Chapter 16
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
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 area: 5,770 sq km land area: 5,270 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware
Land boundaries: total: 381 km border country: Malaysia 381 km
Coastline: 161 km
Maritime claims: exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country; all of the Spratly Islands are claimed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; parts of them are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines; in 1984, Brunei established an exclusive fishing zone that encompasses Louisa Reef, but has not publicly claimed the island
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Terrain: flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west 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% meadows and pastures: 1% forest and woodland: 79% other: 18%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: NA natural hazards: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are very rare international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea
Geographic 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
People ------
Population: 299,939 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 33% (male 51,266; female 49,194) 15-64 years: 62% (male 98,806; female 88,323) 65 years and over: 5% (male 6,843; female 5,507) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 2.56% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 25.5 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 5.1 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 5.18 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.12 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.24 male(s)/female all ages: 1.1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 24.2 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71.39 years male: 69.82 years female: 73.04 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 3.39 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bruneian(s) adjective: Bruneian
Ethnic divisions: Malay 64%, Chinese 20%, other 16%
Religions: Muslim (official) 63%, Buddhism 14%, Christian 8%, indigenous beliefs and other 15% (1981)
Languages: Malay (official), English, Chinese
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 88.2% male: 92.6% female: 83.4%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam conventional short form: Brunei
Data code: BX
Type of government: 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)
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 Islamic law
Suffrage: none
Executive branch: chief of state and head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967) is a traditional Islamic monarch cabinet: Council of Cabinet Ministers is composed chiefly of members of the royal family, appointed and presided over by the sultan; deals with executive matters Religious Council: is appointed by the sultan; advises on religious matters Privy Council: is appointed by the sultan; deals with constitutional matters the Council of Succession: is appointed by the sultan; determines the succession to the throne if the need arises
Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri): elections last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan; 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 sultan for a three-year term
Political parties and leaders: Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei National Solidarity Party (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA; Brunei Peoples Party (banned), leader NA
International organization participation: APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDB, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador JAYA bin Abdul Latif chancery: Watergate, Suite 300, 3rd floor, 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-0159 FAX: [1] (202) 342-0158
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Theresa A. TULL embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan mailing address: American Embassy Box B, Bandar Seri Begawan, APO AP 96440 telephone: [673] (2) 229670 FAX: [673] (2) 225293
Flag: 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
Economy -------
Economic overview: The economy is a mixture of foreign and domestic entrepreneurship, government regulation and welfare measures, and village tradition. It is almost totally supported by exports of crude oil and natural gas, with revenues from the petroleum sector accounting for more than 40% of GDP. Per capita GDP is among the highest in the Third World, and substantial income from overseas investment supplements domestic production. The government provides for all medical services and subsidizes food and housing.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $4.6 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $15,800 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 3% industry: 42% services: 55%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 2.4% (1994 est.)
Labor force: 119,000 (1993 est.); note - includes members of the Army by occupation: government 47.5%, production of oil, natural gas, services, and construction 41.9%, agriculture, forestry, and fishing 3.8% (1986) note: 33% of labor force is foreign (1988)
Unemployment rate: 4.8% (1994 est.)
Budget: revenues: $2.1 billion expenditures: $2.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $427 million (1993)
Industries: petroleum, petroleum refining, liquefied natural gas, construction
Industrial production growth rate: 12.9% (1987)
Electricity: capacity: 380,000 kW production: 1.2 billion kWh consumption per capita: 3,971 kWh (1993)
Agriculture: rice, cassava (tapioca), bananas; water buffalo, pigs
Exports: $2.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: crude oil, liquefied natural gas, petroleum products partners: Japan 50%, UK 19%, Thailand 10%, Singapore 9% (1994 est.)
Imports: $1.8 billion (c.i.f., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and transport equipment, manufactured goods, food, chemicals partners: Singapore 29%, UK 19%, US 13%, Malaysia 9%, Japan 5% (1994 est.)
External debt: 0
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Bruneian dollar (B$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Bruneian dollars (B$) per US$1 - 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991); note - the Bruneian dollar is at par with the Singapore dollar
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 13 km private line narrow gauge: 13 km 0.610-m gauge
Highways: total: 2,443 km paved: 1,296 km unpaved: 1,147 km (1993)
Waterways: 209 km; navigable by craft drawing less than 1.2 m
Pipelines: crude oil 135 km; petroleum products 418 km; natural gas 920 km
Ports: Bandar Seri Begawan, Kuala Belait, Muara, Seria, Tutong
Merchant marine: total: 7 liquefied gas tankers (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 348,476 GRT/340,635 DWT (1994 est.)
Airports: total: 2 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 1 (1995 est.)
Heliports: 3 (1995 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 76,900 (1993)
Telephone system: service throughout country is adequate for present needs; international service good to adjacent Malaysia domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 4, FM 4, shortwave 0
Radios: 115,000 (1993)
Television broadcast stations: 1 (1984 est.)
Televisions: 78,000 (1993 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Land Forces, Navy, Air Force, Royal Brunei Police
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 83,641 males fit for military service: 48,559 males reach military age (18) annually: 2,918 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $312 million, 6.2% of GDP (1994)
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@Bulgaria --------
Map ---
Location: 43 00 N, 25 00 E -- Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Flag ----
Description: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Geography ---------
Location: Southeastern Europe, bordering the Black Sea, between Romania and Turkey
Geographic coordinates: 43 00 N, 25 00 E
Map references: Europe
Area: total area: 110,910 sq km land area: 110,550 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Tennessee
Land boundaries: total: 1,808 km border countries: Greece 494 km, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 148 km, Romania 608 km, Serbia and Montenegro 318 km (all with Serbia), Turkey 240 km
Coastline: 354 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm territorial sea: 12 nm
International disputes: none
Climate: temperate; cold, damp winters; hot, dry summers
Terrain: mostly mountains with lowlands in north and southeast lowest point: Black Sea 0 m highest point: Musala 2,925 m
Natural resources: bauxite, copper, lead, zinc, coal, timber, arable land
Land use: arable land: 34% permanent crops: 3% meadows and pastures: 18% forest and woodland: 35% other: 10%
Irrigated land: 10 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment: current issues: air pollution from industrial emissions; rivers polluted from raw sewage, heavy metals, detergents; deforestation; forest damage from air pollution and resulting acid rain; soil contamination from heavy metals from metallurgical plants and industrial wastes natural hazards: earthquakes, landslides international agreements: party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile Organic Compounds, Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
Geographic note: strategic location near Turkish Straits; controls key land routes from Europe to Middle East and Asia
People ------
Population: 8,612,757 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17% (male 769,025; female 732,119) 15-64 years: 68% (male 2,891,197; female 2,923,440) 65 years and over: 15% (male 561,944; female 735,032) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 0.46% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 8.33 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 13.55 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 9.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.99 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female all ages: 0.96 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 15.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 71 years male: 67.07 years female: 75.12 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (1996 est.)
Nationality: noun: Bulgarian(s) adjective: Bulgarian
Ethnic divisions: Bulgarian 85.3%, Turk 8.5%, Gypsy 2.6%, Macedonian 2.5%, Armenian 0.3%, Russian 0.2%, other 0.6%
Religions: Bulgarian Orthodox 85%, Muslim 13%, Jewish 0.8%, Roman Catholic 0.5%, Uniate Catholic 0.2%, Protestant, Gregorian-Armenian, and other 0.5%
Languages: Bulgarian, secondary languages closely correspond to ethnic breakdown
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1992 est.) total population: 98% male: 99% female: 97%
Government ----------
Name of country: conventional long form: Republic of Bulgaria conventional short form: Bulgaria
Data code: BU
Type of government: emerging democracy
Capital: Sofia
Administrative divisions: 9 provinces (oblasti, singular - oblast); Burgas, Grad Sofiya, Khaskovo, Lovech, Montana, Plovdiv, Ruse, Sofiya, Varna
Independence: 22 September 1908 (from Ottoman Empire)
National holiday: Independence Day, 3 March (1878)
Constitution: adopted 12 July 1991
Legal system: based on civil law system with Soviet law influence; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Zhelyu Mitev ZHELEV (since 1 August 1990, when he was elected by the National Assembly); president and vice president elected for five-year terms by popular vote; election last held NA January 1992 (next to be held NA 1997); results - Zhelyu ZHELEV elected by popular vote; Vice President (vacant) head of government: Chairman of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) Zhan VIDENOV (since 25 January 1995) appointed by the president; Deputy Prime Ministers Doncho KONAKCHIEV (since 25 January 1995), Atanas PAPAKIZOV (since NA), Rumen GECHEV (since 25 January 1995), Svetoslav SHIVAROV (since 25 January 1995) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the National Assembly
Legislative branch: unicameral National Assembly (Narodno Sobranie): last held 18 December 1994 (next to be held NA 1997); results - BSP 43.5%, UDF 24.2%, PU 6.5%, MRF 5.4%, BBB 4.7%; seats - (240 total) BSP 125, UDF 69, PU 18, MRF 15, BBB 13
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chairman appointed for a seven-year term by the president; Constitutional Court, 12 justices appointed or elected for a nine-year term
Political parties and leaders: Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP), Zhan VIDENOV, chairman; Union of Democratic Forces (UDF - an alliance of pro-Democratic parties), Ivan KOSTOV; People's Union (PU), Stefan SAVOV; Movement for Rights and Freedoms (mainly ethnic Turkish party) (MRF), Ahmed DOGAN; Bulgarian Business Bloc (BBB), George GANCHEV
Other political or pressure groups: Democratic Alliance for the Republic (DAR); New Union for Democracy (NUD); Ecoglasnost; Podkrepa Labor Confederation; Fatherland Union; Bulgarian Communist Party (BCP); Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria (KNSB); Bulgarian Agrarian National Union - United (BZNS); Bulgarian Democratic Center; "Nikola Petkov" Bulgarian Agrarian National Union; Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization - Union of Macedonian Societies (IMRO-UMS); numerous regional, ethnic, and national interest groups with various agendas
International organization participation: ACCT, BIS, BSEC, CCC, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU (applicant), FAO, G- 9, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarset, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, NACC, NAM (guest), NSG, OSCE, PCA, PFP, UN, UNAVEM III, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMOT, UPU, WEU (associate partner), WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (applicant), ZC
Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador Snezhana Damianova BOTUSHAROVA chancery: 1621 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 387-7969 FAX: [1] (202) 234-7973
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant) embassy: 1 Saborna Street, Sofia mailing address: Unit 1335, APO AE 09213-1335 telephone: [359] (2) 88-48-01 through 05 FAX: [359] (2) 80-19-77
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of white (top), green, and red; the national emblem formerly on the hoist side of the white stripe has been removed - it contained a rampant lion within a wreath of wheat ears below a red five-pointed star and above a ribbon bearing the dates 681 (first Bulgarian state established) and 1944 (liberation from Nazi control)
Economy -------
Economic overview: One of the poorest countries of central Europe, Bulgaria has continued the difficult process of moving from its old command economy to a modern, market-oriented economy. GDP rose a moderate 2.4% in 1995; inflation was down sharply; and unemployment fell from an estimated 16% to 12%. Despite this progress, structural reforms necessary to underpin macroeconomic stabilization were not pursued vigorously. Mass privatization of state-owned industry continued to move slowly, although privatization of small-scale industry, particularly in the retail and service sectors, accelerated. The Bulgarian economy will continue to grow in 1996, but economic reforms will remain politically difficult as the population has become weary of the process.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $43.2 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 2.4% (1995 est.)
GDP per capita: $4,920 (1995 est.)
GDP composition by sector: agriculture: 12% industry: 36% services: 52% (1994)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 35% (1995)
Labor force: 3.1 million by occupation: industry 41%, agriculture 18%, other 41% (1992)
Unemployment rate: 11.9% (1995 est.)
Budget: revenues: $3.8 billion expenditures: $4.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1994)
Industries: machine building and metal working, food processing, chemicals, textiles, construction materials, ferrous and nonferrous metals
Industrial production growth rate: 2% (1995)
Electricity: capacity: 11,500,000 kW production: 38.1 billion kWh consumption per capita: 4,342 kWh (1994)
Agriculture: grain, oilseed, vegetables, fruits, tobacco; livestock
Illicit drugs: important transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin and, to a lesser degree, South American cocaine transiting the Balkan route; limited producer of precursor chemicals
Exports: $4.2 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: machinery and equipment 12.8%; agriculture and food 21.9%; textiles and apparel 14%; metals and ores 19.7%; chemicals 16.9%; minerals and fuels 9.3% partners: former CEMA countries 35.7%; OECD 46.6% (EU 33.5%); Arab countries 5.1%; other 12.6%
Imports: $4 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: fuels, minerals, and raw materials 30.1%; machinery and equipment 23.6%; textiles and apparel 11.6%; agricultural products 10.8%; metals and ores 6.8%; chemicals 12.3%; other 4.8% partners: former CEMA countries 40.3%; OECD 48.3% (EU 34.1%); Arab countries 1.7%; other 9.7%
External debt: $10.4 billion (1995)
Economic aid: recipient: ODA, $39 million (1993) note: $700 million in balance of payments support from Western nations (1994)
Currency: 1 lev (Lv) = 100 stotinki
Exchange rates: leva (Lv) per US$1 - 70.5 (December 1995), 54.2 (1994), 27.1 (1993), 23.3 (1992), 18.4 (1991); note - floating exchange rate since February 1991
Fiscal year: calendar year
Transportation --------------
Railways: total: 4,292 km standard gauge: 4,047 km 1.435-m gauge (2,650 km electrified; 917 double track) other: 245 km 0.760-m gauge (1995)
Highways: total: 36,932 km paved: 33,904 km (including 276 km of expressways) unpaved: 3,028 km (1992 est.)
Waterways: 470 km (1987)
Pipelines: crude oil 193 km; petroleum products 525 km; natural gas 1,400 km (1992)
Ports: Burgas, Lom, Nesebur, Ruse, Varna, Vidin
Merchant marine: total: 103 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,084,090 GRT/1,596,735 DWT ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 27, chemical tanker 4, container 2, oil tanker 13, passenger-cargo 1, railcar carrier 2, roll-on/roll-off cargo 6, short-sea passenger 2, refrigerated cargo 1 note: Bulgaria owns an additional 7 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 135,016 DWT operating under the registries of Liberia and Malta (1995 est.)
Airports: total: 355 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 17 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 10 with paved runways under 914 m: 88 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 2 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 1 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 10 with unpaved runways under 914 m: 226 (1994 est.)
Communications --------------
Telephones: 2,773,293 (1993 est.)
Telephone system: almost two-thirds of the lines are residential; 67% of Sofia households have telephones (November 1988 est.) domestic: extensive but antiquated transmission system of coaxial cable and microwave radio relay; telephone service is available in most villages international: direct dialing to 36 countries; satellite earth stations - 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean Region); Intelsat available through a Greek earth station
Radio broadcast stations: AM 20, FM 15, shortwave 0
Radios: NA
Television broadcast stations: 29 (Russian repeater in Sofia 1)
Televisions: 2.1 million (May 1990 est.)
Defense -------
Branches: Army, Navy, Air and Air Defense Forces, Border Troops, Internal Troops
Manpower availability: males age 15-49: 2,155,332 males fit for military service: 1,797,318 males reach military age (19) annually: 64,568 (1996 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $352 million, 2.5% of GDP (1995)
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@Burkina Faso ------------
Map ---
Location: 13 00 N, 2 00 W -- Western Africa, north of Ghana
Flag ----
Description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and green with a yellow five-pointed star in the center; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia
Geography ---------
Location: Western Africa, north of Ghana
Geographic coordinates: 13 00 N, 2 00 W
Map references: Africa
Area: total area: 274,200 sq km land area: 273,800 sq km comparative area: slightly larger than Colorado
Land boundaries: total: 3,192 km border countries: Benin 306 km, Ghana 548 km, Cote d'Ivoire 584 km, Mali 1,000 km, Niger 628 km, Togo 126 km
Coastline: 0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims: none (landlocked)