1998 Edition

Area

total: 647.5 sq km land: 637.5 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area-comparative

slightly more 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

Elevation extremes

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

Environment-current issues

industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment-international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Geography-note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: NA% forests and woodland: 5% other: 87% (1993 est.)

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 hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years: 21% (male 383,960; female 361,244) 15-64 years: 72% (male 1,252,427; female 1,255,795) 65 years and over: 7% (male 105,417; female 131,513) (July 1998 est.)

Birth rate

13.79 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Death rate

4.68 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Ethnic groups

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

Infant mortality rate

3.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 78.49 years male: 75.46 years female: 81.77 years (1998 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.1% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

2.87 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)

Population

3,490,356 (July 1998 est.)

Population growth rate

1.2% (1998 est.)

Religions

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

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 (1998 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.46 children born/woman (1998 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Constitution

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

Country name

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

Data code

SN

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%

FAX

[1] (202) 537-0876 Diplomatic representation from the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN embassy: 27 Napier Street, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96534-0001 telephone: [65] 476-9100

[65] 476-9340

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

Government type

republic within Commonwealth

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

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, MINUGUA, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

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: government: People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary general opposition: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHEE Soon Juan; Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; National Solidarity Party (NSP), C. K. TAN; Singapore People's Party (SPP), CHIAM See Tong

Legal system

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

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

National capital

Singapore

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture-products

rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry

Budget

revenues: $16.3 billion expenditures: $13.6 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Debt-external

$NA

Economic aid

$NA

Economy-overview

Singapore has an open economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. Extraordinarily strong fundamentals allowed Singapore to weather the effects of the Asian financial crisis better than its neighbors, but the crisis did pull GDP growth down to approximately 6% in 1997. Projections for 1998 GDP growth are in the 4.5% to 6.5% range. Rising labor costs and appreciation of the Singapore dollar against its neighbors' currencies continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness. 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.

Electricity-capacity

4.513 million kW (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

7,234 kWh (1995)

Electricity-production

21 billion kWh (1995)

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1-1.7533 (January 1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993)

Exports

total value: $125.6 billion (1997 est.) commodities: computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment partners: Malaysia 19%, US 18%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 8%, Thailand 6% (1995)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

GDP

purchasing power parity-$84.6 billion (1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

agriculture: NEGL% industry: 28% services: 72%

GDP-per capita

purchasing power parity-$24,600 (1997 est.)

GDP-real growth rate

6% (1997 est.)

Imports

total value: $133.9 billion (1997 est.) commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs partners: Japan 21%, Malaysia 15%, US 15%, Thailand 5%, Taiwan 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)

Industrial production growth rate

7% (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate-consumer price index

1.8% (1997 est.)

Labor force

total: 1.856 million (1997 est.) by occupation: financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

NA

Telephone system

good domestic facilities; good international service domestic: NA international: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations-2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Telephones

1.4 million (1997 est.)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1996)

Televisions

1.05 million (1992 est.)

Unemployment rate

3% (1997 est.)

Airports

9 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (1997 est.)

Highways

total: 3,010 km paved: 2,932 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 78 km (1995 est.) Ports and harbors: Singapore

Merchant marine

total: 856 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,463,338 GRT/29,322,743 DWT ships by type: bulk 135, cargo 146, chemical tanker 42, combination bulk 5, combination ore/oil 6, container 143, liquefied gas tanker 30, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 7, oil tanker 284, refrigerated cargo 9, roll-on/roll-off cargo 11, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 29 note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22 countries among which are Japan 42, Denmark 32, Hong Kong 31, Sweden 24, Thailand 24, Germany 18, Taiwan 12, Belgium 12, China 11, and Indonesia 11; Singapore also owns an additional 196 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,052,598 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1997 est.)

Railways

total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is a 67 km mass transit system with 42 stations

Military branches

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

Military expenditures-dollar figure

$4.03 billion (FY96/97)

Military expenditures-percent of GDP

4.3% (FY96/97)

Military manpower-availability

males age 15-49: 1,040,147 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 758,435 (1998 est.)

Disputes-international

two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Illicit drugs

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