 Country name:
conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam conventional short form:Brunei local long form:Negara Brunei Darussalam local short form:Brunei
Government type:
constitutional sultanate (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)
Capital:
name:Bandar Seri Begawangeographic coordinates:4 53 N, 114 56 E time difference:UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Administrative divisions:
4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei-Muara, Temburong, Tutong
Independence:
1 January 1984 (from the UK)
National holiday:
National Day, 23 February (1984); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection
Constitution:
drafted 1954 to 1959, signed 29 September 1959; amended 1984, 2004, 2011; note - some constitutional provisions suspended since 1962 under a State of Emergency, others since independence in 1984 (2011)
Legal system:
mixed legal system based on English common law and Islamic law; note - in May 2014, the first sharia-based penal codes were instituted and apply to Muslims and non-Muslims
International law organization participation:
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Suffrage:
18 years of age for village elections; universal
Executive branch:
chief of state:Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both chief of state (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) and head of governmenthead of government:Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967) 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 monarchy is hereditary
Legislative branch:
the Sultan appointed a Legislative Council with 29 members in September 2005; he increased the size of the council to 33 members in June 2011; the council meets annually in Marchelections:last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA) note:the Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; it passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; no timeframe for an election was announced
Judicial branch:
highest court(s):Supreme Court (consists of Court of Appeal and High Court, each with a chief justice and 2 judges); Sharia Court of Appeal (consists of judges appointed by the monarch)note - Brunei has a dual judicial system of secular and sharia (religious) courts; the Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London serves as the final appellate court for civil cases only judge selection and term of office:Supreme Court judges appointed by the monarch to serve until age 65, and older if approved by the monarch; Sharia Court of Appeal judges appointed by the monarch; judge tenure NA subordinate courts:Intermediate Court; Magistrate's Courts; Juvenile Court; small claims courts; lower sharia courts (2006)
| | Political parties and leaders:
National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]note:Brunei National Solidarity Party or PPKB [Abdul LATIF bin Chuchu] and People's Awareness Party or PAKAR [Awang Haji MAIDIN bin Haji Ahmad] were deregistered in 2007; parties are small and have limited activity
Political pressure groups and leaders:
NA
International organization participation:
ADB, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (NGOs), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITSO, ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIFIL, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Dato Yusoff Abd HAMID (since 2 October 2009)chancery:3520 International Court NW #300, Washington, DC 20008 telephone:[1] (202) 237-1838 FAX:[1] (202) 885-0560
Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission:Ambassador Daniel L. SHIELDS III (since 28 March 2011)embassy:Simpang 336-52-16-9, Jalan Datu, Bandar Seri Begawan, BC4115 mailing address:Unit 4280, Box 40, FPO AP 96507; P.O. Box 2991, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8675, Negara Brunei Darussalam telephone:[673] 238-4616 FAX:[673] 238-4604
Flag description:
yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; yellow is the color of royalty and symbolizes the sultanate; the white and black bands denote Brunei's chief ministers; the emblem includes five main components: a swallow-tailed flag, the royal umbrella representing the monarchy, the wings of four feathers symbolizing justice, tranquility, prosperity, and peace, the two upraised hands signifying the government's pledge to preserve and promote the welfare of the people, and the crescent moon denoting Islam, the state religion; the state motto 'Always render service with God's guidance' appears in yellow Arabic script on the crescent; a ribbon below the crescent reads 'Brunei, the Abode of Peace'
National anthem:
name:'Allah Peliharakan Sultan' (God Bless His Majesty)
lyrics/music:Pengiran Haji Mohamed YUSUF bin Pengiran Abdul Rahim/Awang Haji BESAR bin Sagap note:adopted 1951 |