ry
1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995),
1.5274 (1994); note--the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore
dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Communications

Telephones: 90,000 (1997 est.)

Telephone system: service throughout country is excellent;
international service good to Europe, US, and East Asia
domestic: NA
international: satellite earth stations--2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean
and 1 Pacific Ocean)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 3, FM 10, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 284,000 (1995 est.)

Television broadcast stations: 2 (1997)

Televisions: 173,000 (1995 est.)

Transportation

Railways:
total: 13 km (private line)
narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge

Highways:
total: 1,150 km
paved: 399 km
unpaved: 751 km (1996 est.)

Waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m

Pipelines: crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural
gas 920 km

Ports and harbors: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara,
Seria, Tutong

Merchant marine:
total: 7 liquefied gas tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476
GRT/340,635 DWT (1998 est.)

Airports: 2 (1998 est.)

Airports--with paved runways:
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Airports--with unpaved runways:
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (1998 est.)

Heliports: 3 (1998 est.)

Military

Military branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei
Police

Military manpower--military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower--availability:
males age 15-49: 88,628 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--fit for military service:
males age 15-49: 51,270 (1999 est.)

Military manpower--reaching military age annually:
males: 3,078 (1999 est.)

Military expenditures--dollar figure: $343 million (1997)

Military expenditures--percent of GDP: 6% (1997)

Transnational Issues

Disputes--international: possibly involved in a complex dispute
over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan,
and Vietnam; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone
that encompasses Louisa Reef in the southern Spratly Islands, but
has not publicly claimed the island

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@Bulgaria
--------

Introduction

Background: A Slavic state, Bulgaria achieved independence in
1908 after 500 years of Ottoman rule. Bulgaria fo