If you lived in Brunei instead of Australia, you would:

Health

be 76.7% less likely to die by suicide

Australia has a suicide rate of 13.1 per 100,000 people as of 2021. In Brunei, it is 3.0 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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live 7.5 years less

In Australia, the average life expectancy is 83 years (81 years for men, 85 years for women) as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 76 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2024.

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be 21.1% more likely to be obese

In Australia, 30.6% of adults are obese as of 2024. In Brunei, that number is 37.0% of people as of 2024.

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see 75.3% less spent on your healthcare

Australia spends $7,691 per person on healthcare as of 2023 (international dollars, adjusted for prices). Brunei spends $1,896 as of 2023.

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have 53.8% fewer doctors per person

Australia has 40.9 doctors per 10,000 people as of 2022. Brunei has 18.9 as of 2021.

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have 10.3% less access to essential health services

Australia scores 87 out of 100 on the universal health coverage index as of 2021. Brunei scores 78 as of 2021.

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Economy

be 29.1% more likely to be unemployed

In Australia, 4.1% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Brunei, that number is 5.3% as of 2025.

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make 50.5% less money

Australia has a GDP per capita of $65,130 as of 2025, while in Brunei, the GDP per capita is $32,235 as of 2025.

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Life

have 24.6% more children

In Australia, there are approximately 10.7 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024. In Brunei, there are 13.3 babies per 1,000 people as of 2024.

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be 18.0 times more likely to die during childbirth

In Australia, approximately 2.0 women die from pregnancy or childbirth per 100,000 live births as of 2023. In Brunei, 36.0 women do as of 2023.

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be 2.8 times more likely to die during infancy

In Australia, approximately 3.1 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2024. In Brunei, on the other hand, 8.6 children do as of 2024.

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Expenditures

spend 78.6% less on healthcare

Australia spends 10.4% of its total GDP on healthcare as of 2023. In Brunei, that number is 2.2% of GDP as of 2023.

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Geography

see 99.4% less coastline

Australia has a total of 25,760 km of coastline. In Brunei, that number is 161 km.

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Safety

be 20.0% less likely to die in a road accident

In Australia, road accidents kill 4.5 people per 100,000 as of 2021. In Brunei, they kill 3.6 per 100,000 as of 2021.

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Infrastructure

live with 25.7% less strain on fresh water

Australia withdraws 5% of its available fresh water each year as of 2022. Brunei withdraws 3% as of 2022.

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find 41.9% less home broadband

Australia has 36.5 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people as of 2024. Brunei has 21.2 as of 2024.

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Environment

be 100.0% more likely to die from air pollution

In Australia, air pollution causes 10.0 deaths per 100,000 people as of 2019. In Brunei, it causes 20.0 as of 2019.

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emit 43.5% more CO2

Australia emits 14.1 tonnes of CO2 per person each year as of 2024. Brunei emits 20.2 tonnes as of 2024.

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Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook. How we calculate this

Brunei: At a glance

Brunei is a sovereign country in East/Southeast Asia, with a total land area of approximately 5,265 sq km. The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In 1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in Asia.
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How big is Brunei compared to Australia? See an in-depth size comparison.

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