Singapore

Singapore

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Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Area

Land Boundaries

0 km

Coastline

193 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)

Terrain

Lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

NA

Environment

Note: Focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

PEOPLE

Population

3,396,924 (July 1996 est.)
2,890,468 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

22% (male 379,076; female 358,739) (July 1996 est.)
23% (male 348,345; female 327,417) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

72% (male 1,220,131; female 1,219,412) (July 1996 est.)
70% (male 1,030,668; female 991,015) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

6% (male 97,882; female 121,684) (July 1996 est.)
7% (male 87,942; female 105,081) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

1.9% (1996 est.)
1.06% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

16.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
15.93 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

4.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

7.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.06 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
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

1.65 children born/woman (1996 est.)
1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

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

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

1.649 million (1994)

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

SN

Type

Republic within Commonwealth

Capital

Singapore

Administrative Divisions

None

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

National Holiday

National 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

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

Unicameral

Parliament

Elections last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held by 31 August 1996); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP 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

Political Parties and Leaders

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

National Anthem

Flag

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

Overview

Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. The economy registered 8.9% growth in 1995, with prospects for 7%-8% growth in 1996. In 1995, the manufacturing and financial and business services sectors led economic growth. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, and 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.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $66.1 billion (1995 est.), $57 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

6.9% (1998 est.)
7.0% (1997 est.)
7.0% (1996)
8.9% (1995)
10.1% (1994)

National Product Per Capita

$22,900 (1995 est.)
$19,940 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

1.7% (1995)
3.6% (1994)

Unemployment Rate

2.6% (1995 est.)
2.6% (1994)

Budget

Exports

$119.6 billion (1995)
$96.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$125.9 billion (1995)
$102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$3.2 million (1994)
$20 million (1993 est.)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 10% (1995), 13% (1994 est.); accounts for 28% of GDP (1993)

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must import much of other food; major crops - rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables

Illicit Drugs

Transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the U.S., Western Europe, and the Third World; also a major money-laundering center

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Exchange Rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990)

Fiscal Year

1 April - 31 March

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Ports

Singapore

Merchant Marine

Note: A flag of convenience registry; includes 22 countries among which are Japan 39 ships, Denmark 21, Germany 21, Hong Kong 27, Belgium 12, Thailand 14, Sweden 14, U.S. 7, Indonesia 7, and Norway 9 (1995 est.)

Airports

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

1.23 million telephones (1993 est.); good domestic facilities; good international service; good radio and television broadcast coverage

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

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

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 1,025,300; males fit for military service 752,382 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $3.9 billion, 4.3% of GDP (1995 est.), $2.7 billion, 6% of GDP (1993 est.)

History
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