1.09 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 22.83 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 71.84 years
male: 70.35 years
female: 73.42 years (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate: 3.33 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Bruneian(s)
adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%

Religions: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%,
indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)

Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 88.2%
male: 92.6%
female: 83.4% (1995 est.)

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei

Data code: BX

Government 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)

National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)

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 English common law; for Muslims, Islamic
Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas

Suffrage: none

Executive branch:
chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri
Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5
October 1967); note--the monarch is both the chief of state and head
of government
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka
Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah
(since 5 October 1967); note--the monarch is both the chief of state
and head of government
cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers appointed and presided over by
the monarch; deals with executive matters
note: there is also a Religious Council (members appointed by the
monarch) that advises on religious matters, a Privy Council (members
appointed by the monarch) that deals with constitutional matters,
and the Council of Succession (members appointed by the monarch)
that determines the succession to the throne if the need arises
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis
Masyuarat Megeri