EnglishEnglish
中文Chinese (Simplified)
EspañolSpanish
हिन्दीHindi
العربيةArabic
FrançaisFrench
PortuguêsPortuguese
РусскийRussian
DeutschGerman
日本語Japanese
United States
Poland
Maldives
Iraq ↑ 54
Austria vs Czechia
Brunei vs Macao
Side-by-side comparison of Brunei and Macao from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
In short
Macao scores 70.9 in the NationsTree Index (33rd in the world) and Brunei scores 54.8 (69th), a gap of 16.1 points. Their trees are 4.0 m and 6.3 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
Macao has 47% more people than Brunei. Brunei is 173 times larger than Macao by land area. Macao has an economy 2.2 times the size of Brunei (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Brunei 466,330 and Macao 685,900 (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $137,031 in Macao and $92,430 in Brunei (2025, international dollars). People in Macao live on average 7.8 years longer (83.3 vs 75.5 years).
Of 22 indicators reported by both countries, Brunei ranks higher in the world on 5 and Macao on 17. Brunei is clearly stronger in natural resources, environment & energy and main industries. Macao is clearly stronger in tourism, economy and society & health.
As a nation, Brunei is the older of the two (statehood since 1368, 658 years), compared with Macao (since 1557). Over the last five years Macao improved faster (direction score 67 vs 6 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Brunei and Macao.
Brunei
-17.7%
190th of 192
Macaobetter
8.3%
4th of 192
Tertiary enrolmentSociety & health
Brunei
36.4%
100th of 150
Macaobetter
141.9%
2nd of 150
GDP growthEconomy
Brunei
0.7%
182nd of 210
Macaobetter
4.7%
57th of 210
CO₂ emissions per personEnvironment & energy
Brunei
20.24
199th of 203
Macaobetter
2.53
101st of 203
Life expectancySociety & health
Brunei
75.5
102nd of 217
Macaobetter
83.3
16th of 217
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Macao overtook Brunei in GDP per person (PPP) in 2023 and has stayed ahead since.
Macao overtook Brunei in the NationsTree Index in 2022 and has stayed ahead since.
Macao overtook Brunei in GDP (PPP) in 2006 and has stayed ahead since.
Macao has been ahead of Brunei in life expectancy and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
BruneiMacao All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Brunei | Macao |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 5,770168th/216 · 2024 | 33213th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 5,270167th/216 · 2024 | 33212th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 466,330173rd/217 · 2025 | 685,900167th/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 0.78%116th/217 · 2025 | -0.16%184th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 87.8114th/216 · 2024 | 20,630.61st/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 75.0%74th/217 · 2025 | 100.0%1st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 20.6%120th/217 · 2025 | 13.7%201st/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 7.2%122nd/217 · 2025 | 15.1%66th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $15.03 bn146th/210 · 2025 | $52.06 bn94th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $43.10 bn137th/199 · 2025 | $93.99 bn105th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $36.83 bn138th/199 · 2025 | $80.32 bn105th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $32,23555th/210 · 2025 | $75,90214th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $92,43010th/199 · 2025 | $137,0314th/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $34,79044th/201 · 2025 | $69,92014th/201 · 2024 |
| GDP growth % | 0.7%182nd/210 · 2025 | 4.7%57th/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | -0.3%9th/180 · 2025 | 0.3%22nd/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 5.3%96th/187 · 2025 | 2.3%23rd/187 · 2025 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 1.6%3rd/189 · 2025 | 0.0%1st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -17.7%190th/192 · 2025 | 8.3%4th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 1.2%166th/197 · 2025 | — |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 60.0%3rd/200 · 2025 | 4.7%198th/200 · 2024 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 9.9%102nd/192 · 2025 | 0.6%187th/192 · 2024 |
| Services % of GDP | 40.2%185th/200 · 2025 | 92.0%2nd/200 · 2024 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $10.76 bn110th/182 · 2025 | $48.05 bn68th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $7.82 bn125th/182 · 2025 | $24.39 bn90th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 71.6%26th/183 · 2025 | 92.3%12th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 52.0%75th/183 · 2025 | 46.9%88th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 123.6%40th/183 · 2025 | 139.1%27th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 75.0%12th/170 · 2025 | 0.0%165th/170 · 2023 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 24.3%98th/171 · 2025 | 5.9%147th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 0.1%171st/171 · 2025 | 37.2%43rd/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 0.2%159th/171 · 2025 | 45.8%9th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 1.1%147th/168 · 2024 | 0.0%166th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | 18.0%7th/191 · 2025 | 39.6%1st/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 0.4%162nd/196 · 2025 | 2.2%95th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 24.3%18th/209 · 2021 | 0.0%184th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 10.37%19th/197 · 2021 | 0.00%120th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 13.86%2nd/197 · 2021 | 0.00%100th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 | 0.00%91st/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.05%129th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%173rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 0.8%189th/206 · 2024 | — |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 18,66633rd/183 · 2022 | — |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 1.1 m95th/194 · 2020 | 5.9 m33rd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $190.0 m129th/175 · 2018 | $9.44 bn21st/175 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 2.7%114th/168 · 2018 | 60.6%13th/168 · 2020 |
| Outbound trips departures | — | 125,00096th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 75.5102nd/217 · 2024 | 83.316th/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 9.976th/196 · 2024 | — |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 1.8983rd/174 · 2021 | — |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 3.647th/145 · 2023 | — |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 99%1st/193 · 2024 | — |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 88.7%54th/153 · 2023 | 73.3%2016 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 91.8%92nd/173 · 2023 | 94.7%82nd/173 · 2024 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 10.0%132nd/217 · 2025 | 21.2%70th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 2.2%191st/193 · 2023 | — |
| Adult literacy % | 96.1%2011 | 96.5%2016 |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 36.4%100th/150 · 2023 | 141.9%2nd/150 · 2024 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.83760th/193 · 2023 | — |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 100.0%1st/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | — | 80.0%50th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 96.3%18th/186 · 2024 | 89.8%56th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 11896th/210 · 2024 | 2016th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 21.286th/208 · 2024 | 29.959th/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 2.4694th/164 · 2018 | — |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 820,886103rd/161 · 2023 | 2.1 m80th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 20.24199th/203 · 2024 | 2.53101st/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 0.0%207th/212 · 2021 | 11.0%141st/212 · 2022 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 7.630th/200 · 2023 | — |
| Forest area % of land area | 72.1%16th/214 · 2024 | — |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 8,9306th/149 · 2024 | — |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 70.644th/205 · 2025 | 76.133rd/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 68.138th/207 · 2025 | 59.662nd/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 69.755th/207 · 2025 | 72.745th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 91.95th/207 · 2025 | 84.337th/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 72.137th/205 · 2025 | 79.317th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 40.2149th/205 · 2025 | 50.0126th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.52013 | 0.612th/145 · 2023 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $560.3 m102nd/156 · 2024 | — |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 3.7%15th/156 · 2024 | — |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 12.2%23rd/154 · 2024 | — |
| Armed forces personnel people | 8,000140th/170 · 2020 | — |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 3.57%12th/168 · 2020 | — |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 28.0 m83rd/163 · 2024 | — |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 12.0 m2016 | — |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.28%2018 | 0.31%72nd/110 · 2024 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 1126th/137 · 2024 | 8109th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 50298th/197 · 2023 | — |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Brunei or Macao?
Macao has the larger population: 685,900 (2025) compared with 466,330 for Brunei (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Brunei or Macao?
Brunei is larger: 5,770 km² (2024) compared with 33 km² for Macao (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Brunei or Macao?
Macao has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $93.99 bn intl. (2025) compared with $43.10 bn intl. for Brunei (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Brunei or Macao?
Macao has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $137,031 intl. (2025) compared with $92,430 intl. for Brunei (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Brunei or Macao?
Macao has the higher life expectancy at birth: 83.3 years (2024) compared with 75.5 years for Brunei (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Brunei or Macao?
Macao: 70.9 points (33rd in the world); Brunei: 54.8 points (69th). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Fiji
Laos
Mongolia
Papua New Guinea
Cambodia
New ZealandSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Brunei vs Macao — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/brunei-vs-macao. Data as of 26 October 2026.