Читать книгу The 2001 CIA World Factbook - United States. Central Intelligence Agency - Страница 82

consulate(s) general: Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo

consulate(s): Recife

Flag description: green with a large yellow diamond in the center bearing a blue celestial globe with 27 white five-pointed stars (one for each state and the Federal District) arranged in the same pattern as the night sky over Brazil; the globe has a white equatorial band with the motto ORDEM E PROGRESSO (Order and Progress)

Brazil Economy

Economy - overview: Possessing large and well-developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing, and service sectors, Brazil's economy outweighs that of all other South American countries and is expanding its presence in world markets. In the late eighties and early nineties, high inflation hindered economic activity and investment. "The Real Plan", instituted in the spring of 1994, sought to break inflationary expectations by pegging the real to the US dollar. Inflation was brought down to single digit annual figures, but not fast enough to avoid substantial real exchange rate appreciation during the transition phase of the "Real Plan". This appreciation meant that Brazilian goods were now more expensive relative to goods from other countries, which contributed to large current account deficits. However, no shortage of foreign currency ensued because of the financial community's renewed interest in Brazilian markets as inflation rates stabilized and the debt crisis of the eighties faded from memory. The maintenance of large current account deficits via capital account surpluses became problematic as investors became more risk averse to emerging market exposure as a consequence of the Asian financial crisis in 1997 and the Russian bond default in August 1998. After crafting a fiscal adjustment program and pledging progress on structural reform, Brazil received a $41.5 billion IMF-led international support program in November 1998. In January 1999, the Brazilian Central Bank announced that the real would no longer be pegged to the US dollar. This devaluation helped moderate the downturn in economic growth in 1999 that investors had expressed concerns about over the summer of 1998. Brazil's debt to GDP ratio for 1999 beat the IMF target and helped reassure investors that Brazil will maintain tight fiscal and monetary policy even with a floating currency. The economy continued to recover in 2000, with inflation remaining in the single digits and expected growth for 2001 of 4.5%. Foreign direct investment set a record of more than $30 billion in 2000.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $1.13 trillion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.2% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $6,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 9%

industry: 29%

services: 62% (1999 est.)

Population below poverty line: 17.4% (1990 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 1%

highest 10%: 47.6% (1996)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 6% (2000)

Labor force: 79 million (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation: services 53.2%, agriculture 23.1%, industry 23.7%

Unemployment rate: 7.1% (2000 est.)

Budget: revenues: $151 billion

expenditures: $149 billion, including capital expenditures of $36 billion (1998)

Industries: textiles, shoes, chemicals, cement, lumber, iron ore, tin, steel, aircraft, motor vehicles and parts, other machinery and equipment

Industrial production growth rate: 6.9% (2000 est.)

Electricity - production: 337.44 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 5.28%

hydro: 90.66%

nuclear: 1.12%

other: 2.94% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 353.674 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 5 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 39.86 billion kWh

note: supplied by Paraguay (1999)

Agriculture - products: coffee, soybeans, wheat, rice, corn, sugarcane, cocoa, citrus; beef

Exports: $55.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities: manufactures, iron ore, soybeans, footwear, coffee

Exports - partners: US 23%, Argentina 11%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 5%, Japan 5% (1999)

Imports: $55.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, chemical products, oil, electricity

Imports - partners: US 24%, Argentina 12%, Germany 10%, Japan 5%,

Italy 5% (1999)

Debt - external: $232 billion (2000)

Economic aid - recipient: NA

Currency: real (BRL)

Currency code: BRL

Exchange rates: reals per US dollar - 1.954 (January 2001), 1.830 (2000), 1.815 (1999), 1.161 (1998), 1.078 (1997), 1.005 (1996)

note: from October 1994 through 14 January 1999, the official rate was determined by a managed float; since 15 January 1999, the official rate floats independently with respect to the US dollar

Fiscal year: calendar year

Brazil Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 17.039 million (1997)

Telephones - mobile cellular: 4.4 million (1997)

Telephone system: general assessment: good working system

domestic: extensive microwave radio relay system and a domestic satellite system with 64 earth stations

international: 3 coaxial submarine cables; satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean), 1 Inmarsat (Atlantic Ocean region east), connected by microwave relay system to MERCOSUR Brazilsat B3 satellite earth station

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1,365, FM 296, shortwave 161 (of which 91 are collocated with AM stations) (1999)

Radios: 71 million (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 138 (1997)

Televisions: 36.5 million (1997)

Internet country code: .br

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 50 (2000)

Internet users: 8.65 million (2000)

Brazil Transportation

Railways: total: 30,539 km (2,129 km electrified); note - excludes urban rail

broad gauge: 5,679 km 1.600-m gauge (1199 km electrified)

standard gauge: 194 km 1.440-m gauge

narrow gauge: 24,666 km 1.000-m gauge (930 km electrified)

dual gauge: 336 km 1.000-m and 1.600-m gauges (three rails) (1999 est.)

Highways: total: 1.98 million km

paved: 184,140 km

unpaved: 1,795,860 km (1996)

Waterways: 50,000 km

Pipelines: crude oil 2,980 km; petroleum products 4,762 km; natural gas 4,246 km (1998)

Ports and harbors: Belem, Fortaleza, Ilheus, Imbituba, Manaus,

Paranagua, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande,

Salvador, Santos, Vitoria

Merchant marine: total: 171 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 3,788,999 GRT/6,067,314 DWT

ships by type: bulk 33, cargo 26, chemical tanker 5, combination ore/oil 9, container 12, liquefied gas 11, multi-functional large-load carrier 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 56, roll on/roll off 12, short-sea passenger 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 3,264 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 570

over 3,047 m: 5

2,438 to 3,047 m: 21

1,524 to 2,437 m: 141

914 to 1,523 m: 370

under 914 m: 33 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 2,694

1,524 to 2,437 m: 68

914 to 1,523 m: 1,279

under 914 m: 1,347 (2000 est.)

Brazil Military

Military branches: Brazilian Army, Brazilian Navy (includes naval air and marines), Brazilian Air Force, Federal Police (paramilitary)

Military manpower - military age: 18 years of age

Military manpower - availability: males age 15–49: 48,298,486 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service: males age 15–49: 32,388,786 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually: males: 1,762,740 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure: $13.408 billion (FY99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP: 1.9% (FY99)

Brazil Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: limited illicit producer of cannabis, minor coca cultivation in the Amazon region, mostly used for domestic consumption; government has a large-scale eradication program to control cannabis; important transshipment country for Bolivian, Colombian, and Peruvian cocaine headed for the US and Europe; also used by traffickers as a way station for narcotics air transshipments between Peru and Colombia; upsurge in drug-related violence and weapons smuggling; important market for Bolivian, Peruvian, and Colombian cocaine

======================================================================

@British Indian Ocean Territory

British Indian Ocean Territory Introduction

Background: Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier resident in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order which had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.

British Indian Ocean Territory Geography

Location: Southern Asia, archipelago in the Indian Ocean, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia

Geographic coordinates: 6 00 S, 71 30 E

Map references: World

Area: total: 60 sq km

land: 60 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago

Area - comparative: about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 698 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds

Terrain: flat and low (most areas do not exceed four meters in elevation)

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m

highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m

Natural resources: coconuts, fish, sugarcane

Land use: arable land: 0%

permanent crops: 0%

permanent pastures: 0%

forests and woodland: NA%

other: NA%

Irrigated land: 0 sq km (1993)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: NA

Geography - note: archipelago of 2,300 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility

British Indian Ocean Territory People

Population: no indigenous inhabitants

note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles around the time of the construction of UK-US military facilities; in 1995, there were approximately 1,700 UK and US military personnel and 1,500 civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia

British Indian Ocean Territory Government

Country name: conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory

conventional short form: none

abbreviation: BIOT

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London

Legal system: the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952)

head of government: Commissioner John WHITE (since NA); Administrator Louise SAVILL (since NA); note - both reside in the UK

cabinet: NA

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the

UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag

British Indian Ocean Territory Economy

Economy - overview: All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing.

Electricity - production: NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the

US military

Electricity - consumption: NA kWh

British Indian Ocean Territory Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available

domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet

international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: NA

Television broadcast stations: 1 (1997)

Televisions: NA

Internet country code: .io

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 1 (2000)

British Indian Ocean Territory Transportation

Highways: total: NA km

paved: short stretch of paved road of NA km between port and airfield on Diego Garcia

unpaved: NA km

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Diego Garcia

Airports: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 1

over 3,047 m: 1 (2000 est.)

British Indian Ocean Territory Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016

British Indian Ocean Territory Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: the Chagos Archipelago is claimed by

Mauritius and Seychelles

======================================================================

@British Virgin Islands

British Virgin Islands Introduction

Background: First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the islands were soon after (1672) annexed by the English. The economy is closely tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west; the US dollar is the legal currency.

British Virgin Islands Geography

Location: Caribbean, between the Caribbean Sea and the North

Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico

Geographic coordinates: 18 30 N, 64 30 W

Map references: Central America and the Caribbean

Area: total: 150 sq km

land: 150 sq km

water: 0 sq km

note: includes the island of Anegada

Area - comparative: about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 80 km

Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: 200 NM

territorial sea: 3 NM

Climate: subtropical; humid; temperatures moderated by trade winds

Terrain: coral islands relatively flat; volcanic islands steep, hilly

Elevation extremes: lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m

highest point: Mount Sage 521 m

Natural resources: NEGL

Land use: arable land: 20%

permanent crops: 7%

permanent pastures: 33%

forests and woodland: 7%

other: 33% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: NA sq km

Natural hazards: hurricanes and tropical storms (July to October)

Environment - current issues: limited natural fresh water resources (except for a few seasonal streams and springs on Tortola, most of the islands' water supply comes from wells and rainwater catchment)

Geography - note: strong ties to nearby US Virgin Islands and Puerto

Rico

British Virgin Islands People

Population: 20,812 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0–14 years: 22.77% (male 2,399; female 2,339)

15–64 years: 72.31% (male 7,741; female 7,309)

65 years and over: 4.92% (male 555; female 469) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.22% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 15.18 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 4.42 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 11.39 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female

15–64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female

total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 20.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 75.64 years

male: 74.74 years

female: 76.59 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.72 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: NA%

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: NA

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: British Virgin Islander(s)

adjective: British Virgin Islander

Ethnic groups: black 90%, white, Asian

Religions: Protestant 86% (Methodist 45%, Anglican 21%, Church of God 7%, Seventh-Day Adventist 5%, Baptist 4%, Jehovah's Witnesses 2%, other 2%), Roman Catholic 6%, none 2%, other 6% (1981)

Languages: English (official)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 97.8% (1991 est.)

male: NA%

female: NA%

British Virgin Islands Government

Country name: conventional long form: none

conventional short form: British Virgin Islands

abbreviation: BVI

Dependency status: overseas territory of the UK

Government type: NA

Capital: Road Town

Administrative divisions: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Territory Day, 1 July

Constitution: 1 June 1977

Legal system: English law

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch: chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6

February 1952), represented by Governor Francis J. SAVAGE (since NA)

head of government: Chief Minister Ralph T. O'NEAL (since 15 May 1995)

cabinet: Executive Council appointed by the governor from members of the Legislative Council

elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; governor appointed by the monarch; chief minister appointed by the governor from among the members of the Legislative Council

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (13 seats; members are elected by direct popular vote, one member from each of 9 electoral districts, four at-large members; members serve five-year terms)

elections: last held 17 May 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - VIP 7, CCM 1, NDP 5

Judicial branch: Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, consisting of the

High Court of Justice and the Court of Appeal (one judge of the

Supreme Court is a resident of the islands and presides over the

High Court); Magistrate's Court; Juvenile Court; Court of Summary

Jurisdiction

Political parties and leaders: Concerned Citizens Movement or CCM

[Ethlyn SMITH]; National Democratic Party or NDP [Orlando SMITH];

United Party or UP [Gregory MADURO]; Virgin Islands Party or VIP

[Ralph T. O'NEAL]

Political pressure groups and leaders: NA

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB,

ECLAC (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, OECS (associate),

UNESCO (associate)

Diplomatic representation in the US: none (overseas territory of the

UK)

Diplomatic representation from the US: none (overseas territory of the UK)

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Virgin Islander coat of arms centered in the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms depicts a woman flanked on either side by a vertical column of six oil lamps above a scroll bearing the Latin word VIGILATE (Be Watchful)

British Virgin Islands Economy

Economy - overview: The economy, one of the most stable and prosperous in the Caribbean, is highly dependent on tourism, which generates an estimated 45% of the national income. An estimated 350,000 tourists, mainly from the US, visited the islands in 1997. In the mid-1980s, the government began offering offshore registration to companies wishing to incorporate in the islands, and incorporation fees now generate substantial revenues. An estimated 250,000 companies were on the offshore registry by yearend 1997. The adoption of a comprehensive insurance law in late 1994, which provides a blanket of confidentiality with regulated statutory gateways for investigation of criminal offenses, is expected to make the British Virgin Islands even more attractive to international business. Livestock raising is the most important agricultural activity; poor soils limit the islands' ability to meet domestic food requirements. Because of traditionally close links with the US Virgin Islands, the British Virgin Islands has used the dollar as its currency since 1959.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $311 million (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 6% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $16,000 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1.8%

industry: 6.2%

services: 92% (1996 est.)

Population below poverty line: NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: NA%

highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2% (2000)

Labor force: 4,911 (1980)

Labor force - by occupation: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services

NA%

Unemployment rate: 3% (1995)

Budget: revenues: $121.5 million

expenditures: $115.5 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1997)

Industries: tourism, light industry, construction, rum, concrete block, offshore financial center

Industrial production growth rate: 4% (1985)

Electricity - production: 42 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%

hydro: 0%

nuclear: 0%

other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption: 39.1 million kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products: fruits, vegetables; livestock, poultry; fish

Exports: $6.2 million (2000 est.)

Exports - commodities: rum, fresh fish, fruits, animals; gravel, sand

Exports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports: $220 million (2000 est.)

Imports - commodities: building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery

Imports - partners: Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Debt - external: $36.1 million (1997)

Economic aid - recipient: $2.6 million (1995)

Currency: US dollar (USD)

Currency code: USD

Exchange rates: the US dollar is used

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

British Virgin Islands Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: 10,000 (1996)

Telephones - mobile cellular: NA

Telephone system: general assessment: worldwide telephone service

domestic: NA

international: submarine cable to Bermuda

Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 4, shortwave 0 (1998)

Radios: 9,000 (1997)

Television broadcast stations: 1 (plus one cable company) (1997)

Televisions: 4,000 (1997)

Internet country code: .vg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 16 (2000)

Internet users: NA

British Virgin Islands Transportation

Railways: 0 km

Highways: total: 132 km

paved: 132 km

unpaved: 0 km (1997)

Waterways: none

Ports and harbors: Road Town

Merchant marine: total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 70,285

GRT/6,946 DWT

ships by type: passenger 1 (2000 est.)

Airports: 3 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways: total: 2

914 to 1,523 m: 1

under 914 m: 1 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 1

914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2000 est.)

British Virgin Islands Military

Military - note: defense is the responsibility of the UK

British Virgin Islands Transnational Issues

Disputes - international: none

Illicit drugs: transshipment point for South American narcotics destined for the US and Europe

======================================================================

@Brunei

Brunei Introduction

Background: The Sultanate of Brunei's heyday occurred between the 15th and 17th centuries, when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the less developed countries. The same family has now ruled in Brunei for over six centuries.

Brunei Geography

Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and

Malaysia

Geographic coordinates: 4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references: Southeast Asia

Area: total: 5,770 sq km

land: 5,270 sq km

water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries: total: 381 km

border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 NM or to median line

territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes: lowest point: South China Sea 0 m

highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use: arable land: 1%

permanent crops: 1%

permanent pastures: 1%

forests and woodland: 85%

other: 12% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare

Environment - current issues: seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements: party to: Endangered

Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note: close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave of Malaysia

Brunei People

Population: 343,653 (July 2001 est.)

Age structure: 0–14 years: 30.77% (male 53,977; female 51,772)

15–64 years: 66.52% (male 121,601; female 107,007)

65 years and over: 2.71% (male 4,449; female 4,847) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.11% (2001 est.)

Birth rate: 20.45 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate: 3.38 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate: 4.07 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female

15–64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.92 male(s)/female

total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 14.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 73.82 years

male: 71.45 years

female: 76.31 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate: 2.44 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: less than 100 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA

Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s)

adjective: Bruneian

Ethnic groups: Malay 67%, Chinese 15%, indigenous 6%, other 12%

Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs and other 10%

Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write

total population: 88.2%

male: 92.6%

female: 83.4% (1995 est.)

Brunei Government

Country name: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam

conventional short form: Brunei

Government type: constitutional sultanate

Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan

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

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: 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: NA