Geography
Climate: tropical.
CIA 2026
Data as of May 5, 2026
Brunei
AsiaGlobal Leader
Brunei claims the 9th spot worldwide for internet access. How well do you really know Brunei?
Brunei claims the 9th spot worldwide for internet access. That 99.0% figure is hard to beat. How well do you really know Brunei?
4.5, 114.7 - Asia
Area
6K km²
Pop.
491.9K
Stats
108
Reality brief
Brunei is a country in Asia with a population of 491.9K and an area of 5,765 km². Life expectancy is 75.3 years.
Short factual summary generated from the same country data used in game rounds.
Core numbers
Stats worth knowing
Fast scan first, deep dive later.
CO2 Per Capita
26.05 t/person/yr#3globally
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Internet Users (%)
99%#9globally
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
GDP Per Capita
$79,184.09#9globally
GDP per person adjusted for purchasing power in constant 2017 international dollars, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
$89,879.36#9globally
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
Human Development Index
0.84#60globally
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Life Expectancy
75.3 years#98globally
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
Country briefing
Grounded facts about Brunei
A quick real-world briefing before you dive deeper into rankings, surprises, and matchups.
Culture
Major languages include Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects.
CIA 2026
Identity
Formal name: Brunei Darussalam.
CIA 2026
Cities
Cities in Brunei
Browse this country's cities before City Detective asks you to guess.
Top stats
Where They Stand Out
The strongest source-backed stats before the deeper data table.
Forest Coverage (%)
72.11%#14globallyTop stat
The percentage of land covered by forests - natural or planted trees at least 5 meters tall (excludes orchards and urban parks).
Protected Land (%)
39.9%#13globallyTop stat
The percentage of land area designated as protected natural reserves or parks.
Electricity Access (%)
100%#17globallyTop stat
The percentage of the population with access to electricity.
Military Spending
3.6% of GDP#20globallyTop stat
Military expenditure as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Lowest Elevation
0 m#56globally
Lowest point elevation from CIA World Factbook.
Reality checks
Did You Know?
The stats that tend to surprise players in real rounds.
Only ranks #192 in health spending (% gdp)
#1921.8% of GDPHealth Spending (% GDP)
Current health expenditure as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Only ranks #208 in renewable energy (%)
#2080%Renewable Energy (%)
The percentage of energy consumption that comes from renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydro.
Keeps government debt (% gdp) unusually low
#1972.8% of GDPGovernment Debt (% GDP)
Central government debt as a share of GDP, from World Bank Open Data.
Keeps inflation rate unusually low
#206-0.4%Inflation Rate
How much prices increased over the year, based on the cost of everyday goods and services.
Only ranks #182 in spirits consumption
#1820 L/person/yrSpirits Consumption
Liters of spirits consumed per person per year, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Compared with the region
How Brunei Compares
Country vs continent vs world averages
Brunei
Asia avg
World avg
GDP per Capita
GDP per person, adjusted for purchasing power parity (PPP) so costs of living are comparable across countries.
- Country
- $89,879.36
- Region avg
- $34,339.76
- World avg
- $31,844.55
Brunei$89,879.36
Asia$34,339.76
World$31,844.55
+182% above worldWB 2023
Life Expectancy
How many years a newborn can expect to live, based on current mortality rates.
- Country
- 75.3 years
- Region avg
- 75.3 years
- World avg
- 73.7 years
Brunei75.3 years
Asia75.3 years
World73.7 years
+2% above worldWB 2023
Human Development Index
Composite 0-1 index of life expectancy, education, and income, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
- Country
- 0.84
- Region avg
- 0.75
- World avg
- 0.74
Brunei0.84
Asia0.75
World0.74
+13% above worldOWID 2023
Internet Users
The percentage of people who have used the internet in the last 3 months.
- Country
- 99%
- Region avg
- 75.77%
- World avg
- 70.29%
Brunei99%
Asia75.77%
World70.29%
+41% above worldWB 2023
Think you can guess which countries rank higher?
Play this countryFactbook notes
About Brunei
Country briefing
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines.
Read the full Factbook note
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy subsequently brought on a period of decline. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries, and in 2017, the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of Sultan Hassanal BOLKIAH's accession to the throne. Brunei has one of the highest per-capita GDPs in the world, thanks to extensive petroleum and natural gas fields.
Geography & Climate6 facts
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, along the northern coast of the island of Borneo, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
- Climate
- tropical; hot, humid, rainy
- Terrain
- flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west
- Natural Resources
- petroleum, natural gas, timber
- Natural Hazards
- typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
- Size Comparison
- slightly smaller than Delaware
People & Culture4 facts
- Languages
- Malay (Bahasa Melayu) (official), English, Chinese dialects
- Religions
- Muslim (official) 82.1%, Christian 6.7%, Buddhist 6.3%, other 4.9% (2021 est.)
- Ethnic Groups
- Malay 67.4%, Chinese 9.6%, other 23% (2021 est.)
- Major Cities
- 266,682 BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (capital) (2021)
Government & History9 facts
- Government Type
- absolute monarchy or sultanate
- Capital
- Bandar Seri Begawan
- Capital Coordinates
- 4 53 N, 114 56 E
- Capital Timezone
- UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Official Name
- Brunei Darussalam
- Name Origin
- derivation of the name is unclear; the name may come from the Sanskrit word bhumi, meaning "land" or "region"
- Independence
- 1 January 1984 (from the UK)
- National Symbols
- royal parasol
- National Anthem
- "Allah Peliharakan Sultan" (God Bless His Majesty)
Economy & Trade7 facts
- Overview
- almost exclusively an oil and gas economy; high income country; expansive and robust welfare system; the majority of the population works for the government; promulgating a nationalized halal brand; considering establishment of a bond market and stock exchange
- Industries
- petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction, agriculture, aquaculture, transportation
- Agricultural Products
- chicken, eggs, fruits, vegetables, rice, bananas, beans, cucumbers/gherkins, pineapples, beef (2023)
- Export Partners
- Australia 21%, Japan 17%, China 17%, Singapore 16%, Malaysia 6% (2023)
- Export Commodities
- refined petroleum, natural gas, crude petroleum, hydrocarbons, fertilizers (2023)
- Import Partners
- Malaysia 23%, UAE 10%, China 10%, UK 10%, Australia 6% (2023)
- Import Commodities
- crude petroleum, gold, refined petroleum, coal, cars (2023)
Infrastructure & Defense4 facts
- Military Forces
- Royal Brunei Armed Forces (RBAF) or Angkatan Bersenjata Diraja Brunei (ABDB): Royal Brunei Land Force (RBLF), Royal Brunei Navy (RBN), Royal Brunei Air Force (RBAirF) (2025)
- Military Service
- 18-25 years of age for voluntary military service (2025)
- Energy Mix
- fossil fuels: 99.9% of total installed capacity (2023 est.); solar: 0.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Broadcast Media
- state-controlled Radio Television Brunei (RTB) operates 5 channels; 3 Malaysian TV stations are available; foreign TV broadcasts are available via satellite systems; RTB operates 5 radio networks and broadcasts on multiple frequencies; British Forces Broadcast Service (BFBS) provides radio broadcasts on 2 FM stations; some radio broadcast stations from Malaysia are available via repeaters
Source:World Factbook archive 2026
Data vault
Deep Dive
Every tracked stat, grouped for fast scanning.
Environment9 statsBest: #3
CO2 Per Capita
Forest Coverage (%)
Protected Land (%)
Electricity Access (%)
Total CO2 Emissions
Forest Area
Irrigated Land
10 km²#166
Air Pollution (PM2.5)
Renewable Energy (%)
Wealth & Economy10 statsBest: #9
GDP Per Capita
GDP Per Capita (PPP)
GDP Growth Rate
Youth Unemployment Rate
Unemployment Rate
GDP (Nominal)
FDI Inflows (% GDP)
High-Tech Exports (%)
Inflation Rate
Government Debt (% GDP)
Technology3 statsBest: #9
Military & Defense2 statsBest: #20
Health & Survival9 statsBest: #47
Obesity Rate
Hospital Beds (per 1,000)
Life Expectancy
Doctors (per 1,000)
Smoking Rate
Infant Mortality
Child Mortality
Suicide Rate
Health Spending (% GDP)
Land & Sea4 statsBest: #56
Lowest Elevation
0 m#56
Highest Elevation
1.9K m#134
Coastline Length
161 km#146
Land Border Length
266 km#148
Education & Future4 statsBest: #60
Lifestyle5 statsBest: #62
Demographics12 statsBest: #81
Urban Population (%)
Birth Rate
Median Age
Population Density
Elderly Population (%)
Youth Population (%)
Fertility Rate
Population
Teen Birth Rate
Land Area
Dependency Ratio
Death Rate
Infrastructure2 statsBest: #90
Merchant Fleet Size
97#90
Airports
Energy1 statsBest: #135
Electric Generating Capacity
904.0K kW#135
Society & Equality1 statsBest: #163
Women in Parliament (%)
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Brunei
#3 in CO2 Per Capita
Annual carbon dioxide emissions in tonnes per person, from Our World in Data using the latest available country values in TerraBrawl.
Top 5% globally
26.05 t/person/yr
Frequently Asked Questions about Brunei
What is the population of Brunei?
Brunei has a population of 491.9K, ranking #172 globally by population.
What continent is Brunei in?
Brunei is located in Asia. It has an area of 5,765 km².
What is the life expectancy in Brunei?
Life expectancy in Brunei is 75.3 years, ranking #98 globally.
What is the GDP per capita of Brunei?
Brunei's GDP per capita (PPP) is $89,879.36, ranking #9 globally.
What is Brunei known for in global statistics?
Brunei ranks particularly high in CO2 Per Capita (#3), Internet Users (%) (#9), GDP Per Capita (#9).
What is Brunei's Human Development Index?
Brunei has an HDI of 0.837, ranking #60 globally. The HDI combines life expectancy, education, and income indicators.
How densely populated is Brunei?
Brunei has a population density of 87.1 people per km², ranking #114 globally.