| Info about Brunei | |
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.
| | Languages | | Malay (official), English, Chinese | | Drug usage | | drug trafficking and illegally importing controlled substances are serious offenses in Brunei and carry a mandatory death penalty | | Ethnic division | | Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2004 est.) | | HIV/AIDS prevalence rate | | less than 0.1% (2003 est.) | | Climate info | | tropical; hot, humid, rainy | | Natural Resources | | petroleum, natural gas, timber | | Economic data | | 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. | | Environmental issues | | seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia |
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