Population and Demographics of Brunei
Population changed +0.82% in 2024 · median age 32 years
Brunei's demographic profile combines +0.82% annual change with fertility of 1.7, alongside an under-15 share of 20.83% and a 65-plus share of 6.87%. The longer record adds perspective: the population changed by +41.8% between 2000 and 2024. By 2050, the medium path points to 519.6 thousand, equivalent to a +12.3% change from the 2024 estimate.
Population Over Time in Brunei
Brunei's population stood at 0.326M in 2000 and 0.463M in 2024, equivalent to a +41.8% change over that period. For 2050, the medium projection is 0.520M. That is a difference of about 0.06 million people from the 2024 estimate. The chart connects dated reference points only and should not be read as an annual interpolated series.
Age Structure and Sex Balance
In 2024, Brunei's age mix can be described as mixed on the broad UN age-group measures. Children under 15 make up 20.83% of the population, compared with 6.87% aged 65 or older, and 72.30% are 15 to 64. The age balance is weighted toward younger residents.
Population by broad age group
The 2024 World Bank sex-share indicator gives Brunei a female share of 46.9% and a male share of 53.1%. Males exceed females by 6.2 percentage points.
Female and male population share
Males made up 53.1% of the population in the World Bank's 2024 series, compared with 46.9% females.
What Is Shaping Population Change
Brunei records +0.82% annual population change in 2024 and 1.7 children per woman, while 20.83% are children, 72.30% are 15 to 64 and 6.87% are older adults.
The 24-year population path to 2024 amounts to +41.8% for Brunei, before the medium projection moves another +12.3% to 2050; component causes are not assigned without separate births, deaths and migration data.
2024 estimate for Brunei. The world comparison value is 2.25 children per woman.
Brunei vs. World
Relative to the 2024 world benchmarks, Brunei's population change is close to the global rate, its fertility is below the global level, and its population is older than the corresponding global median-age profile.
| Indicator | Brunei | World | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual population change | +0.82% | +0.87% | 2024 |
| Total fertility rate | 1.7 | 2.25 | 2024 |
| Median age | 32 | 30.6 | 2024 |
These are same-year, same-table comparisons. The underlying country table identifies UN World Population Prospects 2024 as its demographic framework.
Key Takeaways
Brunei has 462,721 people in the 2024 estimate, with the population changing +0.82% over the year.
Broad age shares show 6.87% aged 65+ compared with 20.83% under 15; the 15 to 64 group accounts for 72.30%.
The 2024 female and male shares are 46.9% and 53.1% respectively.
By 2050, the medium projection is 0.520M, differing from 2024 by roughly 0.06 million people.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the population of Brunei?
The 2024 harmonized population estimate for Brunei is 462,721 people.
Is the population of Brunei growing or declining?
In the 2024 estimate, Brunei's population is growing, with annual change of +0.82%.
What percentage of the population of Brunei is aged 65 or older?
People aged 65 or older account for 6.87% of Brunei's 2024 population in the UN WPP-based broad age data.
What is the projected population of Brunei in 2050?
The UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium projection puts Brunei's 2050 population at 519,551.
What is the fertility rate in Brunei?
The 2024 harmonized fertility estimate for Brunei is 1.7 children per woman.
Sources & methodology
This profile uses United Nations World Population Prospects 2024 as the primary framework for globally comparable population, age, fertility and projection data. The World Bank is the primary source for the female population share. Some country values were accessed through secondary retrieval interfaces that republish or organize UN data; those interfaces are identified below as secondary and are not treated as the original statistical publishers.
View sources used for this page
Primary global framework for the population estimates and projections.
Harmonized 2024 country table based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized broad age shares based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Harmonized reference for the 2000 population point.
Harmonized 2050 country projection based on UN World Population Prospects 2024.
Used for the 2024 female share; the male share is calculated as the remainder to 100%.