NationMaster - Bruneian Government statistics

Capital city	Bandar Seri Begawan
Constitution 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
Executive branch > 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
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
Executive branch > Elections none; the monarch is hereditary
Executive branch > Head of government Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967)
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; 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
Flag modification	17	[17th of 197]
Government type	constitutional sultanate
Independence	1 January 1984 (from UK)
International organization participation APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, C, EAS, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Judicial branch Supreme Court - chief justice and judges are sworn in by monarch for three-year terms; Judicial Committee of Privy Council in London is final court of appeal for civil cases; Shariah courts deal with Islamic laws (2006)
Legal system based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas
Legislative branch Legislative Council met on 25 September 2004 for first time in 20 years with 21 members appointed by the Sultan; passed constitutional amendments calling for a 45-seat council with 15 elected members; Sultan dissolved council on 1 September 2005 and appointed a new council with 29 members as of 2 September 2005
Legislative branch > A 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
Legislative branch > Elections last held in March 1962 (date of next election NA)
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
Political parties and leaders Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin]; National Development Party or NDP [YASSIN Affendi]
Status	absolute monarchy
Suffrage	none

... View all Government stats

SOURCES: The location of the seat of government.; The dates of adoption, revisions, and major amendments to a nation's constitution ; Cabinet includes the official name for any body of high-ranking advisers roughly comparable to a U.S. Cabinet. Also notes the method for selection of members. ; The name and title of any person or role roughly equivalent to a U.S. Chief of State. This means the titular leader of the country who represents the state at official and ceremonial functions but may not be involved with the day-to-day activities of the government ; Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election ; Head of government includes the name and title of the top administrative leader who is designated to manage the day-to-day activities of the government. For example, in the UK, the monarch is the chief of state, and the prime minister is the head of government. In the US, the president is both the chief of state and the head of government. ; A written flag description produced from actual flags or the best information available at the time the entry was written. The flags of independent states are used by their dependencies unless there is an officially recognized local flag. Some disputed and other areas do not have flags. ; The date on which the nation's flag was last modified.; A description of the basic form of government (e.g., republic, constitutional monarchy, federal republic, parliamentary democracy, military dictatorship). ; For most countries, this entry gives the date that sovereignty was achieved and from which nation, empire, or trusteeship. For the other countries, the date given may not represent "independence" in the strict sense, but rather some significant nationhood event such as the traditional founding date or the date of unification, federation, confederation, establishment, fundamental change in the form of government, or state succession. Dependent areas include the notation "none" followed by the nature of their dependency status. " ; This entry lists in alphabetical order by abbreviation those international organizations in which the subject country is a member or participates in some other way. ; The name(s) of the highest court(s) and a brief description of the selection process for members. ; A brief description of the legal system's historical roots, role in government, and acceptance of International Court of Justice (ICJ) jurisdiction. ; This entry contains information on the structure (unicameral, bicameral, tricameral), formal name, number of seats, and term of office. Elections includes the nature of election process or accession to power, date of the last election, and date of the next election. Election results includes the percent of vote and/or number of seats held by each party in the last election. ; ; The primary national day of celebration - often independence day. ; Significant political organizations and their leaders. ; Democracy: state in which democratic structures provide for an alternance of power
Pseudo-Democracy: state in which there are democratic structures but without a real chance for an alternance of power
Transition State: a state with a transitional structure
Absolute Monarchy: a one-party state, or a state governed by an absolute monarchy or dictatorship.; The age at enfranchisement and whether the right to vote is universal or restricted

ALTERNATIVE NAMES: Brunei, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Brunei Darussalam

More facts and figures on Brunei

COMMENTARY

There are 1 more (non-authoritative) comments on this page

Share your thoughts, questions and commentary here

Southeast Asia > Brunei > Government

Related links:

More facts and figures on Brunei