About the Country

A small nation on the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia and slightly smaller than Delaware, Brunei has been a sultanate (absolute monarchy) for many hundreds of years with the same family ruling the nation for over six centuries. In 1888, it became a protectorate of Britain, gaining independence in 1984. Brunei’s legal system is based on a combination of English common law and Islamic law with sharia penal codes entering in April 2019.

Its rainy tropical climate makes the nation hot and humid. Its flat coastal terrain in the west, where most of its population lives, is separated from its mountainous east by Malaysia. Because of its vast petroleum and natural gas fields, Brunei’s per-capita GDP is one of the highest in the world. Besides these industries, construction and agriculture are also predominant, with poultry, fruit, vegetables and rice being some of its principal agricultural products. Brunei’s unemployment rate is around one percent, and foreign workers account for about a quarter of the labor force.

About the People

The population of Brunei in 2024 is nearly 492,000, with 239,140 males and 252,760 females, predominantly in the 15-64 age range (70.8 percent) with a median age of 32.3 years. Most Bruneians (79.1 percent), as they are called, live in urban centers. Malay is the primary ethnic group (67.4 percent), followed by other ethnicities (23 percent) and Chinese (9.6 percent). Malay is the official language, though English and some Chinese dialects are also spoken. Islam is the official religion of Brunei, with 82.1 percent of the population adherents. This is followed by Christianity (6.7 percent), Buddhism (6.3 percent) and others (4.9 percent).

People Group Facts

• Population: 492,000
• Religion: Islam
• People Groups: Many (only seven Indigenous groups recognized as Malay in the constitution); also those of Chinese or European heritage
• Languages: Malay (official) with English and some Chinese dialects