Brunei Statistical Yearbook 2007

Yesterday I focused on one statistics book produced by the Economic Planning and Development Department (JPKE) but I did mention another book. This is the other statistics book, the Brunei Darussalam Statistical Yearbook 2007. This is the 31st series of this book.

This book contained every statistics that you needed to know about Brunei - population, labour force, external trade, finance, education and national accounts. It also provides breakdown in our agriculture, forestry and fishery industries, mining, electricity, water and gas, transportation sector, health and a number of miscellaneous data.

Did you know that our national library system only has 516,861 books by the end of 2007? I remembered my old alma mater in US had about 12 million so 1/2 a million sounds like not much. We certainly have not been spending money on books for the library. The amount of rainfall recorded in Brunei at a number of agricultural stations showed that in 2007, almost everyone showed a marked increase over the previous years. The number of rainy days recorded at Brunei Airport was 239 days over the entire 2007. We only have 365 days a year! Though the humidity level for 2007 was lower than the previous 5 years. In 2007 it was 84 but in previous years, it was all nearer 100. In 2007, there were 54 deaths from road accidents, the previous three years were all below 40.

Did you know too that the Government had a surplus of $6,211 million in 2007/2008? In 2006, it was $4,583 million and in 2005 it was $2,929 million. I don't think there will be much surplus in 2008 given that the oil prices have crashed and 2009 may be annus horribilis for the government revenue. Our education expenditure in 2007 was $545 million and our defence was $492 million. There are around $13 billion of monye and quasi money supply in the economy. Despite that, our local bank prime rate controlled by the Bank Association has remained unchanged over several years at 5.5% (this is the only page in the whole book which does not show any changes whatsoever).

Anyway, get the book from JPKE. It will tell you a lot more about Brunei than you ever wanted to know.