General 

Country Name

Negara Brunei Darussalam (literally, State of Brunei - Abode of Peace); commonly known as Brunei Darussalam.

Capital

Bandar Seri Begawan (in Brunei-Muara District).

Area & Location 

Brunei Darussalam is situated on the North-West of the Island of Borneo. It has a total area of 5,765 sq. kms with a coastline of 161 kms along the South China Sea (SCS).  It is bounded on the North by the SCS and on all the other sides by the Malaysian State of Sarawak.  Brunei Darussalam is divided into four districts: (i) Brunei-Muara, (ii) Belait, (iii) Tutong and (iv) Temburong.  

Population

450,500 Brunei-Muara District (326,000), Belait (66,900), Tutong (48,000) and Temburong (9,600)

2023 - As per Department of Economic, Planning and Statistics (DEPS)

National Day

23 February. (Other Important Date: 15 July - Sultan’s birthday, b. 1946).

Religion

Islam is the official religion of Brunei Darussalam as stated in the Constitution, with His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan as the Head of the Islamic faith in the country.  Muslims constitute 82%, Buddhists 7%, Christians 3% of the population. 

Racial Composition

Malay 73.8%; Chinese 9.6%; and  Others 16.6%. 

2023 - As per Department of Economic, Planning and Statistics (DEPS)

Languages

Official language is Malay.  Other languages include English and Chinese (Various dialects). 

Major expatriate groups

Bangladeshi, Chinese, Filipinos, Indians, Indonesian and Malaysians

Internet Penetration 

99.0% of the population has access to the internet  (2024 – As per Datareportal)

Mobile Phones 

Three main mobile phone networks are: DST; Imagine; and Progresif (the three companies are officially under the Unified National Networks (UNN) Sdn Bhd since 1st Sept. 2019)

Brief History

An ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom; converted into a Sultanate in the 14th century. Zenith was reached in the 15th century with the whole Borneo Island and Southern Philippines under Brunei Darussalam; gradual erosion in influence, accelerated with the arrival of colonial powers. Became a British Protectorate in 1888; internal self-government in September 1959 when agreement was reached on Brunei Darussalam’s Constitution; internal sovereignty in 1971, and a full sovereign State since 1 January, 1984.

Miscellaneous Useful Information

Crime rate is considerably low. There is total prohibition in public places in Brunei Darussalam and it is a cognizable offense for Muslims to consume alcohol. Non-Muslims/foreigners are allowed to import two bottles of alcohol (1 ltr each) and 12 cans of beer. Business delegations are advised not to visit Brunei Darussalam during Ramadan, the fasting month.

Political

Political Structure

Absolute Monarchy. 

Head of State

& Head of Government

His Majesty (Kebawah Duli Yang Maha Mulia) Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar’ Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan, and Prime Minister. He is also the Minister of Defence, Finance, Foreign Affairs and Supreme Commander of Royal Brunei Armed Forces and Chancellor of the three main universities in Brunei Darussalam, Universiti of Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Universiti Teknologi Brunei (UTB) and Sultan Sharif Ali Islamic University (UNISSA). 

Minister of Foreign Affairs-II

The Honourable Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd. Yusof.

Minister of Finance and Economy-II

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah.

Mode of Address for the Sultan and other Royal Family members

As per the local protocol, His Majesty the Sultan is required to be addressed as “Your Majesty”. Likewise, Sultan’s wife, Her Majesty Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha, is required to be addressed as “Your Majesty”. Other members of the Royal Family are addressed as “Your Royal Highness”.

Local Customs

While greeting the Royalty, one should bow before shaking hands; one should not cross one’s legs while sitting and having an audience or meeting with the Royals; yellow being the colour of Royalty in Brunei Darussalam, yellow-coloured clothes are not worn while calling on or meeting members of the Royal family. One should take off shoes while entering a Malay house; offering of pork and alcohol to a Muslim is not done; when food and drinks are offered in a Malay house, it is polite to accept even just a little, and while refusing anything offered, it is polite to touch the plate lightly with the right hand. Visitors are welcome to enter mosques except on Fridays, revealing clothes are considered immodest and socially unacceptable; one should always give and receive things with the right hand, etc.

Indian Diaspora & Organisations 

There are approximately 14000 Indians and 224 PIOs/OCIs living and working in Brunei Darussalam. Prominent Indian organisations in Brunei Darussalam are Bandar Seri Begawan Indian Associations (BSBIA); Indian Association of Belait (IAB); Malayali Association; Sikh Association; Telugu Association; and Brunei-India Friendship Association (BIFA).

Economic

(as per Brunei Department of Economic Planning and Development)

Economy

Gross National Per Capita Income: BND 45,680.5 approx. US$ 34,013.7 million* [2023] 

Based on oil & natural gas revenues; low inflation; no personal taxes; limited non-oil industrial sector; over 30% of the workforce comprises non-nationals and expatriates; nationals mostly in government employment.

Previously, Brunei Darussalam is overwhelmingly dependent on the oil and gas industry, but now Brunei is slowly supported by robust activities in the non-oil & gas sector. The downstream O&G industry is expected to remain supportive of growth, given the planned diversification into new products. 

The largest expected contributor to GDP growth in 2024 remains to be the oil and gas sector and the downstream segments which contributes 46.9% of its GDP (Q1 2024), and 53.1% in the non-Oil and Gas Sector. Exports of goods and services has recorded an increase of 14.5% due to the increase in both Exports of goods by 14.6% and Exports of services by 10.3% (Q1 2024). The Total Brunei’s government revenue as of 2023/2024 is at BND 3,533 mil around USD 2,631 mil.  - As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam. *Converted at prevailing exchange rate BND to US$

Natural Resources

Brunei Darussalam has been endowed with significant energy resources and has benefited for almost a century after the first commercial oil production in Brunei in 1929. Since then, the energy sector, which includes oil and gas exploration and production, petrochemicals and refineries, has become the backbone of its economic and social wellbeing and has spurred development in other sectors of the economy, including infrastructure and services sector, etc. 

Currency

Brunei Dollar - pegged with Singapore Dollar; Current exchange rate: US$ 1 = B$ 1.3092 approx.; B$ 1 = INR 62.89 (as of August 2023)

Total GDP

USD 3.7 million (as of Q1 2024)

– As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam 

Total Trade

USD billion 18.9 (2023), USD 24 billion (2022), USD 17.7 billion (2021), USD 11.9 billion (2020), USD 12.3 billion (2019)  

India-Brunei Darussalam Trade 

USD 195 million (2023), USD 382 (2022), USD 523 million (2021), USD 425 million (2020), USD 705 (2019)

India’s Imports

USD 128 million (2023), USD 314 million (2022), USD 474 (2021), USD 350 million (2020), USD 603 million (2019)

India’s Exports

USD 67 million (2023), USD 69 million (2022), USD 49 million (2021), USD 75 million (2020), USD 102 (2019)

Import Commodities

Manufactured Goods, Machinery and Transport Equipment, Food & Processed Food Products, Chemicals 

Main import partners

Malaysia, Russia, Australia, China and UAE

Export Commodities

Mineral Fuels, Chemicals and Manufactured Goods

Main export partners

Australia, Singapore, China, Japan and Malaysia

Main industries (sources)

Oil & Gas Industries 

Agriculture Products

Paddy, Poultry, Fisheries and Aquaculture 

GDP Per Capita 

(PPP)

USD 33,583.0 [2023] - As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam

GDP at constant prices

BND 19.3 billion approx. US$ 14.01 billion* [2020] 

BND 19.0 billion approx. US$ 14.10 billion* [2021]

BND 18.7 billion approx. US$ 13.57 billion* [2022]

BND 18.9 billion approx. US$ 14.1 billion* [2023]

BND 4,973.1 million approx. US$ 3,700.5 million* [Q1 2024]

- As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam. *Converted at prevailing exchange rate BND to US$

GDP at current prices

BND 16.9 billion approx.  US$ 12.02 billion* [2020] 

BND 18.8 billion approx.  US$ 13.99 billion* [2021]

BND 23.0 billion approx. US$ 16.69 billion* [2022]

BND 20.3 billion approx. US$ 15.11 billion* [2023]

BND 5,020.5 million approx. US$ 3,735.8 million* [Q1 2024]

- As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam. *Converted at prevailing exchange rate BND to US$.

GDP Growth 

1.1% [2020]

-1.6% [2021]

-1.6% [2022]

1.4% [2023]

6.8% [Q1 2024]

- As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam.  *Converted at prevailing exchange rate BND to US$

Gross National Income per annum

US$ 12,367 million* [2020]

US$ 14,101 million* [2021]

US$ 16,323 million* [2022]

US$ 15,323 million* [2023]

- As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam *Converted at prevailing exchange rate BND to US$

Inflation

1.9% [2020]

1.7% [2021]

3.7% [2022]

0.4% [2023]

- As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam 

Unemployment Rate (%)

5.1% [2023] - As per Department of Economic, Planning and Development, Brunei Darussalam

Reserves of Forex Exc. Gold

USD 4.53 billion  (As of Q3 2023)  –As per Trading Economics