Map of Singapore | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024 | 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, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 632.6 km²
Land: 622.6 km²
Comparative: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims
Exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
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
Extremes lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Extremes highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources:

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

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Singaporean(s)
Adjective: Singapore

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
0-14 years:
15-64 years:
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems
Current issues Natural hazards: NA
International agreements: party to_Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified_Biodiversity, Climate Change
International agreements note: Focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.13 years (1996 est.), 76.16 years (1995 est.)
Male: 75.07 years (1996 est.), 73.28 years (1995 est.)
Female: 81.39 years (1996 est.), 79.25 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)
Total population: 91.1%
Male: 95.9%
Female: 86.3%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name
Conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
Conventional short form: Singapore

Government type: Republic within Commonwealth

Capital: Singapore

Administrative divisions: None

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) was elected for a six-year term by popular vote; election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999); results_ONG Teng Cheong 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) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995) were appointed by the president
Cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president, responsible to parliament

Legislative branch: Unicameral Parliament:Elections last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held by 31 August 1996; results_percent of vote by party NA; seats_(81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court, chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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 8.9% growth in 1995, with prospects for 7%-8% growth in 1996. In 1995, the manufacturing and financial and business services sectors led economic growth. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, and the government's strategy to address this problem includes increasing productivity, improving infrastructure, and encouraging higher value-added industries. 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:

Real gdp per capita:

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops_rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 10% (1995), 13% (1994 est.), accounts for 28% of GDP (1993)

Labor force: 1.649 million (1994)
By occupation financial business andother services: 33.5%
By occupation manufacturing: 25.6%
By occupation commerce: 22.9%
By occupation construction: 6.6%
By occupation other: 11.4% (1994)

Unemployment rate:

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $17.3 billion (FY95/96 est.), $11.9 billion (FY93/94 est.)
Expenditures: $12.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.5 billion (FY95/96 est.), $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.9 billion (FY93/94 est.)

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:
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports
Total value:
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external:

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1: 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990)


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Electricity
Capacity: 4,510,000 kW
Production: 17 billion kWh
Consumption per capita: 5,590 kWh (1993)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system: 1.23 million telephones (1993 est.); good domestic facilities; good international service; good radio and television broadcast coverage
Local: NA
Intercity: NA
International: submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $3.9 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1995 est.), $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: 8
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 1
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1 (1995 est.)

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 646 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 12,915,788 GRT/20,292,580 DWT
Ships by type: bulk 110, cargo 118, chemical tanker 18, combination bulk 3, combination ore/oil 8, container 92, liquefied gas tanker 13, multifunction large-load carrier 4, oil tanker 234, refrigerated cargo 5, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 24
Note: A flag of convenience registry; includes 22 countries among which are Japan 39 ships, Denmark 21, Germany 21, Hong Kong 27, Belgium 12, Thailand 14, Sweden 14, U.S. 7, Indonesia 7, and Norway 9 (1995 est.)

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

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