At this rate Brunei's population will only pass the 400,000 mark in year 2010 or even beyond as the slowing rate may make it ever longer.

Looking back, the population growth rate has been falling quite steadily. In year 2000, the growth rate was 2.17 per cent, the following year 2.11 per cent and falling further in year 2002 when it was 2.06 per cent.

The fall caught the round figure of two per cent in 2003 when Brunei had an estimated 358,098 people.

It broke the two per cent barrier the following year when the growth rate fell to 1.95 per cent. Last year it was 1.9 per cent. A projection not taking into account the falling growth rate indicates that Brunei will take the next decade to

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Even though people are living longer because of better medical care and improved living conditions, both men and women are marrying later and are having fewer babies.

Brunei is fast catching up with a world trend especially in developed countries.

Life expectancy last year averaged 74.8 years compared to 73.58 in year 2000. Birth rate in year 2000 was 20.81 per cent whereas last year it fell to 19 per cent.