Brunei Geography Profile 2008

Location

Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia

Geographic coordinates

4 30 N, 114 40 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total: 5,770 sq km
land: 5,270 sq km
water: 500 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than Delaware

Land boundaries

total: 381 km
border countries: Malaysia 381 km

Coastline

161 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm or to median line

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy

Terrain

flat coastal plain rises to mountains in east; hilly lowland in west

Elevation extremes

lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Bukit Pagon 1,850 m

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, timber

Land use

arable land: 2.08%
permanent crops: 0.87%
other: 97.05% (2005)

Irrigated land

10 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources

8.5 cu km (1999)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.09
per capita: 243 cu m/yr (1994)

Natural hazards

typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare

Environment - current issues

seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geography - note

close to vital sea lanes through South China Sea linking Indian and Pacific Oceans; two parts physically separated by Malaysia; almost an enclave within Malaysia