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Country Name

Conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

Conventional short form: Brunei

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); note - 1 January 1984 was the date of independence from the UK, 23 February 1984 was the date of independence from British protection

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

International Law Organization Participation

Citizenship

Suffrage

none

Executive Branch

Chief of state: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government

Head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (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

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members appointed by the monarch)

Elections: last held in March 1962

Note: in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the monarch; an elected Legislative Council is being considered as part of constitutional reform, but elections are unlikely for several years

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms)

Political Parties and Leaders

Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985, but became largely inactive after 1988, it was revived in 1995 and again in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)

Political Pressure Groups and Leaders

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; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands

National Anthem

Year	2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000

Government Type

Constitutional sultanate

Capital

Bandar Seri Begawan

Diplomatic Representation in the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador PUTEH ibni Mohammad Alam
FAX
[1] (202) 885-0560
Telephone
[1] (202) 237-1838
Chancery
3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008

Diplomatic Representation from the US

Chief Of Mission
Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
Embassy
Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
Mailing Address
PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
Telephone
[673] (2) 229670
FAX
[673] (2) 225293

International Organization Participation

APEC
ARF
ASEAN
C
CCC
ESCAP
G-77
IBRD
ICAO
ICRM
IDB
IFRCS
IMF
IMO

Interpol
IOC
ISO (correspondent)
ITU
NAM
OIC
OPCW
UN
UNCTAD
UPU
WHO
WIPO
WMO
WTrO

Brunei