<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 1 January 1984 (from UK)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> National Day 23 February (1984)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 29 September 1959 (some provisions suspended under a State of Emergency since December 1962, others since independence on 1 January 1984)
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on Islamic law
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> none
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> Sultan and Prime Minister His Majesty Paduka Seri Baginda Sultan Haji HASSANAL Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah (since 5 October 1967)
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Council of Cabinet Ministers; composed chiefly of members of the royal family
<item><hi format=bold>Legislative Council (Majlis Masyuarat Megeri):</hi> elections last held in March 1962; in 1970 the Council was changed to an appointive body by decree of the sultan; an elected legislative Council is being considered as part of constitution reform, but elections are unlikely for several years
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Brunei United National Party (inactive), Anak HASANUDDIN, chairman; Brunei National Democratic Party (the first legal political party and now banned), leader NA
<item><hi format=bold>Member of:</hi> APEC, ASEAN, C, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, GATT, ICAO, IDB, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITU, NAM, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, UNTAC, WHO, WMO
<item><hi format=bold>Diplomatic representation in US:</hi>
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<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of mission:</hi> Ambassador JAYA bin Abdul Latif
<item>• <hi format=ital>chancery:</hi> 2600 Virginia Avenue NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20037
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> yellow with two diagonal bands of white (top, almost double width) and black starting from the upper hoist side; the national emblem in red is superimposed at the center; the emblem includes a swallow-tailed flag on top of a winged column within an upturned crescent above a scroll and flanked by two upraised hands