If you lived in Brunei instead of Northern Mariana Islands, you would:

Health

live 3.5 years less

In Northern Mariana Islands, the average life expectancy is 79 years (77 years for men, 81 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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Economy

make 35.5% more money

Northern Mariana Islands has a GDP per capita of $23,786 as of 2022, while in Brunei, the GDP per capita is $32,235 as of 2025.

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Life

be 31.1% less likely to die during infancy

In Northern Mariana Islands, approximately 12.5 children (per 1,000 live births) die before they reach the age of one as of 2022. In Brunei, on the other hand, 8.6 children do as of 2024.

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have 10.1% more children

In Northern Mariana Islands, there are approximately 12.1 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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Basic Needs

be 3.8 times more likely to have internet access

In Northern Mariana Islands, approximately 25.1% of the population has internet access as of 2021. In Brunei, about 96.3% do as of 2024.

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Geography

see 89.1% less coastline

Northern Mariana Islands has a total of 1,482 km of coastline. In Brunei, that number is 161 km.

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Sources: World Bank (2022–2025), The World Factbook (2021–2022). 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 Northern Mariana Islands? See an in-depth size comparison.

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