top of pageBackground: 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.
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
top of pageEthnic 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% Cantonese 4.1% Tamil (official) 3.2% 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.)
Drinking water source:
urban: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Sanitation facility access:
urban: 100% of population
total: 100% of population
urban: 0% of population
total: 0% of population (2015 est.)
Major infectious diseasesNote: active local transmission of Zika virus by Aedes species mosquitoes has been identified in this country ; it poses an important risk (a large number of cases possible) among US citizens if bitten by an infective mosquito; other less common ways to get Zika are through sex via blood transfusion or during pregnancy in which the pregnant woman passes Zika virus to her fetus (2016)
top of pageConstitution: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965; amended many times last in 2015 (2016)
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branchChief 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%
Political parties and leaders:
National Solidarity Party or NSP [LIM Tean]
People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]
Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]
Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Khiang]
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
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
top of pageEconomy 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 2014-15 was slower at under 3% 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 as well as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership negotiations with the nine other ASEAN members plus Australia China India Japan South Korea and New Zealand. In 2015 Singapore formed with the other ASEAN members the ASEAN Economic Community.
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
Public debt:
104.7% of GDP (2015 est.)
99.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
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: 13
Exports:
$377.1 billion (2015 est.)
$437.8 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 14
Commodities: machinery and equipment (including electronics and telecommunications) pharmaceuticals and other chemicals refined petroleum products foodstuffs and beverages
Partners: China 13.7% Hong Kong 11.5% Malaysia 10.8% Indonesia 8.2% US 6.9% Japan 4.4% South Korea 4.1% (2015)
Imports:
$294.5 billion (2015 est.)
$358.2 billion (2014 est.)
Rank: 16
Commodities: machinery and equipment mineral fuels chemicals foodstuffs consumer goods
Partners: China 14.2% US 11.2% Malaysia 11.2% Japan 6.3% South Korea 6.1% Indonesia 4.8% (2015)
Debt external:
$465.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.)
$479.7 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
Rank: 28
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar -
1.3748 (2015 est.)
1.2671 (2014 est.)
1.2671 (2013 est.)
1.25 (2012 est.)
1.258 (2011 est.)
top of pagetop of pageTelephone systemGeneral assessment: excellent service
Domestic: excellent domestic facilities; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity more than 180 telephones per 100 persons; multiple providers of high-speed Internet connectivity
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
top of pageMilitary 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)
top of pagePipelines: gas 122 km; refined products 8 km (2013)
top of pageDisputes 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
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
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