1995 Edition

Area

total area: 632.6 sq km land area: 622.6 sq km comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)

Coastline

193 km

Environment

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

two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 4% permanent crops: 7% meadows and pastures: 0% forest and woodland: 5% other: 84%

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Terrain

lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Age structure

0-14 years: 23% (female 327,417; male 348,345) 15-64 years: 70% (female 991,015; male 1,030,668) 65 years and over: 7% (female 105,081; male 87,942) (July 1995 est.)

Birth rate

15.93 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death rate

5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%

Infant mortality rate

5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Labor force

1.649 million (1994) by occupation: financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

Languages

Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.16 years male: 73.28 years female: 79.25 years (1995 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1990) total population: 89% male: 95% female: 83%

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Population

2,890,468 (July 1995 est.)

Population growth rate

1.06% (1995 est.)

Religions

Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Total fertility rate

1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Singapore

Constitution

3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)

Digraph

SN

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador Sellapan Rama NATHAN chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

Executive branch

chief of state: President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993); election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1997); 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); Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president, responsible to parliament

FAX

[1] (202) 537-0876

[65] 3384550

Flag

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

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Legal system

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Legislative branch

unicameral

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Names

conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

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

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Type

republic within Commonwealth

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA embassy: 30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617 mailing address: FPO AP 96534 telephone: [65] 3380251

Agriculture

minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops - rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables

Budget

revenues: $11.9 billion expenditures: $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.9 billion (FY93/94 est.)

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Economic aid

recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1 billion

Electricity

capacity: 4,510,000 kW production: 17 billion kWh consumption per capita: 5,590 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4524 (January 1995), 1.5275 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990)

Exports

$96.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994) commodities: computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment partners: Malaysia 20%, US 19%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 7%, Thailand 6% (1994)

External debt

$20 million (1993 est.)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Illicit drugs

transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a major money-laundering center

Imports

$102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994) commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: Japan 22%, Malaysia 16%, US 15%, Taiwan 4%, Saudi Arabia 4% (1994)

Industrial production

growth rate 13% (1994 est.); accounts for 28% of GDP (1993)

Industries

petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

3.6% (1994)

National product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $57 billion (1994 est.)

National product per capita

$19,940 (1994 est.)

National product real growth rate

10.1% (1994)

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 10.1% growth in 1994, with prospects for 7.5%-8.5% growth in 1995. In 1994, the manufacturing and financial and business services sectors have led economic growth. Exports boomed, led by the electronics sector, particularly US demand for disk drives. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, but there are indications that productivity is keeping up. In applied technology, per capita output, investment, and labor discipline, Singapore has key attributes of a developed country.

Unemployment rate

2.6% (1994)

Radio

broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0 radios: NA

Telephone system

1,110,000 telephones; 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

Television

broadcast stations: 2 televisions: NA

Airports

total: 10 with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3 with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Highways

total: 2,883 km paved: 2,796 km unpaved: 87 km (1991 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 563 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,167,596 GRT/17,845,687 DWT ships by type: bulk 96, cargo 121, chemical tanker 16, combination bulk 2, combination ore/oil 7, container 78, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 198, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 22 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 20 countries among which are Japan 35 ships, Denmark 21, Germany 21, Hong Kong 18, Belgium 14, Thailand 11, Sweden 8, US 7, Indonesia 6, and Norway 5; Singapore owns 1 ship under Malaysia registry

Ports

Singapore

Railroads

total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge

Branches

Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion, 6% of GDP (1993 est.) ________________________________________________________________________ SLOVAKIA

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 860,437; males fit for military service 629,973 (1995 est.)