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Country Name

Conventional long form: Brunei Darussalam

Conventional short form: Brunei

Local long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

Local short form: Brunei

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

International Law Organization Participation

Has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

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 the chief of state (Yang Di-Pertuan Agong) and head of government

Head 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 March elections: 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 Comm: undefined

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

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

Lyrics:

Note: adopted 1951

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 (locally known as Malay Islamic Monarchy)

Capital

Name
Bandar Seri Begawan
Geographic Coordinates
4 53 N, 114 56 E
Time Difference
UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

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

Brunei