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British Virgin Islands (continued) incorporation fees generated about $2 million in 1987. Livestock raising is the most significant agricultural activity. The islands' crops, limited by poor soils, are unable to meet food requirements.

GDP: $106.7 million, per capita $8,900; real growth rate 2.5% (1987)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (January 1987)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $26.2 million; expenditures $25.4 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1988 est.)

Exports: $2.3 million (f.o.b., 1985); commodities—rum, fresh fish, gravel, sand, fruits, animals; partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

Imports: $72.0 million (c.i.f., 1985); commodities—building materials, automobiles, foodstuffs, machinery; partners—Virgin Islands (US), Puerto Rico, US

External debt: $4.5 million (1985)

Industrial production: growth rate -4.0% (1985)

Electricity: 13,500 kW capacity; 59 million kWh produced, 4,870 kWh per capita (1989)

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

Agriculture: livestock (including poultry), fish, fruit, vegetables

Aid: NA

Currency: US currency is used

Exchange rates: US currency is used

Fiscal year: 1 April-31 March

Communications

Highways: 106 km motorable roads (1983)

Ports: Road Town

Airports: 3 total, 3 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways less than 1,220m

Telecommunications: 3,000 telephones; worldwide external telephone service; submarine cable communication links to Bermuda; stations—1 AM, no FM, 1 TV

Defense Forces

Note: defense is the responsibility of the UK   Brunei



Geography

Total area: 5,770 km²; land area: 5,270 km²

Comparative area: slightly larger than Delaware

Land boundary: 381 km with Malaysia

Coastline: 161 km

Maritime claims:
 * Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
 * Territorial sea: 12 nm

Disputes: may wish to purchase the Malaysian salient that divides the country

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy

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

Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, timber

Land use: 1% arable land; 1% permanent crops; 1% meadows and pastures; 79% forest and woodland; 18% other; includes NEGL% irrigated

Environment: typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

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: 372,108 (July 1990), growth rate 7.1% (1990)

Birth rate: 23 births/1,000 population (1990)

Death rate: 4 deaths/1,000 population (1990)

Net migration rate: 52 migrants/1,000 population (1990)

Infant mortality rate: 10 deaths/1,000 live births (1990)

Life expectancy at birth: 74 years male, 77 years female (1990)

Total fertility rate: 2.9 children born/woman (1990)

Nationality: noun—Bruneian(s); adjective—Bruneian

Ethnic divisions: 64% Malay, 20% Chinese, 16% other

Religion: 60% Muslim (official); 8% Christian; 32% Buddhist and indigenous beliefs

Language: Malay (official), English, and Chinese

Literacy: 45%

Labor force: 89,000 (includes members of the Army); 33% of labor force is foreign (1988); 50.4% production of oil, natural gas, and construction; 47.6% trade, services, and other; 2.0% agriculture, forestry, and fishing (1984)

Organized labor: 2% of labor force

Government

Long-form name: Negara Brunei Darussalam

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)

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

National holiday: National Day, 23 February (1984)

Executive branch: sultan, prime minister, Council of Cabinet Ministers

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Leaders: Chief of State and Head of Government—Sultan and Prime Minister Sir Muda HASSANAL BOLKIAH Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)

Political parties and leaders: Brunei National United Party (inactive), Anak Hasanuddin, chairman; Brunei National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned) Abdul Latif bin Abdul Hamid, chairman

Suffrage: none

Elections: Legislative Council—last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan and no elections are planned

Communists: probably none

Member of: ASEAN, ESCAP (associate member), IMO, INTERPOL, OIC, UN

Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Date Paduka Haji MOHAMED SUNI bin Haji Idris; Chancery at 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202) 342-0159; US—Ambassador Christopher H. PHILLIPS; Embassy at Teck Guan Plaza (corner of Jalan McArthur), Bandar Seri Begawan (mailing  42