Brunei
Asia Β· Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
How it is run: Brunei is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Brunei is home to 466,330 people in South-Eastern Asia, where people speak Malay.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
466,330 people
That is about 58 people out of every million on Earth (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
5,765 kmΒ²
About the size of a small US state such as Vermont or New Hampshire.
ποΈ How crowded
About 81 people per square kilometre β a comfortable mix of cities and open land.
π Size in its region
49th most people in Asia
45th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Malay
π° Money
Brunei dollar ($), Singapore dollar ($)
More than one currency is used here.
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
75.5 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$32,235
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
75% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
20.6% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+673
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.bn
π§ People here are called
Bruneian
π·οΈ Name at home
Negara Brunei Darussalam
Also written: Brunei Darussalam, Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Brunei touches 1 neighbour by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Brunei
French
Brunei
Arabic
Ψ¨Ψ±ΩΩΨ§Ω
Chinese
ζθ±
Japanese
γγ«γγ€
Russian
ΠΡΡΠ½Π΅ΠΉ
Portuguese
Brunei
German
Brunei
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 3139.1Γ as many people as Brunei.
- Brunei covers roughly 55 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Brunei lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 233 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Nation of Brunei, Abode of Peace
ποΈ Capital
Bandar Seri Begawan
π Region
Asia Β· South-Eastern Asia
π€ Country code
BN
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Brunei π
π§ Where on the map
4.5Β° N, 114.7Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+8 β when it is noon in London it is about 20:00 in Bandar Seri Begawan.
- Brunei is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- π§π³ is the flag of Brunei. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is BN.
- The capital of Brunei is Bandar Seri Begawan β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Brunei shares its part of the world with Singapore. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Brunei is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Brunei has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Brunei can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Brunei spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Brunei?
Bandar Seri Begawan
Which money do people spend in Brunei?
Brunei dollar ($), Singapore dollar ($)
How many countries share a land border with Brunei?
1 β Malaysia.
Roughly how many people live in Brunei?
466,330 people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.