01
Physical geography
Flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west.
Local timeBandar Seri Begawan ·
Asia / South-Eastern Asia · Card 007
Brunei
Brunei is a country in South-Eastern Asia. Its capital is Bandar Seri Begawan.
Find Brunei
● Capital · Gold highlights this card’s area.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
Map: Natural Earth. Boundaries show geographic context, not a position on sovereignty. Small islands may use enlarged markers.
At a glance
- Capital
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Languages
- Malay
- Currency
- Brunei dollar (BND)
- Population
- 466,3302025 · World Bank
- Area
- 5,765 km²2,226 square miles
- Independence
- 1984from the UK
Brunei in context
Asia and its surrounding regions. The dot marks Bandar Seri Begawan; the mapped territory is highlighted in gold.
Natural Earth · locator mapGeography & languages
02
Languages
Languages used in public life include Malay.
03
Location
Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia.
Flag
Yellow with a diagonal white band and second below it in black, both starting from the upper left; the national emblem in red is at the center; the state motto, "Always render service with God's guidance," appears in yellow Arabic script on the emblem's crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads "Brunei, the Abode of Peace"
History & independence
Brunei was once a powerful maritime sultanate. It became a British protectorate in 1888, gained internal self-government in 1959, and achieved full independence in 1984. The sultanate continues under hereditary rule.
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British protectorate established
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Constitution provides internal self-government
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Full independence
Economy
Main activities
Oil and natural gas underpin exports and public revenue. Petrochemicals, services and diversification initiatives aim to reduce dependence on hydrocarbon production.
Industry and production
petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation
Population & economic trends
Dated World Bank observations. Population uses selected years; real GDP uses all available annual observations.
Population, 1970–2025
Thousands of people466.32025 · thousands of people
Population estimates may be revised. Selected years are shown.
Sources: World Bank · Population
View data table
| Year | People | Thousands of people |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 135,138 | 135.138 |
| 1980 | 186,111 | 186.111 |
| 1990 | 255,292 | 255.292 |
| 2000 | 326,424 | 326.424 |
| 2010 | 392,332 | 392.332 |
| 2020 | 447,404 | 447.404 |
| 2025 | 466,330 | 466.330 |
Real GDP, 1990–2025
Billions of constant 2015 US dollars13.82025 · billions of constant 2015 US dollars
Constant prices adjust for inflation. This is total economic output, not current-dollar GDP or income per person. Missing years are left as gaps.
Sources: World Bank · Real GDP
View data table
| Year | Constant 2015 US$ | Billions of constant 2015 US dollars |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 11,278,756,616 | 11.279 |
| 1991 | 11,607,042,427 | 11.607 |
| 1992 | 11,244,830,876 | 11.245 |
| 1993 | 11,173,578,043 | 11.174 |
| 1994 | 11,284,502,059 | 11.285 |
| 1995 | 11,436,537,451 | 11.437 |
| 1996 | 11,433,413,508 | 11.433 |
| 1997 | 12,158,742,971 | 12.159 |
| 1998 | 11,349,316,081 | 11.349 |
| 1999 | 11,832,878,907 | 11.833 |
| 2000 | 12,244,033,143 | 12.244 |
| 2001 | 12,423,538,116 | 12.424 |
| 2002 | 12,915,688,988 | 12.916 |
| 2003 | 13,378,513,545 | 13.379 |
| 2004 | 13,392,499,225 | 13.392 |
| 2005 | 13,391,973,527 | 13.392 |
| 2006 | 13,940,831,854 | 13.941 |
| 2007 | 13,416,151,464 | 13.416 |
| 2008 | 12,892,826,165 | 12.893 |
| 2009 | 12,647,829,763 | 12.648 |
| 2010 | 12,994,552,865 | 12.995 |
| 2011 | 13,481,121,715 | 13.481 |
| 2012 | 13,604,222,581 | 13.604 |
| 2013 | 13,315,162,383 | 13.315 |
| 2014 | 12,981,233,119 | 12.981 |
| 2015 | 12,930,296,870 | 12.930 |
| 2016 | 12,609,894,753 | 12.610 |
| 2017 | 12,777,445,780 | 12.777 |
| 2018 | 12,784,137,462 | 12.784 |
| 2019 | 13,278,735,843 | 13.279 |
| 2020 | 13,429,260,054 | 13.429 |
| 2021 | 13,215,632,407 | 13.216 |
| 2022 | 13,000,438,096 | 13.000 |
| 2023 | 13,147,036,779 | 13.147 |
| 2024 | 13,679,822,692 | 13.680 |
| 2025 | 13,771,417,607 | 13.771 |
Human development
The Human Development Index combines health, education and income. Scores range from 0 to 1.
HDI · 20230.837Very High human developmentRank 60 of 193 · 2025 report
Human Development Index over time
19900.781
20000.792
20100.830
20200.836
20230.837
75.3 yearsLife expectancy at birth
9.3 yearsMean schooling, adults aged 25+
The latest values refer to 2023. All historical scores use the same report edition. HDI does not describe every aspect of inequality or quality of life.
Sources: UNDP · Human Development Report 2025
Government
Absolute monarchy or sultanate. Legislative Council (Majlis Mesyuarat Negara) has one chamber (a unicameral legislature).
Knowledge check
Three questions about Brunei.
QUESTION 1 OF 3
Which currency is listed for Brunei?
Sources & notes
Sources: CIA World Factbook · archived profile
Prepared 24 September 2026. World Bank series: SP.POP.TOTL (persons) and NY.GDP.MKTP.KD (constant 2015 US dollars); downloaded 24 September 2026, provider update 13 July 2026. UNDP values use the 2025 report and 2023 observation year. These are dated statistical snapshots, not live population or economic counters.
Maps use Natural Earth geographic data. Background geography, flag descriptions and selected historical facts use archived public-domain CIA World Factbook profiles, supplemented by the sources linked above. The Factbook is no longer updated; dated statistics here come from the separately named providers.