profile - singapore

7/30/2019 Profile - Singapore

1/11

Country List | World Factbook Home

The World Factbook

Singapore

Introduction Singapore

Background: Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined theMalaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and becameindependent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's mostprosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port isone of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with percapita 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 kmland: 682.7 sq kmwater: 10 sq km

Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington,

Page 1 of 11CIA - The World Factbook -- Singapore

10/4/2008https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/print/sn.html


2/11

DC

Land boundaries: 0 km

Coastline: 193 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 3 nmexclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorialsea, as defined in treaties and practice

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoonseasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March)and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early eveningthunderstorms

Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau containswater 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: 1.47%permanent crops: 1.47%other: 97.06% (2005)

Irrigated land: NA

Total renewable water resources: 0.6 cu km (1975)

Freshwater withdrawal

(domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%)

per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)

Natural hazards: NA

Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh waterresources; limited land availability presents wastedisposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting fromforest fires in Indonesia

Environment - internationalagreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, ClimateChange-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, EndangeredSpecies, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, OzoneLayer Protection, Ship Pollutionsigned, but not ratified: none of the selectedagreements

Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People Singapore

Population: 4,608,167 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 14.8% (male 353,333/female 329,005)




3/11

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.)

Median age: total: 38.4 yearsmale: 38 yearsfemale: 38.8 years (2008 est.)

Populationgrowth rate: 1.135% (2008 est.)

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

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

Net migrationrate:

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

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.08 male(s)/femaleunder 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female65 years and over:

0.8 male(s)/femaletotal population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortalityrate:

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

Life expectancyat birth:

total population: 81.89 yearsmale: 79.29 yearsfemale: 84.68 years (2008 est.)

Total fertilityrate:

1.08 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adultprevalence rate:

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS -people living

with HIV/AIDS:

4,100 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS -deaths:

fewer than 200 (2003 est.)

Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s)adjective: Singapore

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

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)

Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other0.9% (2000 census)

Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write




4/11

total population: 92.5%male: 96.6%female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Educationexpenditures:

3.7% of GDP (2001)

Government SingaporeCountry name: conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

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

Governmenttype:

parliamentary republic

Capital: name: Singaporegeographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 Etime difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during

Standard Time)

Administrativedivisions:

none

Independence: 9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Nationalholiday:

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Constitution: 3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State ofSingapore Constitution)

Legal system: based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJjurisdiction

Suffrage: 21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executivebranch:

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 formalcommunications is Sellapan RAMANATHANhead of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004);Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy PrimeMinisters Shunmugam JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) andWONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005)

cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliamentelections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; appointedon 17 August 2005 (next election to be held by August 2011); followinglegislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majoritycoalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy primeministers appointed by presidentelection results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN appointed president inAugust 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified threeother would-be candidates; scheduled election not held




5/11

Legislativebranch:

unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote toserve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominatedmembers; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest towinning seats may be appointed as "nonconstituency" memberselections: 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%, SDA13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with theadvice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the presidentwith the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals

Political partiesand leaders:

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

Political

pressuregroups andleaders:

UNFEM [Saleeman ISMAIL]

other: investment companies; news organizations

Internationalorganization

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,WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomaticrepresentation

in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Cheechancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876consulate(s) general: San Franciscoconsulate(s): New York

Diplomaticrepresentation

from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLDembassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001telephone: [65] 6476-9100FAX: [65] 6476-9340

Flagdescription:

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side ofthe red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward

the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arrangedin a circle

Economy Singapore

Economy -overview:

Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy.It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stableprices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest WestEuropean countries. The economy depends heavily on exports,particularly in consumer electronics and information technology




6/11

products. It was hard hit from 2001-03 by the global recession, by theslump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe AcuteRespiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism andconsumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports,and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004-07 with real GDPgrowth averaging 7% annually. The government hopes to establish a newgrowth path that will be less vulnerable to the global demand cycle forinformation technology products - it has attracted major investments inpharmaceuticals and medical technology production - and will continueefforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-techhub.

GDP(purchasing

power parity):

$227.1 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (officialexchange rate):

$161.3 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real

growth rate:7.7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita(PPP):

$49,900 (2007 est.)

GDP -composition by

sector:

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

Labor force: 2.751 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - byoccupation:

manufacturing 21%, construction 5%, transportation and communication7%, financial, business, and other services 42%, other 25% (2006)

Unemploymentrate:

2.1% (2007 est.)

Populationbelow poverty

line:

NA%

Householdincome or

consumption bypercentage

share:

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

Distribution offamily income -

Gini index:

52.2 (2005)

Inflation rate(consumer

prices):

2.1% (2007 est.)

Investment(gross fixed):

24.9% of GDP (2007 est.)




7/11

Budget: revenues: $27 billionexpenditures: $21.5 billion (2007 est.)

Public debt: 96.3% of GDP (2007 est.)

Agriculture -products:

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

Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment,petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processedfood and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, lifesciences, entrepot trade

Industrialproduction

growth rate:

7.4% (2007 est.)

Electricity -production:

39.44 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity -

production bysource:

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

Electricity -consumption:

35.92 billion kWh (2006)

Electricity -exports:

0 kWh (2006)

Electricity -imports:

0 kWh (2006)

Oil - production: 9,836 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil -consumption:

802,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports: 1.073 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - imports: 1.83 million bbl/day (2004)

Oil - provedreserves:

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Natural gas -production:

0 cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas -consumption:

6.8 billion cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas -exports:

0 cu m (2006 est.)

Natural gas -imports:

6.339 billion cu mnote: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2005)

Natural gas - 0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)




8/11

provedreserves:

Current accountbalance:

$46.39 billion (2007 est.)

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%, US8.9%, Japan 4.8%, Thailand 4.1% (2007)

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)

Economic aid -recipient:

$0 (2007)

Reserves offoreign

exchange andgold:

$163 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Debt - external: $25.59 billion (31 December 2007 est.)

Stock of directforeign

investment - at

home:

$214.5 billion (2007 est.)

Stock of directforeign

investment -abroad:

$111.2 billion (2005)

Market value ofpublicly traded

shares:

$382.4 billion (2007)

Currency(code):

Singapore dollar (SGD)

Currency code: SGD

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

Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March

Communications Singapore

Telephones -main lines in

1.859 million (2007)




9/11

use:

Telephones -mobile cellular:

5.619 million (2007)

Telephonesystem:

general assessment: excellent servicedomestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service inFebruary 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity isabout 150 telephones per 100 personsinternational: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables providelinks throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US;satellite earth stations -4; supplemented by VSAT coverage (2003)

Radiobroadcast

stations:

AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Radios: 2.6 million (2000)

Televisionbroadcast

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)

Internet countrycode:

.sg

Internet hosts: 954,475 (2007)

Internet ServiceProviders

(ISPs):

9 (2000)

Internet users:3.105 million (2007)

Transportation Singapore

Airports: 8 (2007)

Airports - withpaved runways:

total: 8over 3,047 m: 22,438 to 3,047 m: 11,524 to 2,437 m: 4914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007)

Pipelines: gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2007)

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

Merchantmarine:

total: 1,254 ships (1000 GRT or over) 36,840,708 GRT/57,100,327DWTby type: bulk carrier 171, cargo 80, carrier 5, chemical tanker 207,container 257, liquefied gas 89, petroleum tanker 380, refrigerated cargo5, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 6, vehicle carrier 50foreign-owned: 758 (Australia 11, Bangladesh 2, Belgium 8, Chile 6,




10/11

China 14, Denmark 82, France 1, Germany 24, Greece 14, Hong Kong44, India 10, Indonesia 66, Italy 5, Japan 109, Malaysia 26, Norway 164,Philippines 4, Slovenia 1, South Korea 8, Sweden 19, Switzerland 2,Taiwan 71, Thailand 22, UAE 14, UK 13, US 18)registered in other countries: 320 (Australia 1, Bahamas 17, Belize 2,Bolivia 1, Cambodia 3, Cayman Islands 10, Comoros 1, Cyprus 4,Dominica 7, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 11, Indonesia 27,Kiribati 3, Liberia 35, Malaysia 17, Malta 2, Marshall Islands 18,Mongolia 9, Norway 1, Panama 98, Philippines 1, St Kitts and Nevis 1,St Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 15, UK 2, US 12,unknown 3) (2008)

Ports andterminals:

Singapore

Military Singapore

Militarybranches:

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)(2008)

Military serviceage and

obligation:

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

Manpoweravailable for

military service:

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

Manpower fit formilitary service:

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

Manpowerreaching

militarilysignificant age

annually:

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

Militaryexpenditures:

4.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Transnational

IssuesSingapore

Disputes -international:

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water toSingapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridgeconstruction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits;

in November 2007, the ICJ will hold public hearings as a consequence ofthe Memorials and Countermemorials filed by the parties in 2003 and2005 over sovereignty of Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Puteh, MiddleRocks and South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work onfinalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by definingunresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains aproblem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs: drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a




11/11

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 2 October, 2008


profile - singapore

Documents