Map of Singapore | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Founded as a British trading colony in 1819 Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963 but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe.


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Location: Southeastern Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates

Map reference: Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

Area
Total area total: 632.6 km²
Land: 622.6 km²

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: 12 nm
Territorial sea: 3 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)

Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Elevation

Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports

Land use
Arable land: 4%
Permanent crops: 7%
Meadows and pastures: 0%
Forest and woodland: 5%
Other: 84%

Irrigated land: NA km²

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes


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Population: 2,859,142 (July 1994 est.)
Growth rate: 1.12% (1994 est.)

Nationality: noun:Singaporean(s)

Ethnic groups

Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)

Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.12% (1994 est.)

Birth rate: 16.52 births/1000 population (1994 est.)

Death rate: 5.3 deaths/1000 population (1994 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1994 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: industrial pollution; limited water supply; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 5.7 deaths/1000 live births (1994 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.95 years
Male: 73.17 years
Female: 78.94 years (1994 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.88 children born/woman (1994 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Total population: 88%
Male: 93%
Female: 84%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form:

Government type: republic within Commonwealth

Capital: Administrative divisions:none

Administrative divisions

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

National holiday: National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965; based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: 20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993) election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1997); results - President ONG was elected with 59% of the vote in the country's first popular election for president
Head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990)

Legislative branch: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Parliament: elections last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held 31 August 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, COCOM (cooperating), CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UNTAC, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
From the us chief of mission: (vacant)
From the us chancery: 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
From the us telephone: [65] 338-0251
From the us fax: (202) 265-7,915
From the us embassy: 30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617
From the us mailing address: FPO AP 96,534
From the us FAX: [65] 338-5,010

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. The economy registered nearly 10% growth in 1993 while stemming inflation. The construction and financial services industries and manufacturers of computer-related components have led economic growth. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, but there are indications that productivity is keeping up. In applied technology, per capita output, investment, and labor discipline, Singapore has key attributes of a developed country.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 9.9% (1993)

Real gdp per capita: $15,000 (1993 est.)

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: occupies a position of minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops - rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables

Industries: petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology

Industrial production growth rate: 2.3% (1992; accounts for 28% of GDP

Labor force: 1,485,800
By occupation financial business andother services: 30.2%
By occupation manufacturing: 28.4%
By occupation commerce: 22.0%
By occupation construction: 9.0%
By occupation other: 10.4% (1990)

Unemployment rate: 2.7% (1993)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues:$11.9 billion

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $61.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment
Partners: US 21%, Malaysia 12%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 8%, Thailand 6% (1992)

Imports: $66.4 billion (f.o.b., 1992)
Commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
Partners: Japan 21%, US 16%, Malaysia 15%, Saudi Arabia 5%, Taiwan 4%

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $0; Singapore is a net creditor

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6032 (January 1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989)


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Electricity
Capacity: 4,860,000 kW
Production: 18 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 6,420 kWh (1992)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion, 6% of GDP (1993 est.)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 10
Usable: 10
With permanentsurface runways: 10
With runways over 3659 m: 2
With runways 2440-3659 m: 4
With runways 1220-2439 m: 3

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a major money-laundering center