2023 Edition

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 and fell into obscurity. The British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the site 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 among the highest globally.

Area

land

709.2 sq km

total

719 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

highest point

Bukit Timah 166 m

lowest point

Singapore Strait 0 m

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

total

0 km

Land use

agricultural land

1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

3.3% (2018 est.)

other

95.7% (2018 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

flash floods

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Population distribution

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

Terrain

lowlying, gently undulating central plateau

Age structure

0-14 years

14.82% (male 458,019/female 427,364)

15-64 years

71.49% (male 2,148,471/female 2,123,102)

65 years and over

13.7% (2023 est.) (male 379,373/female 439,054)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

8.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 18

0.1% (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

NA

Current health expenditure

6.1% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2023 est.)

Death rate

4.2 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Demographic profile

Singapore has one of the lowest total fertility rates (TFR) in the world – an average of 1.15 children born per woman – and a rapidly aging population.  Women’s expanded educations, widened aspirations, and a desire to establish careers has contributed to delayed marriage and smaller families. Most married couples have only one or two children in order to invest more in each child, including the high costs of education.  In addition, more and more Singaporeans, particularly women, are staying single.  Factors contributing to this trend are a focus on careers, long working hours, the high cost of living, and long waits for public housing.    With fertility at such a low rate and rising life expectancy, the proportion of the population aged 65 or over is growing and the youth population is shrinking.  Singapore is projected to experience one of the largest percentage point increases in the elderly share of the population at 21% between 2019 and 2050, according to the UN.  The working-age population (aged 15-64) will gradually decrease, leaving fewer workers to economically support the elderly population. Migration has played a key role in Singapore’s development.  As Singapore’s economy expanded during the 19th century, more and more Chinese, Indian, and Malay labor immigrants arrived.  Most of Singapore’s pre-World War II population growth was a result of immigration.  During World War II, immigration came to a halt when the Japanese occupied the island but revived in the postwar years.  Policy was restrictive during the 1950s and 1960s, aiming to protect jobs for residents by reducing the intake of low-skilled foreign workers and focusing instead on attracting professionals from abroad with specialist skills.  Consequently, the nonresident share of Singapore’s population plummeted to less than 3%.  As the country industrialized, however, it loosened restrictions on the immigration of manual workers.  From the 1980s through the 2000s, the foreign population continued to grow as a result of policies aimed at attracting foreign workers of all skill levels.  More recently, the government has instituted immigration policies that target highly skilled workers. Skilled workers are encouraged to stay and are given the opportunity to become permanent residents or citizens.  The country, however, imposes restrictions on unskilled and low-skilled workers to ensure they do not establish roots, including prohibiting them from bringing their families and requiring employers to pay a monthly foreign worker levy and security bond.  The country has also become increasingly attractive to international students. The growth of the foreign-born population has continued to be rapid; as of 2015, the foreign-born composed 46% of the total population.  At the same time, growing numbers of Singaporeans are emigrating for education and work experience in highly skilled sectors such finance, information technology, and medicine.  Increasingly, the moves abroad are permanent.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

19.1

potential support ratio

5.2 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

35.4

youth dependency ratio

16.2

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

Education expenditures

2.8% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.)

note

note: data represent population by self-identification; the population is divided into four categories: Chinese, Malay (includes indigenous Malays and Indonesians), Indian (includes Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Sri Lankan), and other ethnic groups (includes Eurasians, Caucasians, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese)

Gross reproduction rate

0.57 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.5 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

1.4 deaths/1,000 live births

male

1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

total

1.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)

Languages

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%; note - data represent language most frequently spoken at home (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)

Life expectancy at birth

female

89.3 years

male

83.8 years

total population

86.5 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96.1% (2019)

male

98.9%

total population

97.5%

Major urban areas - population

6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

40.1 years

male

37.7 years

total

38.9 years (2023 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.5 years (2015 est.)

note

note: data represents median age

Nationality

adjective

Singapore

noun

Singaporean(s)

Net migration rate

4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.1% (2016)

Physicians density

2.46 physicians/1,000 population (2019)

Population

5,975,383 (2023 est.)

Population distribution

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

Population growth rate

0.9% (2023 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: 100% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 0% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

17 years (2020)

male

16 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.86 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

5% (2020 est.)

male

28% (2020 est.)

total

16.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.17 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

11.8%

male

7%

total

9.1% (2021 est.)

Administrative divisions

no first order administrative divisions; there are 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)

Capital

etymology

name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pura (city), thus creating the city's epithet "lion city"

geographic coordinates

1 17 N, 103 51 E

name

Singapore

time difference

UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore

dual citizenship recognized

no

residency requirement for naturalization

10 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in the second and third readings by the elected Parliament membership and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting sovereignty or control of the Police Force or the Armed Forces requires at least two-thirds majority vote in a referendum; amended many times, last in 2020

history

several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Singapore

conventional short form

Singapore

etymology

name derives from the Sanskrit words "simha" (lion) and "pura" (city) to describe the city-state's leonine symbol

local long form

Republic of Singapore

local short form

Singapore

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Jonathan KAPLAN (since December 2021)

email address and website

singaporeusembassy@state.govhttps://sg.usembassy.gov/

embassy

27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

FAX

[65] 6476-9340

mailing address

4280 Singapore Place, Washington DC  20521-4280

telephone

[65] 6476-9100

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

chief of mission

Ambassador LUI Tuck Yew (since 30 June 2023)

consulate(s)

New York

consulate(s) general

San Francisco

email address and website

singemb_was@mfa.sghttps://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/

FAX

[1] (202) 537-7086

telephone

[1] (202) 537-3100

Executive branch

cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; Cabinet responsible to Parliament

chief of state

President THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (since 14 September 2023)

election results

2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote - THARMAN (independent) 70.4%, Ng Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, Tan Kin Lian (independent) 13.9%; turnout is 93.4%2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate2011: Tony TAN Keng Yam elected president; percent of vote - Tony TAN Keng Yam (independent) 35.2%, TAN Cheng Bock (independent) 34.9%, TAN Jee Say (independent) 25%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 4.9%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by simple majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); election last held on 1 September 2023; next to be held in 2029); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

head of government

Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004)

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

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, UNOOSA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Supreme Court (although the number of judges varies - as of April 2019, the court totaled 20 judges, 7 judicial commissioners, 4 judges of appeal, and 16 international judges); the court is organized into an upper tier Appeal Court and a lower tier High Court

judge selection and term of office

judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; judges usually serve until retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended

subordinate courts

district, magistrates', juvenile, family, community, and coroners' courts; small claims tribunals; employment claims tribunals

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament (104 seats statutory, 103 current term; 93 members directly elected by simple majority popular vote, up to 9 nominated by a parliamentary selection committee and appointed by the president, and up to 12 non-constituency members from opposition parties to ensure political diversity; members serve 5-year terms); note - the number of nominated members increased to 12 for the 2020 election for the first time

election results

percent of vote by party - PAP 89.2%, WP 10.6%, other 0.2%; seats by party - PAP 83, WP 10; composition of total Parliament - men 73, women 30, percent of women 29.1%

elections

last held on 10 July 2020 (next must be held by 24 November 2025)

National anthem

lyrics/music

ZUBIR Said

name

"Majulah Singapura" (Onward Singapore)

note

note: adopted 1965; first performed in 1958 at the Victoria Theatre, the anthem is sung only in Malay

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Singapore Botanic Gardens

total World Heritage Sites

1 (cultural)

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

National symbol(s)

lion, merlion (mythical half lion-half fish creature), orchid; national colors: red, white

Political parties and leaders

Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [Mohamad Hamim BIN ALIYA]National Solidarity Party or NSP [Spencer NG]People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]People's Power Party or PPP [Goh Meng SENG]People's Voice or PV [Lim TEAN]Progress Singapore Party or PSP [Francis YUEN]Red Dot United or RDU [Ravi PHILEMON]Reform Party or RP [Kenneth JEYARETNAM]Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [Desmond LIM]Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [Dr. CHEE Soon Juan]Singapore People's Party or SPP [Steve CHIA]Singapore United Party or SUP [Andy ZHU]Workers' Party or WP [Pritam SINGH]

note

note: the PAP has won every general election since the end of the British colonial era in 1959

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Agricultural products

poultry, eggs, vegetables, pork, duck meat, spinach, pig offals, bird eggs, pig fat, cabbages

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

1.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

6.9% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$90.264 billion (2020 est.)

note

note: expenditures include both operational and development expenditures

revenues

$59.974 billion (2020 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-0.3% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

AAA (2003)

Moody's rating

Aaa (2002)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

AAA (1995)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$54.273 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

$58.139 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$71.926 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2018

$1,528,177,000,000 (2018 est.)

Debt - external 2019

$1,557,646,000,000 (2019 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, service-based Southeast Asian economy; renowned for financial markets and Asian Infrastructure Exchange; business-driven regulations; low unemployment; electronics, oil, and chemicals exporter; continuing education investment

Exchange rates

Currency

Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

1.381 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

1.349 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

1.364 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

1.38 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

1.343 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$658.127 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$627.442 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$733.782 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, gold, packaged medicines, appliances, photo lab equipment (2021)

Exports - partners

China 16%, Hong Kong 16%, United States 8%, Malaysia 9%, Indonesia 5% (2021)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

173.3% (2017 est.)

government consumption

10.9% (2017 est.)

household consumption

35.6% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-149.1% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

24.8% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

2.8% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

0% (2017 est.)

industry

24.8% (2017 est.)

services

75.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$372.088 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2017

45.9 (2017)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

27.5% (2017)

lowest 10%

1.6%

Imports

Imports 2019

$550.209 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$517.967 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$609.28 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2021)

Imports - partners

China 15%, Malaysia 14%, Taiwan 9%, United States 9%, Japan 5% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

13.32% (2021 est.)

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2019

0.57% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

-0.18% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

2.3% (2021 est.)

Labor force

3.29 million (2021 est.)

note

note: excludes non-residents

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

0.7%

industry

25.6%

note

note: excludes non-residents

services

73.7% (2017)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

note

note: Singapore's public debt consists largely of Singapore Government Securities (SGS) 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

Public debt 2018

110.73% of GDP (2018 est.)

Public debt 2019

128.31% of GDP (2019 est.)

Public debt 2020

153.41% of GDP (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$560.566 billion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$537.341 billion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$578.254 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

1.1% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-4.14% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

7.61% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$98,300 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$94,500 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$106,000 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$285.478 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$369.834 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$425.098 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

12.89% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2019

3.1% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

4.1% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

3.62% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

11.8%

male

7%

total

9.1% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

1.588 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

26.28 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

211.115 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

238.983 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

423,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

1,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

424,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

50,742,380,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2019 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

12.24 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

571 million kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.3% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

96.5% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

1.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

639.951 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

13,396,282,000 cubic meters (2019 est.)

exports

550.818 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

imports

14,727,709,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

production

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

proven reserves

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

13,000 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

1,121,200 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

0 barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

1.448 million bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

0 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1.82 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

2.335 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

755,000 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

26 (2020 est.)

total

1,509,700 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

state controls broadcast media; 6 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 services available; a total of 19 domestic radio stations broadcasting, with MediaCorp operating 11, Singapore Press Holdings, also government-linked, another 5, 2 controlled by the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association and one owned by BBC Radio; Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations are available as is BBC; a number of Internet service radio stations are also available (2019)

Internet country code

.sg

Internet users

percent of population

91% (2021 est.)

total

5.369 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line is 32 per 100 and mobile-cellular 146 per 100 teledensity (2021)

general assessment

a wealthy city-state, Singapore has a highly developed ICT infrastructure; government supported near universal home broadband penetration and free public access to wireless network; the government's telecommunication regulator, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), issued awards in mid-2020 to telecom operators with the goal of having at least 50% of the city-state covered with a standalone 5G network by the end of 2022; government actively promoting Smart Nation initiative supporting digital innovation; government oversees service providers and controls Internet content; well served by submarine cable and satellite connections (2021)

international

country code - 65; landing points for INDIGO-West, SeaMeWe -3,-4,-5, SIGMAR, SJC, i2icn, PGASCOM, BSCS, IGG, B3JS, SAEx2, APCN-2, APG, ASC, SEAX-1, ASE, EAC-C2C, Matrix Cable System and SJC2 submarine cables providing links throughout Asia, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe; satellite earth stations - 3, Bukit Timah, Seletar, and Sentosa; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2019 )

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

32 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

1,906,200 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

156 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

9,350,700 (2022 est.)

Airports

9 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

joint use (civil-military) airports

3

military airports

2

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

other airports

4

total

9

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9V

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 574, container ship 542, general cargo 99, oil tanker 633, other 1,379

total

3,227 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

5,194,900,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

40,401,515 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

230

number of registered air carriers

4 (2020)

Pipelines

3,220 km domestic gas (2014), 1,122 km cross-border pipelines (2017), 8 km refined products (2013) (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Singapore (37,470,000) (2021)

LNG terminal(s) (import)

Singapore

major seaport(s)

Singapore

Roadways

paved

3,500 km (2017) (includes 164 km of expressways)

total

3,500 km (2017)

Military - note

the SAF's roots go back to 1854 when the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps was formed under colonial rule; the first battalion of regular soldiers, the First Singapore Infantry Regiment, was organized in 1957; the modern SAF was established in 1965 and is today widely viewed as the best equipped military in Southeast Asia; the SAF’s primary responsibility is external defense, but it has trained for certain domestic security operations, including joint deterrence patrols with police in instances of heightened terrorism alerts; the Army is organized into 3 combined arms divisions and a “people’s defense force,” a divisional headquarters responsible for homeland security and counterterrorism; the Army is based largely on 2-year conscripts and reservists with a small cadre of professional soldiers, and Army units are comprised of a mix of active duty and cadre/reserve battalions that are filled out by reservists upon mobilization; the Air Force and Navy are primarily comprised of professionals; the Air Force has over 100 modern US-origin combat aircraft, plus squadrons for anti-submarine warfare, maritime patrol, early warning, surveillance, and logistical support, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles and attack helicopters; the Navy’s principal combat vessels are a mix of about 20 frigates, corvettes, and littoral combat ships (comparable to a corvette in capabilities), plus a few submarines Singapore is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily (2023)

Military and security forces

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF; aka Singapore Defense Force): Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force (includes air defense), Digital and Intelligence ServiceMinistry of Home Affairs: Singapore Police Force (includes Police Coast Guard and the Gurkha Contingent) (2023)

note

note 1: the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) was stood up as the fourth SAF service in October of 2022note 2: the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force (GCSPF) is a paramilitary unit for riot control and acts as a rapid reaction force note 3: in 2009, Singapore established a multi-agency national Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF) to work with law enforcement and maritime agencies to guard Singapore’s waters, including conducting daily patrols, as well as boarding and escort operations in the Singapore Strait; the MSTF is subordinate to the Singapore Navy

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 60,000 active-duty troops (45,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2023)

Military deployments

maintains permanent training detachments of military personnel in Australia, France, and the US (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SAF has a diverse and largely modern mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems; in recent years, France and the US have been the chief suppliers of arms; Singapore has the most developed arms industry in Southeast Asia and is also its largest importer of weapons (2023)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

2.9% of GDP (2018)

Military Expenditures 2019

2.9% of GDP (2019)

Military Expenditures 2020

3% of GDP (2020)

Military Expenditures 2021

3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

3% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 16.5 years of age for voluntary enlistment (with parental consent); 24-month conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers); women are not conscripted, but they are allowed to volunteer for all services and branches, including combat arms (2023)

note

note 1: under the Enlistment Act, all male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to enter National Service (NS) upon attaining the age of 18; most NS conscripts serve in the Armed Forces, but some go into the Police Force or Civil Defense Force; conscripts comprise over half of the defense establishmentnote 2: as of 2019, women made up about 8% of the active forcenote 3: the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) also has a uniformed volunteer auxiliary branch known as the Volunteer Corps (SAFVC); the SAFVC allows citizens and residents not subject to the National Service obligation, including Singaporean women, first generation permanent residents, and naturalized citizens, to contribute towards Singapore's defense; the volunteers must be 18-45 and physically fitnote 4: members of the Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force are mostly recruited from a small number of hill tribes in Nepal; the GC was formed in 1949 originally from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas

Disputes - international

piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait Singapore-Indonesia: Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; subsequent treaties were signed in 2009 (ratified in 2010) and 2014 (ratified in 2017) settling the two countries’ boundaries in the Singapore Strait Singapore-Malaysia: disputes with Malaysia over territorial waters, airspace, the price of fresh water delivered to Singapore from Malaysia, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, the International Court of Justice 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, which is only visible at low tide

note

https://www.todayonline.com/world/asia/singapore-and-indonesia-signed-landmark-maritime-boundary-treaty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia%E2%80%93Singapore_border https://www.iseas.edu.sg/media/commentaries/indonesia-ratifies-maritime-border-treaty-with-singapore-a-commentary-by-mustafa-izzuddin/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedra_Branca_dispute https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Malaysia-in-transition/Singapore-and-Malaysia-make-major-breakthrough-in-maritime-dispute https://thediplomat.com/2021/09/the-1962-johor-singapore-water-agreement-lessons-learned/

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

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

1,109 (2022)

Space agency/agencies

no national government agency; Office for Space Technology and Industry (OSTin) was established in 2013 as a non-government space economic development program with the role of coordinating local space-related industry, universities, international businesses, and government agencies to encourage the development of space technologies in the private sector; the Center for Remote Sensing and Processing (CRISP) is under the National University of Singapore and established with funding from the Agency for Science, Technology, and Research of Singapore; CRISP’s mission is to develop an advanced capability in remote sensing (RS) to meet the scientific, operational, and business requirements of Singapore and the region (2023)

Space program overview

space program and capabilities are largely commercial with a focus on acquiring or developing and manufacturing small RS (including optical and microwave) satellites, other satellite-related capabilities, such as data processing, and rockets capable of placing small satellites in low Earth orbit; manufactures and operates satellites; has a considerable civil/commercial and university-based research and development program; has established relations with the space agencies and industries of China, the European Space Agency, India, Japan, and the US; has over 50 companies involved in space-related technology development and manufacturing (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

37.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

4.4 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

13.33 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

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

Environment - current issues

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

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, 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

Land use

agricultural land

1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 0.9% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 0% (2018 est.)

forest

3.3% (2018 est.)

other

95.7% (2018 est.)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

600 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

340 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

100% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

7,704,300 tons (2017 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

4,699,623 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

61% (2015 est.)