2008 Edition

Background

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated 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.

Area

total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

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

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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Geography - note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Irrigated land

NA

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1.47% permanent crops: 1.47% other: 97.06% (2005)

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

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

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

0.6 cu km (1975)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.8% (male 353,333/female 329,005) 15-64 years: 76.5% (male 1,717,357/female 1,809,462) 65 years and over: 8.7% (male 177,378/female 221,632) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

8.99 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

4.53 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.7% of GDP (2001)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

4,100 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.51 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.08 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Languages

Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.89 years male: 79.29 years female: 84.68 years (2008 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Median age

total: 38.4 years male: 38 years female: 38.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

6.88 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Population

4,608,167 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

1.135% (2008 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100

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

Executive branch

chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005) cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

FAX

[1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York

[65] 6476-9340

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

parliamentary republic

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

International organization participation

ADB, APEC, APT, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIT, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" members elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held by 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Political parties and leaders

People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian] note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders

UNFEM [Saleeman ISMAIL] other: investment companies; news organizations

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agriculture - products

rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish

Budget

revenues: $27 billion expenditures: $21.5 billion (2007 est.)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.33% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code

SGD

Current account balance

$46.39 billion (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

52.2 (2005)

Economic aid - recipient

$0 (2007)

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 equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics and information technology products. It was hard hit from 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-07 with real GDP growth averaging 7% annually. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the global demand cycle for information technology products - it has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production - and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

Electricity - consumption

35.13 billion kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

38.68 billion kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003)

Exports

$302.7 billion f.o.b. (2007 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners

Malaysia 12.9%, Hong Kong 10.5%, Indonesia 9.8%, China 9.7%, US 8.9%, Japan 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2007)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry: 31.2% services: 68.8% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$49,900 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.7% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$161.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$227.1 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.9% highest 10%: 32.8% (1998)

Imports

$252 billion (2007 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Malaysia 13.1%, US 12.5%, China 12.1%, Japan 8.2%, Taiwan 5.9%, Indonesia 5.6%, South Korea 4.9% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

7.4% (2007 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.1% (2007 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)

Labor force

2.751 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 21%, construction 5%, transportation and communication 7%, financial, business, and other services 42%, other 25% (2006)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$382.4 billion (2007)

Natural gas - consumption

6.5 billion cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

6.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

834,600 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

1.203 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

2.003 million bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

9,836 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

96.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$111.2 billion (2005)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$214.5 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$129.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$44.4 billion (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$162.2 billion (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

2.1% (2007 est.)

Internet country code

.sg

Internet hosts

837,559 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

9 (2000)

Internet users

3.105 million (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios

2.6 million (2000)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity is about 165 telephones per 100 persons 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 (2007)

Telephones - main lines in use

1.859 million (2007)

Telephones - mobile cellular

5.619 million (2007)

Television broadcast stations

1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia (2006)

Televisions

1.33 million (1997)

Airports

8 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 8 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 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 1,292 by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 87, carrier 5, chemical tanker 209, container 273, liquefied gas 96, petroleum tanker 386, refrigerated cargo 5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 7, vehicle carrier 53 foreign-owned: 774 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6, China 14, Cyprus 1, Denmark 87, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 15, Hong Kong 47, India 13, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 131, South Korea 3, Malaysia 27, Norway 143, Slovenia 1, Sweden 20, Switzerland 2, Taiwan 72, Thailand 23, UAE 12, UK 17, US 22) registered in other countries: 331 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize 2, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 3, Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 12, Hong Kong 18, Indonesia 27, Isle of Man 1, Kiribati 4, Liberia 32, Malaysia 16, Marshall Islands 18, Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 100, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 1, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 4, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 23, US 12, unknown 2) (2008)

Pipelines

gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2007)

Ports and terminals

Singapore

Roadways

total: 3,262 km paved: 3,262 km (includes 150 km of expressways) (2006)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,277,862 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,038,603 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 27,742 female: 26,325 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)

Singapore Armed Forces

Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2008)

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 November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence of the Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and 2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and 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; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008