3 GeoFroggy

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: Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members

Elections: last held in March 1962; date of next election NA

Judicial Branch

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

Political Parties and Leaders

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

NA

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

Government Type

  • Constitutional sultanate

Capital

    Bandar Seri Begawan

Diplomatic Representation in the US

  • Chief Of Mission
    Ambassador Pengiran Anak Dato PUTEH
  • Chancery
    3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
  • Telephone
    [1] (202) 237-1838
  • FAX
    [1] (202) 885-0560

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
  • G-77
  • IBRD
  • ICAO
  • ICRM
  • IDB
  • IFRCS
  • IMF
  • IMO
  • Interpol
  • IOC
  • ISO (correspondent)
  • ITU
  • NAM
  • OIC
  • OPCW
  • UN
  • UNCTAD
  • UPU
  • WCO
  • WHO
  • WIPO
  • WMO
  • WTO