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

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Background: Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but was ousted two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to 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: 697 km²
Land: 687 km²
Water: 10 km²
Rank: 192
Comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 3 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea as defined in treaties and practice

Climate: tropical; hot humid rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

Terrain: lowlying gently undulating central plateau

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Extremes highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural resources: fish deepwater ports

Land use
Agricultural land: 1%
Forest: 3.3%
Other: 95.7%

Irrigated land: NA

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources: 0.6 km³ (2011)

Natural hazards: NA

Geography
Note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes


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Population: 5,674,472 (July 2015 est.)
Rank: 116
Growth rate: 1.89% (2015 est.)
Growth rate rank: 57
Below poverty line: NA%

Nationality
Noun: Singaporean
Adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups: Chinese 74.2% Malay 13.3% Indian 9.2% other 3.3% (2013 est.)

Languages: Mandarin (official) 36.3% English (official) 29.8% Malay (official) 11.9% Hokkien 8.1% Tamil (official) 4.4% Cantonese 4.1% Teochew 3.2% other Indian languages 1.2% other Chinese dialects 1.1% other 1.1% (2010 est.)

Religions: Buddhist 33.9% Muslim 14.3% Taoist 11.3% Catholic 7.1% Hindu 5.2% other Christian 11% other 0.7% none 16.4% (2010 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 13.14%
15-24 years: 17.43%
25-54 years: 50.39%
55-64 years: 10.16%
65 years and over: 8.88% (2015 est.)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 37.4%
Youth dependency ratio: 21.4%
Elderly dependency ratio: 16.1%
Potential support ratio: 6.2%

Median age
Total: 34 years
Male: 33.9 years
Female: 34.1 years

Population growth rate: 1.89% (2015 est.)
Rank: 57

Birth rate: 8.27 births/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 219

Death rate: 3.43 deaths/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 217

Net migration rate: 14.05 migrant(s)/1000 population (2015 est.)
Rank: 5

Population distribution

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.02% annual rate of change

Major urban areas
Population: SINGAPORE (capital) 5.619 million (2015)

Environment
Current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural freshwater resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
International agreements party to: Biodiversity Climate Change Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol Desertification Endangered Species Hazardous Wastes Law of the Sea Ozone Layer Protection Ship Pollution
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.07 male/female
0-14 years: 1.05 male/female
15-24 years: 0.97 male/female
25-54 years: 0.95 male/female
55-64 years: 1 male/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male/female
Total population: 0.96 male/female

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate
Total: 2.48 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 2.65 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 2.28 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 221

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 84.68 years
Male: 82.06 years
Female: 87.5 years
Rank: 3

Total fertility rate: 0.81 children born/woman (2015 est.)
Rank: 224

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source:

Current health expenditure

Physicians density: 1.95 physicians/1000 population (2013)

Hospital bed density: 2 beds/1000 population (2011)

Sanitation facility access:

Hiv/Aids
Adult prevalence rate: NA
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate: 6.8% (2014)
Rank: 142

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (2013)
Rank: 140

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 96.8%
Male: 98.6%
Female: 95%

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
Local long form: Republic of Singapore
Local short form: Singapore

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital
Name: Singapore
Geographic coordinates: 1 17 N 103 51 E
Time difference: UTC+8

Administrative divisions: none

Dependent areas

Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday: National Day 9 August (1965)

Constitution: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965; amended several times last in 2010 (2013)

Legal system: English common law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Tony TAN Keng Yam
Head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong ; Deputy Prime Ministers TEO Chee Hean (since 1 April 2009) and Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM (since 21 May 2011)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; Cabinet responsible to Parliament
Electionsappointments: president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a single 6-year term; election last held on 27 August 2011 ; following legislative elections leader of majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
Election results: Tony TAN Keng Yam elected president; percent of vote - Tony TAN Keng Yam 35.2% TAN Cheng Bock (independent) 34.9% TAN Jee Say (independent) 25% TAN Kin Lian (PP) 4.9%

Legislative branch
Description: unicameral Parliament
Elections: last held on 11 September 2015 ; note - Parliament was dissolved on 25 August 2015 amid public concerns over immigration and the rising cost of living resulting in an early election
Election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 69.9% WP 12.5% other 17.6%; seats by party - PAP 83 WP 6

Judicial branch
Highest court: Supreme Court
Judge selection and term of office: all judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; justices appointed for life
Subordinate courts: district magistrates' juvenile family community and coroners' courts; small claims tribunals

Political parties and leaders:

International organization participation: ADB AOSIS APEC Arctic Council (observer) ARF ASEAN BIS C CP EAS FAO FATF G-77 IAEA IBRD ICAO ICC (national committees) ICCt ICRM IDA IFC IFRCS IHO ILO IMF IMO IMSO Interpol IOC IPU ISO ITSO ITU ITUC (NGOs) MIGA NAM OPCW Pacific Alliance (observer) PCA UN UNCTAD UNESCO UNHCR UPU WCO WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Ashok Kumar MIRPURI
In the us chancery: 3,501 International Place NW Washington DC 20,008
In the us telephone: [1] 537-3,100
In the us FAX: [1] 537-0876
In the us consulate general: San Francisco
In the us consulate: New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Kirk W. WAGAR
From the us embassy: 27 Napier Road Singapore 258,508
From the us mailing address: FPO AP 96,507-0001
From the us telephone: [65] 6,476-9,100
From the us FAX: [65] 6,476-9,340

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; red denotes brotherhood and equality; white signifies purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the five stars represent the nation's ideals of democracy peace progress justice and equality

National symbols: lion merlion (mythical half lion-half fish creature) orchid; national colors: red white

National anthem
Name: 'Majulah Singapura'
Lyrics and music: ZUBIR Said
Note: adopted 1965; first performed in 1958 at the Victoria Theatre the anthem is sung only in Malay

National heritage


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Economy overview: Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment stable prices and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. Unemployment is very low. The economy depends heavily on exports particularly of consumer electronics information technology products medical and optical devices pharmaceuticals and on its vibrant transportation business and financial services sectors. The economy contracted 0.6% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis but has continued to grow since 2010 on the strength of renewed exports. Growth in 2014 was slower at 2.9% largely a result of soft demand for exports amid a sluggish global economy and weak growth in Singapore’s manufacturing sector. The government is attempting to restructure Singapore’s economy by weaning its dependence on foreign labor addressing weak productivity and increasing Singaporean wages. Singapore has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and will continue efforts to strengthen its position as Southeast Asia's leading financial and high-tech hub. Singapore is a member of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations with the nine other ASEAN members plus Australia China India Japan South Korea and New Zealand and in 2015 Singapore will form with the other ASEAN members the ASEAN Economic Community.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 40

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 114

Real gdp per capita:
Note: data are in 2014 US dollars
Rank: 7

Gross national saving:
Rank: 7

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 36.8%
Government consumption: 10%
Investment in fixed capital: 25.4%
Investment in inventories: 2.3%
Exports of goods and services: 187.6%
Imports of goods and services: -162.2%: (2014 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0%
Industry: 25%
Services: 75%

Agriculture products: orchids vegetables; poultry eggs; fish ornamental fish

Industries: electronics chemicals financial services oil drilling equipment petroleum refining rubber processing and rubber products processed food and beverages ship repair offshore platform construction life sciences entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate: 3.7% (2014 est.)
Rank: 95

Labor force: 3.623 million
Note: excludes non-residents
Rank: 99
By occupation agriculture: 1.3%
By occupation industry: 14.8%
By occupation services: 83.9%
By occupation note: excludes non-residents

Unemployment rate:
Rank: 9

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line: NA%

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.3%
Highest 10: 11%

Distribution of family income gini index:
Rank: 30

Budget
Revenues: $47.45 billion
Expenditures: $50.37 billion
Note: expenditures include both operational and development expenditures
Surplus or deficit: -0.9% of GDP (2015 est.)
Surplus or deficit rank: 29

Taxes and other revenues: 15.4% of GDP (2015 est.)
Rank: 192

Public debt:
Note: Singapore's public debt consists largely of Singapore Government Securities issued to assist the Central Provident Fund (CPF) which administers Singapore's defined contribution pension fund; special issues of SGS are held by the CPF and are non-tradable; the government has not borrowed to finance deficit expenditures since the 1980s; Singapore has no external public debt
Rank: 11

Revenue

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Inflation rate consumer prices:
Rank: 60

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate:
Rank: 148

Stock of narrow money:
Rank: 31

Stock of broad money:
Rank: 23

Stock of domestic credit:
Rank: 28

Market value of publicly traded shares:
Rank: 19

Current account balance:
Rank: 8

Exports:
Rank: 14
Commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics and telecommunications) pharmaceuticals and other chemicals refined petroleum products foodstuffs and beverages
Partners: China 12.6% Malaysia 12% Hong Kong 11% Indonesia 9.4% US 5.9% Japan 4.1% South Korea 4.1% (2014)

Imports:
Rank: 15
Commodities: machinery and equipment mineral fuels chemicals foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: China 12.1% Malaysia 10.7% US 10.3% South Korea 5.9% Japan 5.5% Indonesia 5.1% UAE 4.2% Saudi Arabia 4% (2014)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
Rank: 12

Debt external:
Rank: 75

Stock of direct foreign investment at home:
Rank: 10

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad:
Rank: 17

Exchange rates:


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Electricity
Production: 49.31 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Production rank: 53
Consumption: 47.18 billion kWh (2014 est.)
Consumption rank: 54
Exports: 0 kWh (2014 est.)
Exports rank: 197
Imports: 0 kWh (2014 est.)
Imports rank: 201
Installed generating capacity: 10.49 million kW (2011 est.)
Installed generating capacity rank: 55
Generation sources fossil fuels: 95.3% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels rank: 59
Generation sources nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources nuclear rank: 179
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 0% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity rank: 200
Generation sources other renewable sources: 3.9% of total installed capacity (2014 est.)
Generation sources other renewable sources rank: 72

Coal

Petroleum
Petroleum total petroleum production: 500 bbl/day (2013 est.)
Petroleum total petroleum production rank: 105
Crude oil exports: 0 bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil exports rank: 183
Crude oil imports: 1.137 million bbl/day (2010 est.)
Crude oil imports rank: 10
Crude oil proven reserves: 0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.)
Crude oil proven reserves rank: 189

Crude oil

Refined petroleum
Products production: 1.357 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products production rank: 15
Products consumption: 1.292 million bbl/day (2013 est.)
Products consumption rank: 18
Products exports: 0 bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products exports rank: 130
Products imports: 1.36 million bbl/day (2012 est.)
Products imports rank: 4

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Production rank: 191
Consumption: 9.38 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Consumption rank: 50
Exports: 0 m³ (2012 est.)
Exports rank: 180
Imports: 9.38 billion m³ (2012 est.)
Imports rank: 25
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2014 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 194

Carbon dioxide emissions
From consumption of energy: 208 million Mt (2012 est.)
From consumption of energy rank: 29

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.96 million
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 35
Fixed lines rank: 58
Mobile cellular total: 8.7 million
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 157
Mobile cellular rank: 92

Telephone system
General assessment: excellent service
Domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity more than 180 telephones per 100 persons; multiple providers of high-speed Internet connectivity and the government is close to completing an island-wide roll out of a high-speed fiber-optic broadband network
International: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia Australia the Middle East Europe and US; satellite earth stations - 4; supplemented by VSAT coverage

Broadcast media: state controls broadcast media; 8 domestic TV stations operated by MediaCorp which is wholly owned by a state investment company; broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian stations available; satellite dishes banned; multi-channel cable TV service available; a total of 18 domestic radio stations broadcasting with MediaCorp operating more than a dozen and another 4 stations are closely linked to the ruling party or controlled by the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association; many Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations are available

Internet
Country code: .sg
Users total: 4.5 million
Users percent of population: 80.7%
Users rank: 73

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures:
Rank: 15

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation: 18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 1/2 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2012)

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 9 (2013)
Rank: 158
With paved runways total: 9
With paved runways over 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 2
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 3
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 1
With paved runways under 914 m: 1

Heliports

Pipelines: gas 122 km; refined products 8 km (2013)

Railways

Roadways
Total: 3,425 km
Paved: 3,425 km (2012)
Rank: 164

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 1599
By type: bulk carrier 247 cargo 109 carrier 6 chemical tanker 256 container 339 liquefied gas 131 petroleum tanker 436 refrigerated cargo 13 roll on/roll off 5 vehicle carrier 57
Foreign owned: 966
Registered in other countries: 344 (2010)
Rank: 6

Ports and terminals
Major seaport: Singapore
Container port: Singapore (31,649,400)
LNG terminal: Singapore


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Disputes international: disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore Singapore's extensive land reclamation works bridge construction and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008 ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore and Middle Rocks to Malaysia but did not rule on maritime regimes boundaries or disposition of South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts including carrying out death sentences; as a transportation and financial services hub Singapore is vulnerable despite strict laws and enforcement as a venue for money laundering