Singapore
Introduction Singapore
----------------------
Background: Founded as a British trading colony
in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia
in 1963, but withdrew two years
later and became independent. It
subsequently became one of the
world's most prosperous countries,
with strong international trading
links (its port is one of the
world's busiest) and with per capita
GDP equal to that of the leading
nations of Western Europe.
Geography Singapore
-------------------
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between
Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area: total: 692.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the
size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims: exclusive fishing zone: within and
beyond territorial sea, as defined
in treaties and practice
territorial sea: 3 NM
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two
distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon from December
to March and Southwestern monsoon
from June to September; inter-
monsoon - frequent afternoon and
early evening thunderstorms
Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central
plateau contains water catchment
area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use: arable land: 1.64%
permanent crops: 0%
other: 98.36% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
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 party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, 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
Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea
routes
People Singapore
----------------
Population: 4,452,732 (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.6% (male 404,212;
female 378,660)
15-64 years: 75.3% (male 1,630,696;
female 1,724,532)
65 years and over: 7.1% (male
137,512; female 177,120) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.46% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 12.78 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 26.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
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: 0.78 male(s)/
female
total population: 0.95 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 3.6 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.29 years
female: 83.47 years (2002 est.)
male: 77.34 years
Total fertility rate: 1.23 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.19% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ 4,000 (1999 est.)
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: 210 (1999 est.)
Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian
7.9%, other 1.4%
Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays),
Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist,
Confucianist
Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official
and national), Tamil (official),
English (official)
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 93.5%
male: 97%
female: 89.8% (1999)
Government Singapore
--------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Republic of
Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
Government type: parliamentary republic
Capital: Singapore
Administrative divisions: none
Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
National holiday: Independence Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution: 3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on
preindependence State of Singapore
Constitution)
Legal system: based on English common law; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and
compulsory
Executive branch: chief of state: President Sellapan
Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
head of government: Prime Minister
Chok Tong GOH (since 28 November
1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers
Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Hsien Loong LEE
(since 28 November 1990) and Keng
Yam Tony TAN (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 1999
(next to be held by August 2005);
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: Sellapan Rama (S.
R.) NATHAN elected president
unopposed
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; the losing
opposition candidate who came closet
to winning a seat may be appointed
as a "nonconstituency" member
elections: last held 3 November 2001
(next to be held 25 June 2007)
election results: percent of vote by
party - PAP 75.3% (in contested
constituencies), other 24.7%; seats
by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1
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: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP
[leader NA]; People's Action Party
or PAP [Chok Tong GOH, secretary
general] - the governing party;
Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA
[CHIAM See Tong] (includes Singapore
People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See
Tong], Singapore Democratic Party or
SDP [CHEE Soon Juan], National
Solidarity Party [leader NA],
Singapore Justice Party [leader NA],
and Singapore Malay National
Organization [leader NA]); Workers'
Party or WP [J. B. JEYARETNAM]
Political pressure groups and NA
leaders:
International organization APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CCC,
participation: CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO,
ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO,
ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UN Security
Council (temporary), UNCTAD, UNIKOM,
UNMEE, UNTAET, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO,
WMO, WTrO
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Heng
Chee CHAN
consulate(s): New York
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
chancery: 3501 International Place
NW, Washington, DC 20008
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador
US: Franklin L. LAVIN
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore
258508
mailing address: PSC Box 470, FPO AP
96534-0001
telephone: [65] 476-9100
FAX: [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
Economy Singapore
-----------------
Economy - overview: Singapore, a highly developed and
successful free-market economy,
enjoys a remarkably open and
corruption-free environment, stable
prices, and one of the highest per
capita GDPs in the world. The
economy depends heavily on exports,
particularly in electronics and
manufacturing, and was hard hit in
2001 by the global recession and the
slump in the technology sector. In
2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The
economy is expected to recover in
2002 in response to improvements in
the US economy, and GDP growth for
2002 is projected to be 3% to 4%. In
the longer term the government hopes
to establish a new growth path that
will be less vulnerable to the
external business cycle than the
current export-led model, but is
unlikely to abandon efforts to
establish Singapore as Southeast
Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $106.3
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: -2.2% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $24,700
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 33%
services: 67% (2001 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.5% (2001 est.)
Labor force: 2.19 million (2000)
Labor force - by occupation: financial, business, and other
services 35%, manufacturing 21%,
construction 13%, transportation and
communication 9%, other 22%
Unemployment rate: 4.7% (2001 est.)
Budget: revenues: $27.9 billion
expenditures: $19.5 billion,
including capital expenditures of
$5.4 billion (FY00/01 est.)
Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial
services, oil drilling equipment,
petroleum refining, rubber
processing and rubber products,
processed food and beverages, ship
repair, entrepot trade,
biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate: -17.5% (2001 est.)
Electricity - production: 27.9 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 25.947 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: rubber, copra, fruit, orchids,
vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish,
ornamental fish
Exports: $122 billion (f.o.b., 2001 est.)
Exports - commodities: machinery and equipment (including
electronics), consumer goods,
chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners: Malaysia 18%, US 17%, Hong Kong 8%,
Japan 7.5%, Taiwan 6%, Thailand
4.3%, China 4%, South Korea 3.6%,
Germany 3%, Netherlands 3% (2000)
Imports: $116 billion (2001 est.)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, mineral
fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners: Japan 17%, Malaysia 17%, US 15%,
China 5%, Taiwan 4.4%, Thailand
4.3%, South Korea 3.6%, Saudi Arabia
3% (2000)
Debt - external: $8.3 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - recipient: $NA
Currency: Singapore dollar (SGD)
Currency code: SGD
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars per US dollar -
1.8388 (January 2002), 1.7917
(2001), 1.7240 (2000), 1.6950
(1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
Communications Singapore
------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 1.95 million (2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 2.74 million (2000)
Telephone system: general assessment: major
consideration given to serving
business interests; excellent
international service
domestic: excellent domestic
facilities
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)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 0, FM 16, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 2.6 million (2000)
Television broadcast stations: 6 (2000)
Televisions: 1.33 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sg
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 9 (2000)
Internet users: 2.12 million (2001)
Transportation Singapore
------------------------
Railways: total: 38.6 km
narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
note: there is also a 83 km mass
transit system with 48 stations
Highways: total: 3,150 km
paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of
expressways)
unpaved: 84 km (2000)
Waterways: none
Ports and harbors: Singapore
Merchant marine: total: 876 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 20,686,612 GRT/32,647,743
DWT
ships by type: bulk 131, cargo 100,
chemical tanker 81, combination bulk
10, combination ore/oil 6, container
168, liquefied gas 35, livestock
carrier 2, multi-functional large-
load carrier 1, petroleum tanker
287, refrigerated cargo 6, roll on/
roll off 5, short-sea passenger 1,
specialized tanker 11, vehicle
carrier 32
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Australia 7, Belgium 6,
China 12, Denmark 27, Germany 17,
Greece 4, Hong Kong 44, Indonesia 8,
Japan 52, Malaysia 4, Monaco 22,
Netherlands 2, Norway 42,
Philippines 6, Russia 3, Slovenia 1,
South Korea 10, Sweden 13,
Switzerland 7, Taiwan 46, Tanzania
2, Thailand 22, United Arab Emirates
4, United Kingdom 14, United States
1 (2002 est.)
Airports: 9 (2001)
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 (2001)
Military Singapore
------------------
Military branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's
Defense Force, Police Force
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 1,354,857 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 986,101 (2002 est.)
service:
Military expenditures - dollar $4.47 billion (FY01/02 est.)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 4.9% (FY01/02)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Singapore
------------------------------
Disputes - international: Singapore and Malaysia are
considering taking the unresolved
dispute over Pulau Batu Putih (Pedra
Branca Island) to ICJ; Malaysia
concerned over Singapore's land
reclamation works on Johor, which
affects the maritime boundary,
shipping lanes, and water ecology in
the Tebrau Reach
Illicit drugs: as a transportation and financial
services hub, Singapore is
vulnerable, despite strict laws and
enforcement, to use as a transit
point for Golden Triangle heroin and
as a venue for money laundering
