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Country name:
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conventional long form: Negara Brunei Darussalam
conventional short form: Brunei
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Government type:
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constitutional sultanate
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Capital:
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Bandar Seri Begawan
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Administrative divisions:
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4 districts (daerah-daerah, singular - daerah); Belait, Brunei and Muara, Temburong, Tutong
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Independence:
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1 January 1984 (from UK)
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National holiday:
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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
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Constitution:
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29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; for Muslims, Islamic Shari'a law supersedes civil law in a number of areas
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Suffrage:
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none
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Executive branch:
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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
head of government: Sultan and Prime Minister Sir HASSANAL Bolkiah (since 5 October 1967); note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
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
elections: none; the monarch is hereditary
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Legislative Council or Majlis Masyuarat Megeri (a privy council that serves only in a consultative capacity; NA seats; members appointed by the monarch)
elections: last held in March 1962
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
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (chief justice and judges are sworn in by the monarch for three-year terms)
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Political parties and leaders:
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Brunei Solidarity National Party or PPKB in Malay [Haji Mohd HATTA bin Haji Zainal Abidin, president]; note - the PPKB is the only legal political party in Brunei; it was registered in 1985 but became largely inactive after 1988; it was revived in 1995 and again in 1998; it has less than 200 registered party members; other parties include Brunei People's Party or PRB (banned in 1962) and Brunei National Democratic Party (registered in May 1965, deregistered by the Brunei Government in 1988)
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA
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International organization participation:
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APEC, ARF, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFRCS, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Anak Dato Haji PUTEH
FAX: [1] (202) 885-0560
telephone: [1] (202) 237-1838
chancery: 3520 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Gene B. CHRISTY
embassy: Third Floor, Teck Guan Plaza, Jalan Sultan, Bandar Seri Begawan
mailing address: PSC 470 (BSB), FPO AP 96507
telephone: [673] (2) 229670
FAX: [673] (2) 225293
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Flag description:
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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
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