SINGAPORE
Geography People Government Economy Transportation Communications Defense Forces
SINGAPORE
@Singapore:Geography
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Map references: Southeast Asia
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SINGAPORE - MAJOR CITIES
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Latitude, Internat'l Time
Population Longitude Phone Code Zone
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SINGAPORE CITY 2,487,000 1.17N,103.51E 65- GMT+8
Serangoon 95,000 1.23N,103.55E 65- GMT+8
Jurong 53,000 1.21N,103.42E 65- GMT+8
Nee Soon 39,000 1.24N,103.49E 65- GMT+8
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Area:
total area: 632.6 sq km
land area: 622.6 sq km
comparative area: slightly less 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
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
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 4%
permanent crops: 7%
meadows and pastures: 0%
forest and woodland: 5%
other: 84%
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Environment:
current issues: industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water
resources; limited land availability presents waste disposal problems
natural hazards: NA
international agreements: party to - Endangered Species, Law of the
Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed,
but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate Change
Note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
@Singapore:People
Population: 2,890,468 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 23% (female 327,417; male 348,345)
15-64 years: 70% (female 991,015; male 1,030,668)
65 years and over: 7% (female 105,081; male 87,942) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.06% (1995 est.)
Birth rate: 15.93 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate: 5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 76.16 years
male: 73.28 years
female: 79.25 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore
Ethnic divisions: Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%
Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu,
Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
Languages: Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil
(official), English (official)
Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population: 89%
male: 95%
female: 83%
Labor force: 1.649 million (1994)
by occupation: financial, business, and other services 33.5%,
manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4%
(1994)
@Singapore:Government
Names:
conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
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:
chief of state: President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993);
election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1997);
results - ONG Teng Cheong was elected with 59% of the vote in the
country's first popular election for president
head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November
1990); Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990)
cabinet: Cabinet; appointed by the president, responsible to
parliament
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
Political parties and leaders:
government: People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary
general
opposition: Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; Singapore
Democratic Party (SDP), CHEE Soon Juan; National Solidarity Party
(NSP), leader NA; Barisan Sosialis (BS, Socialist Front), leader NA;
Singapore People's Party (SPP), SIN Kek Tong
Member of: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU,
WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Sellapan Rama NATHAN
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA
embassy: 30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617
mailing address: FPO AP 96534
telephone: [65] 3380251
FAX: [65] 3384550
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 10.1%
growth in 1994, with prospects for 7.5%-8.5% growth in 1995. In 1994,
the manufacturing and financial and business services sectors have led
economic growth. Exports boomed, led by the electronics sector,
particularly US demand for disk drives. Rising labor costs continue to
be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, but there are indications
that productivity is keeping up. In applied technology, per capita
output, investment, and labor discipline, Singapore has key attributes
of a developed country.
National product: GDP - purchasing power parity - $57 billion (1994
est.)
National product real growth rate: 10.1% (1994)
National product per capita: $19,940 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 3.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1994)
Budget:
revenues: $11.9 billion
expenditures: $10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.9
billion (FY93/94 est.)
Exports: $96.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities: computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum
products, telecommunications equipment
partners: Malaysia 20%, US 19%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 7%, Thailand 6%
(1994)
Imports: $102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners: Japan 22%, Malaysia 16%, US 15%, Taiwan 4%, Saudi Arabia 4%
(1994)
External debt: $20 million (1993 est.)
Industrial production: growth rate 13% (1994 est.); accounts for 28%
of GDP (1993)
Electricity:
capacity: 4,510,000 kW
production: 17 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,590 kWh (1993)
Industries: petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment,
rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages,
ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology
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
US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a major money-laundering
center
Economic aid:
recipient: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million;
Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments
(1970-89), $1 billion
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4524 (January
1995), 1.5275 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991),
1.8125 (1990)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March
@Singapore:Transportation
Railroads:
total: 38.6 km
narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total: 2,883 km
paved: 2,796 km
unpaved: 87 km (1991 est.)
Ports: Singapore
Merchant marine:
total: 563 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,167,596
GRT/17,845,687 DWT
ships by type: bulk 96, cargo 121, chemical tanker 16, combination
bulk 2, combination ore/oil 7, container 78, liquefied gas tanker 6,
oil tanker 198, refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12,
short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 22
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes 20 countries among
which are Japan 35 ships, Denmark 21, Germany 21, Hong Kong 18,
Belgium 14, Thailand 11, Sweden 8, US 7, Indonesia 6, and Norway 5;
Singapore owns 1 ship under Malaysia registry
Airports:
total: 10
with paved runways over 3,047 m: 3
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m: 1
@Singapore:Communications
Telephone system: 1,110,000 telephones; good domestic facilities; good
international service; good radio and television broadcast coverage
local: NA
intercity: NA
international: submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and
Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; 2 INTELSAT (1
Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean) earth stations
Radio:
broadcast stations: AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0
radios: NA
Television:
broadcast stations: 2
televisions: NA
@Singapore:Defense Forces
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Manpower availability: males age 15-49 860,437; males fit for military
service 629,973 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures: exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion, 6% of
GDP (1993 est.)
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