Singapore

republic within CommonwealthIndependence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Singapore as the 1992 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 72 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalSingapore

Area632.6 km2

Populationas each edition published it

2.79 million July 1992 · 2.72m in 1990

Population growth% a year

Not in this edition 1.19% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 34.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

Not in this edition 75.75 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.9 children per woman 1992 · 2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

6 deaths per 1,000 live births 1992 · 8 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

Not in this edition $16,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

Not in this edition 5.8% in 1993

Geography

13 fields

Total area

632.6km2

Comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

193km

land boundaries: noneExclusive fishing zone: 12 nmTerritorial sea: 3 nm

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

Land use

arable land 4%;
permanent crops 7%;
meadows and pastures 0%;
forest and woodland 5%;
other 84%

Note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People

14 fields

Population

2,792,092

(July 1992), growth rate 1.3% (1992)

Per 1,000 population(1992)

Birth

18Death

5Net migration

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 76.4%Malay 14.9%Indian 6.4%other 2.3%

Literacy

88%

(male 93%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)

Nationality

noun - Singaporean(s); adjective - Singapore

Religions

majority of Chinese are Buddhists or atheists; Malays are nearly all Muslim (minorities include Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Taoists, Confucianists)

Languages

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

Labor force

1,485,800; financial, business, and other services 30.2%, manufacturing 28.4%, commerce 22.0%, construction 9.0%, other 10.4% (1990)

Government

Republic within Commonwealth

19 fields

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

Executive branch

president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, Cabinet

Leaders

Chief of State:: President WEE Kim Wee (since 3 September 1985)
Head of Government:: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990);
Deputy Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990);
Deputy Prime Ministers ONG Teng Cheong (since 2 January 1985) and LEE Hsien Loong

Political parties and leaders

government:: People's Action Party (PAP), LEE Kuan Yew, secretary general;
opposition:: Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM;
Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHIAM See Tong;
National Solidarity Party (NSP), leader NA;
Barisan Sosialis (BS, Socialist Front), leader NA

Elections

President:: last held 31 August 1989 (next to be held NA August 1993); results - President WEE Kim Wee was reelected by Parliament without opposition
Parliament:: last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held 31 August 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA;
seats - (81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP 1

Communists

200-500;
Barisan Sosialis infiltrated by Communists;
note - Communist party illegal

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation

Ambassador S. R. NATHAN;
Chancery at 1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009;
telephone (202) 667-7555

US:: Ambassador Robert D. ORR;
Embassy at 30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617 (mailing address is FPO AP 96534);
telephone [65] 338-0251;
FAX [65] 338-4550

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

Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and | manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from | its entrepot history.

16 fields

Inflation, consumer prices

3.4%

(1991 est.)

Unemployment rate

1.5%

(1991 est.)

External debt

$3.8billion

(1991 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$9.8 billionExpenditures

$9.0 billion

expenditures, including capital expenditures of $2.8 billion (FY91 est.)

Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. During the 1970s and early 1980s, the economy expanded rapidly, achieving an average annual growth rate of 9%. Per capita GDP is among the highest in Asia.

The economy grew at a respectable 6.5% in 1991, down from 8.3% in 1990, in part because of a slowdown in overseas demand and lower growth in the financial and business services sector.

GDP

exchange rate conversion - $38.3 billion, per capita $13,900; real growth rate 6.5% (1991 est.)

Exports

$57.8 billion (f.o.b., 1991 est.)

commodities:: includes transshipments to Malaysia - petroleum products, rubber, electronics, manufactured goods
partners:: US 20%, Malaysia 15%, Japan 9%, Hong Kong 7%, Thailand 6%

Imports

$65.8 billion (c.i.f., 1991 est.)

commodities:: includes transshipments from Malaysia - capital equipment, petroleum, chemicals, manufactured goods, foodstuffs
partners:: Japan 21%, US 16%, Malaysia 15%, Taiwan 4%

Industrial production

growth rate 9% (1991 est.); accounts for 29% of GDP (1990)

Electricity

4,000,000 kW capacity; 14,400 million kWh produced, 5,300 kWh per capita (1990)

Industries

petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology

Agriculture

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

Economic aid

US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million; Western (non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1.0 billion

Currency

Singapore dollar (plural - dollars); 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6596 (March 1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988), 2.1060 (1987)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

7 fields

Merchant marine, 468 ships by type

passenger-cargo 1cargo 126container 74roll-on/roll-off cargo 7refrigerated cargo 5vehicle carrier 18livestock carrier 1petroleum tanker 144chemical tanker 5combination ore/oil 4specialized tanker 1liquefied gas 5bulk 74combination bulk 2short-sea passenger; note - many Singapore flag ships are foreign owned 1468 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 8,751,619 GRT/14,195,718 DWT

Airports, 10 total, 10 usable

permanent-surface runways

10runways over | 3,659 m

2runways 2,440-3,659 m

4runways 1,220-2,439 m

Networkskm

Highways

2,597 (1984)Railroads

good domestic facilities;
good international service;
good radio and television broadcast coverage;
1,110,000 telephones;
broadcast stations - 13 AM, 4 FM, 2 TV;
submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
satellite earth stations - 1 Indian Ocean INTELSAT and 1 Pacific Ocean INTELSAT

Defense Forces

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

3 fields

How to cite ← 1991 edition 1993 edition →

Geography

People

Government

Economy

Communications

Defense Forces

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