According to the 2021 population census, the majority of Brunei’s population were Muslims, comprising 82.1% (362,035 persons). - The Straits Times/ANN
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Borneo Bulletin/Asia News Network): The total population of Brunei Darussalam during the Population and Housing Census (BPP) 2021 was 440,715 persons compared to 393,372 in the 2011 Census, which represented an average annual growth rate of 1.1% during the period 2011-2021.
This was revealed in the Department of Economic Planning and Statistics’ (DEPS) Report of the BPP 2021: Demographic, Household and Housing Characteristics based on the final data collected in the BPP 2021. Therefore, this supersedes the data in the Report of the Preliminary Count of Total Population 2021 released in October 2021.
The government of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, through the DEPS, conducted the BPP 2021 from January to December 2021.
The main objective was to collect comprehensive and latest information on the total count as well as demographic, social and economic characteristics of the population; as well as on the total number of living quarters with housing characteristics and availability of household amenities.
The population was made up of 232,194 males (52.7%) and 208,521 females (47.3%). The sex ratio was 111 males for every 100 females.
By residential status, Brunei citizens accounted for 75.7% (333,669 persons), while the shares of the permanent residents and temporary residents were 5.9% (25,834 persons) and 18.4% (81,212 persons).
Brunei-Muara District was the most populated district with 72.3% (318,530 persons) of the total population. This was followed by the Belait District (14.9% or 65,531 persons), the Tutong District (10.7% or 47,210 persons) and the Temburong District (2.1% or 9,444 persons).
In age distribution, 20.5% (90,376 persons) of the total population were below 15 years of age, 73.2% (322,445 persons) were in the working age group of 15 to 64 years and 6.3% (27,894 persons) were aged 65 and over. The median age in 2021 was 31.7 years.
The Malays with 67.4% (297,016 persons) of the total population formed the largest community in the country.
The racial groups of Chinese and others comprised 9.6% (42,132 persons) and 23.0% (101,567 persons).
The majority of the country’s population were Muslims, comprising 82.1% (362,035 persons).
The number of foreign-born population was 91,580 persons, accounting for 20.8% of the total population. Out of this number, 18.6% (17,067 persons) were Brunei citizens and permanent residents who were born abroad.
Brunei-Muara District was the most densely populated district with 558 persons per sq km.
The mid-year population estimates released for the years 2017 to 2020 have now been revised using the latest data.
This information will be published in the Brunei Darussalam Statistical Yearbook 2021.
