Map of Singapore | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
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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: 1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map reference: Southeast Asia

Area
Total: 647.5 km²
Land: 637.5 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: slightly more 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: fish, deepwater ports

Land use
Arable land: 2%
Permanent crops: 6%
Permanent pastures: NA%
Forests and woodland: 5%
Other: 87% (1993 est.)

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: 3,440,693 (July 1997 est.)
Growth rate: 1.67% (1997 est.)

Nationality
Noun: Singaporean(s)
Adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%

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: 21% (male 378,651; female 357,070)
15-64 years: 72% (male 1,237,478; female 1,239,494)
65 years and over: 7% (male 101,536; female 126,464) (July 1997 est.)

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate: 1.67% (1997 est.)

Birth rate: 14.13 births/1000 population (1997 est.)

Death rate: 4.68 deaths/1000 population (1997 est.)

Net migration rate: 7.27 migrant(s)/1000 population (1997 est.)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.08 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
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 3.9 deaths/1000 live births (1997 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 78.15 years
Male: 75.14 years
Female: 81.4 years (1997 est.)

Total fertility rate: 1.46 children born/woman (1997 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
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 91.1%
Male: 95.9%
Female: 86.3% (1995 est.)

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)
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)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
Election results: ONG Teng Cheong elected president in the country's first popular election for president; percent of vote - ONG Teng Cheong 59%, CHUA Kim Yeow 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
Elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002)
Election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 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; Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

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

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
In the us chancery: 3,501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 537-3,100
In the us FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA
From the us embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258,508
From the us mailing address: FPO AP 96,534
From the us telephone: [65] 476-9,100
From the us FAX: [65] 476-9,340

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 economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. A slump in global demand for electronics slowed Singapore's export growth in 1996, and as a result, real GDP grew 6.5%, down from 8.9% in 1995. The government predicts growth will be in the 5%-7% range in 1997. 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: 6.5% (1996)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $21,200 (1996 est.)

Gross national saving