Population and Demographics

Like neighbouring countries, Brunei is a Malay-dominated country. Many cultural and linguistic differences make Brunei Malays distinct from the larger Malay populations in nearby Malaysia and Indonesia, even though they are ethnically related and share the Muslim religion.

Islam is the official religion of Brunei, and the sultan is the head of the religion in the country. Other faiths practised are Buddhism (mainly by the Chinese), Christianity, and primarily in isolated and very small communities, indigenous religions.

The official languages of the nation are Malay (Malay: Bahasa Melayu) and English, although a minority speak Chinese. English is also widely spoken and there is a relatively large expatriate community with significant numbers of British and Australian citizens.

The requirements to attain Brunei citizenship include passing tests in Malay culture, customs, and language. Stateless permanent residents of Brunei are given International Certificates of Identity, which allow them to travel overseas. The majority of Brunei's Chinese are permanent residents, and many are stateless.

Facts and Figures

• Population: 374,577
• Age Structure:
  • 0-14 years: 27.8% (male 53,512/female 50,529)
  • 15-64 years: 69% (male 130,134/female 128,488)
  • 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 5,688/female 6,226)
• Median Age:
  • Total: 27.2 years
  • Male: 27.3 years
  • Female: 27.1 years
• Population Growth Rate: 1.81%
• Birth Rate: 18.56 births/1,000 population
• Death Rate: 3.26 deaths/1,000 population
• Net Migration Rate: 2.79 migrant(s)/1,000 population
• Sex Ratio:
  • At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  • Under 15 years: 1.059 male(s)/female
  • 15-64 years: 1.013 male(s)/female
  • 65 years and over: 0.914 male(s)/female
  • Total population: 1.022 male(s)/female
• Infant Mortality Rate:
  • Total: 13.12 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births
  • Female: 10.4 deaths/1,000 live births
• Life Expectancy at Birth:
  • Total population: 75.3 years
  • Male: 73.12 years
  • Female: 77.59 years
• Total Fertility Rate: 1.97 children born/woman
• HIV/AIDS:
  • Adult prevalence rate: less than 0.1%
  • People living with HIV/AIDS: less than 200
• Ethnic Groups:
  • Malay 67%
  • Chinese 15%
  • Indigenous 6%
  • Other 12%
• Religions:
  • Muslim (official) 67%
  • Buddhist 13%
  • Christian 10%
  • Other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%
• Languages:
  • Malay (official)
  • English
  • Chinese
• Literacy:
  • Total population: 92.7%
  • Male: 95.2%
  • Female: 90.2%