be held NA September 2001); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 1; New Caledonia also elects 2 seats to the French National Assembly; elections last held 25 May-1 June 1997 (next to be held NA 2002); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - RPR 2 |
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 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
73.02 years male: 70.08 years female: 76.11 years (2001 est.) |
total population:
73.82 years male: 71.45 years female: 76.31 years (2001 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91% male: 92% female: 90% (1976 est.) |
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4% (1995 est.) |
Location | Oceania, islands in the South Pacific Ocean, east of Australia | Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia |
Map references | Oceania | Southeast Asia |
Maritime claims | exclusive economic zone:
200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM |
exclusive economic zone:
200 NM or to median line territorial sea: 12 NM |
Merchant marine | total:
1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,261 GRT/1,600 DWT ships by type: cargo 1 (2000 est.) |
total:
7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT ships by type: liquefied gas 7 (2000 est.) |
Military - note | defense is the responsibility of France | - |
Military branches | French Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Gendarmerie); Police Force | Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $192.3 million (1996) | $343 million (FY98) |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 5.3% (1996) | 5.1% (FY98) |
Military manpower - availability | - | males age 15-49:
106,725 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - fit for military service | - | males age 15-49:
61,640 (2001 est.) |
Military manpower - military age | - | 18 years of age |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | - | males:
3,005 (2001 est.) |
National holiday | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) | 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:
New Caledonian(s) adjective: New Caledonian |
noun:
Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian |
Natural hazards | cyclones, most frequent from November to March | typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare |
Natural resources | nickel, chrome, iron, cobalt, manganese, silver, gold, lead, copper | petroleum, natural gas, timber |
Net migration rate | 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
Pipelines | - | crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km |
Political parties and leaders | Alliance pour la Caledonie [Didier LEROUX]; Developper Ensemble pour Construire l'Avenir or DEPCA [Robert FROUIN]; Federation des Comites de Coordination des Independantistes or FCCI [Leopald SOREDIE]; Front Uni de Liberation Kanak or FULK [Ernest UNE]; Groupe de l'Alliance Multiraciale or GAM [Dany DALMAYRAE]; Independance et Progres [Alphonse PUJAPUJANE]; Kanak Socialist Front for National Liberation or FLNKS [Rock WAMYTAN] (includes PALIKA, UNI, UC, and UPM); La Caledonie Autrement [Denis MILLIARD]; Loyalty Islands Development Front or FDIL [Cono HAMU]; National Front or FN [Guy GEORGE]; Parti de Liberation Kanak or PALIKA [Charles WASHETINE]; Rally for Caledonia in the Republic or RPCR [Jacques LAFLEUR]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [leader NA]; Renouveau [Thierry VALET]; Socialist Kanak Liberation or LKS [Nidoish NAISSELINE]; Union Caledonienne or UC [Bernard LEPEU]; Union Nationale pour l'Independance or UNI [Paul NEAOUTYINE]; Union Progressiste Melanesienne or UPM [Andre GOPEA] | 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) |
Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | NA |
Population | 204,863 (July 2001 est.) | 343,653 (July 2001 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 1.48% (2001 est.) | 2.11% (2001 est.) |
Ports and harbors | Mueo, Noumea, Thio | Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 0 (1998) | AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998) |
Radios | 107,000 (1997) | 329,000 (1998) |
Railways | 0 km | total:
13 km (private line) narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge |
Religions | Roman Catholic 60%, Protestant 30%, other 10% | Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.02 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.89 male(s)/female total population: 1.02 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
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.) |
Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | none |
Telephone system | general assessment:
NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
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) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 47,000 (1997) | 79,000 (1996) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 13,040 (1998) | 43,524 (1996) |
Television broadcast stations | 6 (plus 25 low-power repeaters) (1997) | 2 (1997) |
Terrain | coastal plains with interior mountains | flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west |
Total fertility rate | 2.48 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.) |
Unemployment rate | 19% (1996) | 4.9% (1995 est.) |
Waterways | none | 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m |