CountriesIndicatorsThis week
Country page · Updated 13 Nov 2026

Brunei

Brunei has 466,330 people (World Bank, 2025) and an economy of $15 bn a year (World Bank, 2025). It imports all of its potash supply (FAOSTAT, 2024, estimated).

Written automatically from the figures on this page.

Population
466,330 (2025)
Member of
OPEC+, ASEAN, APEC, RCEP (as of 10 Nov 2026)

Boundaries: Natural Earth 1:50m, which shows who controls an area in practice. Borders shown do not imply endorsement.

1

Dependencies at a glance

Brunei imports all of its potash supply; it exports oil.

Imports mostImports someLow net tradeExporter
Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).
ResourceDependencePositionMain partners
OilExporterExports 84% of what it producesEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025Australia, Thailand, Singapore (buyers)
Natural gasExporterExports 63% of what it produces PreliminaryEIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025Japan, South Korea, China (buyers)
WheatNot reported by this source–
MaizeNot reported by this source–
RiceImports mostImports 93% of the rice it usesFAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023Thailand, Cambodia, India
SoybeansNot reported by this source–
PotashImports mostImports all of its potash supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025Malaysia, China, Indonesia
PhosphateImports mostImports all of its phosphate supply EstimateFAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025Malaysia, China
ArmsSupplier concentration onlyMain supplier: Spain, 64% of importsSIPRI, 2021–2025Spain, Singapore, Canada
ChipsSupplier concentration onlyMain supplier: China, 28% of importsUN Comtrade, 2025China, United States, Singapore

Dependence is net imports: imports minus exports, as a share of what the country uses; for potash and phosphate, of its supply (production plus net imports). Arms and chips show supplier concentration only: the main supplier’s share of imports (arms: five-year totals of deliveries in SIPRI’s trend-indicator value, SIPRI’s measure of military capability delivered, not price or number of weapons).

  • OilExporter

    Exports 84% of what it produces

    Main partners: Australia, Thailand, Singapore (buyers)

    EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025

  • Natural gasExporter

    Exports 63% of what it produces Preliminary

    Main partners: Japan, South Korea, China (buyers)

    EIA, use 2024 · UN Comtrade, exports 2025

  • Wheat

    Not reported by this source

  • Maize

    Not reported by this source

  • RiceImports most

    Imports 93% of the rice it uses

    Main partners: Thailand, Cambodia, India

    FAOSTAT, use 2024 · FAOSTAT, imports 2023

  • Soybeans

    Not reported by this source

  • PotashImports most

    Imports all of its potash supply Estimate

    Main partners: Malaysia, China, Indonesia

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • PhosphateImports most

    Imports all of its phosphate supply Estimate

    Main partners: Malaysia, China

    FAOSTAT, supply 2024 · UN Comtrade, imports 2025

  • ArmsSupplier concentration only

    Main supplier: Spain, 64% of imports

    Main partners: Spain, Singapore, Canada

    SIPRI, 2021–2025

  • ChipsSupplier concentration only

    Main supplier: China, 28% of imports

    Main partners: China, United States, Singapore

    UN Comtrade, 2025

Source: EIA; FAOSTAT; SIPRI; UN Comtradeyear in each rowUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Dependencies tool
2

Money and reserves

Brunei’s economy produced $15 bn in 2025.

GDP, 2000–2025

$0$5.0 bn$10 bn$15 bn$20 bn200020052010201520202025

Source: World Bank Indicators2000–2025Updated 13 Nov 2026

Economic growth0.7%2025 · 165th of 186 · World Bank
Inflation−0.3%2025 · 162nd of 169 · World Bank
Unemployment5.3%2025 · 86th of 181 · World Bank
ReservesUS$4.41billion2024 · 100th of 164 · World Bank
Trade133% of GDP2024 · 31st of 172 · World Bank
Foreign investment inUS$62million2025 · 156th of 200 · World Bank
3

People

Brunei had 466,330 people in 2025.

Population, 1950–2100

0200,000400,000600,000800,000195019701990200020102030205020702100Projection
Projection: UN projection, medium variant, after 2023Range between the UN low- and high-fertility scenarios

Source: UN World Population ProspectsUpdated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Brunei’s population by age

1950200020502100
MenWomen01020304050607080901000m00m
Millions of people in each five-year age group, men left and women right. Years after 2023 are UN projections (medium variant).

Source: UN World Population Prospects1950–2100Updated 13 Nov 2026Projection

Births per woman1.752023 · 134th of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Median age31.82023 · 121st of 237 · UN WPP 2024
Aged 65 and over7.2%2025, Projection, medium variant · UN WPP 2024
4

Climate and hazards

Brunei emitted 12.1 Mt of CO2 from fossil fuels and cement in 2024.

Brunei’s CO2 emissions, million tonnes, 1990–2024

0 Mt5 Mt10 Mt15 Mt1990199520002005201020152024

Source: Our World in Data CO21990–2024Updated 13 Nov 2026

CO2 emissions12Mt2024 · 104th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person26.0t2024 · 3rd of 213 · Global Carbon Budget
CO2 since 1750428Mt2024 · 106th of 214 · Global Carbon Budget
Water stress0.02023 · 154th of 164 · WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
5

More figures

Shown only where a source covers Brunei.

Refugees

0refugees and others in need of protection hosted, 2025
175from it, abroad, 2025

Source: UNHCR Refugee Data Finder2025

Sanctions

No entry on the US, EU or UK lists gives it as an address or nationality.

Counts entries (people, companies, ships and aircraft), not how strict the measures are.

Source: US CSL; EU sanctions list; UK Sanctions ListUpdated 13 Nov 2026

Chinese loans and grants

US$2.14billioncommitted by Chinese state lenders, 2000–2021

Source: AidData Chinese development finance2000–2021

Cyber incidents

5publicly known incidents affecting Brunei, 2000–2024

Counts compare documented incidents, not how often a country is targeted. Who they were attributed to

Source: EuRepoC Global Dataset of Cyber Incidents 1.3.2 (4 Mar 2025), CC BY-NC 4.02000–2024

6

All figures

47 measures on this site have a recent figure for Brunei.

GDP$15 bn2025141st of 186World Bank
GDP per person$32,235202539th of 186World Bank
Economic growth0.7%2025165th of 186World Bank
Inflation−0.3%2025162nd of 169World Bank
Government debt2%2025190th of 191IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Government budget balance−17.7%2025193rd of 195IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Current account balance18.0%20258th of 194IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026
Unemployment5.3%202586th of 181World Bank
Reserves, including gold$4.4 bn2024100th of 164World Bank
Trade133%202431st of 172World Bank
Foreign investment in$62 m2025156th of 200World Bank
Population466,3302025173rd of 216World Bank
Population with UN projections458,9492023176th of 237UN WPP 2024
Births per woman1.752023134th of 237UN WPP 2024
Median age31.82023121st of 237UN WPP 2024
Life expectancy75.32023118th of 237UN WPP 2024
Refugees from the country1752025165th of 206UNHCR
Refugees and others needing protection, by host02025171st of 176UNHCR
Refugees hosted per 1,000 people0.02025171st of 176UNHCR
Crude oil production101 kb/d202543rd of 214EIA
Oil consumption16 kb/d2024150th of 212EIA
Natural gas productionPreliminary202441st of 213EIA
Natural gas consumption3.9 bcm202468th of 213EIA
Electricity generated6 TWh2024126th of 193Ember
Low-carbon electricity0.2%2024186th of 193Ember
Electricity from coal20%202438th of 193Ember
Electricity from wind and solar0.2%2024172nd of 193Ember
Wheat imports0.0 Mt2024173rd of 180FAOSTAT
Maize imports0.0 Mt2024114th of 196FAOSTAT
Rice production0.0 Mt2024101st of 135FAOSTAT
Rice imports0.0 Mt2024120th of 197FAOSTAT
Soybean imports0.0 Mt202474th of 179FAOSTAT
Potash fertiliser use0.00 Mt2024157th of 199FAOSTAT
Phosphate fertiliser use0.00 Mt2024158th of 199FAOSTAT
CO2 emissions12 Mt2024104th of 214Global Carbon Budget
CO2 per person26.0 t20243rd of 213Global Carbon Budget
CO2 emitted since 1750428 Mt2024106th of 214Global Carbon Budget
Net CO2 imports through trade−29%2023116th of 120Global Carbon Budget
Water stress0.02023154th of 164WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)
Water from abroad0%2023125th of 193FAO AQUASTAT
Military spending, share of GDP3.7%202416th of 152World Bank
Military spending$560 m202493rd of 152World Bank
Arms imports28 TIV m202474th of 117SIPRI
People using the internet96%202418th of 182World Bank
ICT service exports$15 m2024135th of 162World Bank
ICT service exports, share of service exports3.6%2024104th of 162World Bank
Chinese loans and grants committed$19 m202175th of 122AidData, Global Chinese Development Finance Dataset 3.0

Sources for this page

  • World Bank IndicatorsGDP, GDP per person, Economic growth, Inflation, Unemployment, Reserves, …
  • IMF World Economic Outlook, October 2026Debt, Budget balance, Current account
  • UN World Population ProspectsPopulation (UN), Births per woman, Median age, Life expectancy
  • UNHCR Refugee Data FinderRefugees from, Refugees hosted, Refugees per 1,000
  • U.S. Energy Information AdministrationOil output, Oil use, Gas output, Gas use, Dependencies at a glance
  • Ember electricity dataElectricity, Low-carbon electricity, Electricity from coal, Electricity from wind and solar
  • FAOSTATWheat imports, Maize imports, Rice production, Rice imports, Soybean imports, Potash use, …
  • Our World in Data CO2CO2 emissions, CO2 per person, CO2 since 1750, Net CO2 imports through trade
  • WRI Aqueduct, accessed on 25 Oct 2026, aqueduct.wri.org (CC BY 4.0)Water stress
  • FAO AQUASTATWater from abroad
  • SIPRI Arms Transfers DatabaseArms imports, Dependencies at a glance
  • AidData Chinese development financeChinese loans and grants
  • UN ComtradeDependencies at a glance
  • US Consolidated Screening ListSanctions
  • EU financial sanctions listSanctions
  • UK Sanctions ListSanctions
  • EuRepoC cyber incidentsCyber incidents

Page last updated 13 Nov 2026How we measure

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