British Virgin Islands (continued)
incorporation fees generated about $2 million in 1987. Livestock raising is the most significant agricultural activity. The islands' crops, limited by poor soils, are unable to meet food requirements.
GDP: $106.7 million, per capita $8,900; real growth rate 2.5% (1987)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (January 1987)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues $26.2 million; expenditures $25.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)
Exports: $2.3 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities—rum, fresh fish, gravel, sand, fruits, animals; partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
Imports: $72.0 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities—building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery; partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US
External debt: $4.5 million (1985)
Industrial production: growth rate -4.0% (1985)
Electricity: 13,500 kW capacity; 59 million kWh produced, 4,870 kWh per capita (1989)
Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center
Agriculture: livestock (including poultry), fish, fruit, vegetables
Aid: NA
Currency: US currency is used
Exchange rates: US currency is used
Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March
Communications
Highways: 106 km motorable roads (1983)
Ports: Road Town
Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways less than 1,220m
Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; worldwide external telephone service; submarine cable communication links to Bermuda; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV
Defense Forces
Note: defense is the responsibility of the
UK
Brunei
_Brunei.jpg)
See regional map IX
Geography
Total area: 5,770 km²; land area: 5,270
km²
Comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundary: 381 km with Malaysia
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims:
- Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
- Territorial sea: 12 nm
Disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, timber
Land use: 1% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 79% forest and woodland; 18% other; includes NEGL% irrigated
Environment: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
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
People
Population: 372,108 (July 1990), growth
rate 7.1% (1990)
Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1990)
Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)
Net migration rate: 52 migrants/1,000 population (1990)
Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)
Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 77 years female (1990)
Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1990)
Nationality: noun—Bruneian(s); adjective—Bruneian
Ethnic divisions: 64% Malay, 20% Chinese, 16% other
Religion: 60% Muslim (official); 8% Christian; 32% Buddhist and indigenous beliefs
Language: Malay (official), English, and Chinese
Literacy: 45%
Labor force: 89,000 (includes members of the Army); 33% of labor force is foreign (1988); 50.4% production of oil, natural gas, and construction; 47.6% trade, services, and other; 2.0% agriculture, forestry, and fishing (1984)
Organized labor: 2% of labor force
Government
Long-form name: Negara Brunei
Darussalam
Type: constitutional sultanate
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Administrative divisions: 4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular—daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence: 1 January 1984 (from UK)
Constitution: 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
Legal system: based on Islamic law
National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)
Executive branch: sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court
Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—Sultan and Prime Minister Sir Muda HASSANAL BOLKIAH Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
Political parties and leaders: Brunei National United Party (inactive), Anak Hasanuddin, chairman; Brunei National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned) Abdul Latif bin Abdul Hamid, chairman
Suffrage: none
Elections: Legislative Council—last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan and no elections are planned
Communists: probably none
Member of: ASEAN, ESCAP (associate member), IMO, INTERPOL, OIC, UN
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Date Paduka Haji MOHAMED SUNI bin Haji Idris; Chancery at 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-0159; US—Ambassador Christopher H. PHILLIPS; Embassy at Teck Guan Plaza (corner of Jalan McArthur), Bandar Seri Begawan (mailing ad-
