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

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Background: A Malay trading port known as Temasek existed on the island of Singapore by the 14th century. The settlement changed hands several times in the ensuing centuries and was eventually burned in the 17th century, falling into obscurity. In 1819, the British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the same site and granted it full internal self-government for all matters except defense and foreign affairs in 1959. Singapore 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 and per capita GDP among the highest globally. The People’s Action Party has won every general election in Singapore since the end of the British colonial era, aided by its success in delivering consistent economic growth, as well as the city-state's fragmented opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the ruling party.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 719 km²
Land: 709.2 km²
Water: 10 km²
Comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Land boundaries
Total: 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
Highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

Natural resources

Land use
Agricultural land: 0.9% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)
Forest: 22% (2023 est.)
Other: 77.1% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 0 km² (2022)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards: flash floods

Geography
Note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes; consists of about 60 islands, the largest of which by far is Pulau Ujong; land reclamation has removed many former islands and created a number of new ones


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Population
Total: 6,028,459 (2024 est.)
Male: 3,013,630
Female: 3,014,829
Distribution: most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas
Growth rate: 0.87% (2024 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic groups

Languages: English (official) 48.3%, Mandarin (official) 29.9%, other Chinese dialects (includes Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka) 8.7%, Malay (official) 9.2%, Tamil (official) 2.5%, other 1.4% (2020 est.)
Major-language sample(s): ; The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English); 世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)
Note: data represent language most frequently spoken at home

Religions: Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.)

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years: 14.6% (male 455,536/female 424,969)
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,157,441/female 2,126,799)
65 years and over: 14.3% (2024 est.) (male 400,653/female 463,061)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 40.7 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 20.6 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 20.2 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 5 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 39.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 38 years
Female: 40.6 years

Population growth rate: 0.87% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 8.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Net migration rate

Population distribution: most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas

Urbanization
Urban population: 100% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023)

Environment

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
Total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio: 6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 86.7 years (2024 est.)
Male: 84 years
Female: 89.5 years

Total fertility rate: 1.17 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0% of population (2022 est.)

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.5% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment


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Country name

Government type

Capital
Name: Singapore
Geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
Time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country

Administrative divisions: no first-order administrative divisions; five community development councils: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019)

Dependent areas

Independence

National holiday

Constitution

Legal system: English common law

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

Citizenship

Suffrage

Executive branch
Chief of state: President THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (since 14 September 2023)
Head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence WONG (since 15 May 2024)
Cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; responsible to Parliament
Election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime ministers also appointed by the president
Most recent election date: 1 September 2023
2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote - THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (independent) 70.4%, NG Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 13.9%
2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate
Expected date of next election: 2,029

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 108 (97 directly elected; 9 appointed)
Electoral system: plurality/majority
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 5/3/2025
Parties elected and seats per party: People's Action Party (PAP) (87); Workers' Party (WPS) (12)
Percentage of women in chamber: 32.3%
Expected date of next election: May 2,030

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; a vertical white crescent is on the left side of the red band, with a circle of five five-pointed white stars to the right of the crescent

National symbols

National anthem
Title: 'Majulah Singapura' (Onward, Singapore)
Lyrics/music: Zubir SAID
History: adopted 1959; the anthem is sung only in Malay; first four lines of the melody are used as a presidential salute

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:


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Economy overview

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate: 4.4% (2024 est.); 1.8% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4.4% (2024 est.); 1.8% (2023 est.); 4.1% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 31.5% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 10.6% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 21.9% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0.3% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 178.8% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -143.6% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 0% (2024 est.)
Industry: 21.4% (2024 est.)
Services: 73% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

Agriculture products

Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, biomedical products, scientific instruments, telecommunication equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate: 4.2% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 3.722 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.5% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.5% (2023 est.); 3.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $80.836 billion (2022 est.)
Expenditures: $73.144 billion (2022 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year

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: $978.597 billion (2024 est.); $917.683 billion (2023 est.); $947.355 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: integrated circuits, refined petroleum, machinery, vaccines, gold (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $786.02 billion (2024 est.); $728.5 billion (2023 est.); $744.364 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates


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Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 13.134 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 56.672 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 169.447 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 94.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 1.153 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 97 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 1.514 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas
Consumption: 13.134 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Exports: 399.452 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
Imports: 13.973 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 238.962 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 2.338 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 210.859 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 25.765 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 643.259 million Btu/person (2023 est.)


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Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 1.912 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 9.65 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2022 est.)

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet
Users percent of population: 94% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 1.57 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.)


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Military expenditures: 3% of GDP (2024 est.); 3% of GDP (2023 est.); 3% of GDP (2022 est.); 3% of GDP (2021 est.); 3% of GDP (2020 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: 9 (2025)

Heliports: 1 (2025)

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine
Total: 3,202 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 591, container ship 604, general cargo 107, oil tanker 600, other 1,300

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs