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Economy of Brunei

Economy - overview: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.
GDP (purchasing power parity):$9.557 billion (2006 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate):$9.531 billion (2005 est.)
GDP - real growth rate:0.4% (2005 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP):$25,600 (2005 est.)
GDP - composition by sector:agriculture: 0.9%
industry: 71.6%
services: 27.5% (2005 est.)
Labor force:180,400 (2006 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:agriculture: 2.9%
industry: 61.1%
services: 36% (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate:4% (2006)
Population below poverty line:NA%
Household income or consumption by percentage share:lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices):1.1% (2005)
Budget:revenues: $3.765 billion
expenditures: $4.815 billion; including capital expenditures of $NA (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products:rice, vegetables, fruits; chickens, water buffalo, cattle, goats, eggs
Industries:petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Industrial production growth rate:1.8% (2005 est.)
Electricity - production:2.913 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - production by source:fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
nuclear: 0%
other: 0% (2001)
Electricity - consumption:2.726 billion kWh (2005 est.)
Electricity - exports:0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports:0 kWh (2005)
Oil - production:219,300 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - consumption:14,900 bbl/day (2006 est.)
Oil - exports:205,600 bbl/day (2006)
Oil - imports:660.1 bbl/day (2004)
Oil - proved reserves:1.35 billion bbl (1 January 2005)
Natural gas - production:11.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - consumption:2 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - exports:9.5 billion cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - imports:0 cu m (2004 est.)
Natural gas - proved reserves:390.8 billion cu m (1 January 2005 est.)
Exports:$6.247 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)
Exports - commodities:crude oil, natural gas, refined products, clothing
Exports - partners:Japan 31.2%, Indonesia 20.3%, South Korea 13.3%, Australia 11.7%, US 7.9% (2006)
Imports:$1.481 billion c.i.f. (2005 est.)
Imports - commodities:machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals
Imports - partners:Singapore 30.7%, Malaysia 18.4%, UK 7.8%, Japan 5.4%, China 5.3%, Thailand 4.4%, South Korea 4.1% (2006)
Debt - external:$0 (2005)
Economic aid - recipient:$NA
Currency (code):Bruneian dollar (BND)
Currency code:BND
Exchange rates:Bruneian dollars per US dollar - 1.5886 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002)
Fiscal year:1 April - 31 March

Brunei Quickstats

  • Population: 374,577 (July 2007 est.)
  • Area: 5,770 sq km
  • Density: 65 /km² (127th)
  • GDP (total): $9.009 billion (138th)
  • GDP (per capita): $24,826 (26th)
  • Literacy: 92.7%

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  • Currency: Brunei dollar (BND)
  • Dial code: +6731

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