The coastal position puts Brunei close to vital sea lanes linking the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Brunei is mostly flat with mountains in the east. The government is a constitutional sultanate; the chief of state and head of government is the sultan and prime minister. read more
The economic system would most closely align with capitalism. Most people who are employed by Brunei work for the government. The government benefits from monetary stability and a relatively high level of market openness that facilitates engagement with the world through trade and investment (capitalism). read more
The government has been running a budget deficit since 1988. The disappearance of a revenue surplus has made Brunei's economy more vulnerable to petroleum price fluctuations. Brunei's gross domestic product (GDP) soared with the petroleum price increases of the 1970s to a peak of $5.7 billion in 1980. read more
Brunei has a mixed economic system which includes a variety of private freedom, combined with centralized economic planning and government regulation. Brunei is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). read more