Singapore

Republic of Singapore

republic within CommonwealthIndependence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Singapore as the 1993 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 76 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
LocationSoutheast Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia
1993

Every edition of Singapore

Populationas each edition published it
2.83 million July 1993 est. · 2.72m in 1990
Population growth% a year
1.19% 1993 est. · 0.85% in 2025
Median ageyears
Not in this edition 34.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
75.75 years 1993 est. · 86.7 yrs in 2025
Fertility ratechildren per woman
1.89 children per woman 1993 est. · 2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
5.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1993 est. · 8 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$16,500 1992 · $132,600 in 2025
GDP real growth% a year
5.8% 1992 · 4.4% in 2025

Geography

Southeast Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia

14 fields

Land useshare of 632.6 km2

arable land 4%permanent crops 7%meadows and pastures 0%forest and woodland 5%other 84%
Area
632.6km2
land area: 622.6 km2comparative area: slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Coastline
193km
land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive fishing zone: 12 nmterritorial sea: 3 nm

Location

Southeast Asia, between Malaysia and Indonesia

Map references

Asia, Southeast Asia, Standard Time Zones of the World

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

Environment

mostly urban and industrialized

Note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People

14 fields
Population
2,826,331
(July 1993 est.)growth rate: 1.19% (1993 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1993 est.)

Birth
17.12Death
5.25Net migration
0

Male · female(1993 est.)

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years75.75
73.07 · 78.63
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy88%
93% · 84%
MaleFemaleLiteracy age 15 and over can read and write (1990)

Ethnic divisions

Chinese 76.4%Malay 14.9%Indian 6.4%other 2.3%
Labor force
1,485,800
by occupation: financial, business, and other services 30.2%, manufacturing 28.4%, commerce 22.0%, construction 9.0%, other 10.4% (1990)

Infant mortality rate

5.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1993 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (1993 est.)

Nationality

noun:
Singaporean(s)
adjective:
Singapore

Religions

Buddhist (Chinese), Atheist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

Languages

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

Government

Republic within Commonwealth

20 fields

Names

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

Type

republic within Commonwealth

Capital

Singapore

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Constitution

3 June 1959, amended 1965; based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

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), CHIAM See Tong;
  • National Solidarity Party (NSP), leader NA;
  • Barisan Sosialis (BS, Socialist Front), leader NA

Suffrage

20 years of age; universal and compulsory

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

Executive branch

president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, Cabinet

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

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 Minister ONG Teng Cheong (since 2 January 1985)

Member of

APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, COCOM (cooperating country), CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, UN, UNAVEM II, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission:
Ambassador S. R. NATHAN
chancery:
1824 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: (202) 667-7555

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission:
Ambassador Jon M. HUNTSMAN, Jr.
embassy:
30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617
mailing address:
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.

19 fields
GDP per capita, PPP
$16,500
(1992)
Real growth rate
5.8%
(1992)industrial production growth: growth rate 2.3% (1992); accounts for 28% of GDP
Unemployment rate
2.7%
(June 1992)

Budget

Revenues
$10.4 billionExpenditures
$9.4 billion
expenditures, including capital expenditures of $NA (1993)

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 appears to have pulled off a soft landing from the 9% growth rate of the late 1980s, registering higher than expected growth in 1992 while stemming inflation.

Economic activity slowed early in 1992, primarily as a result of slackened demand in Singapore's export markets. But after bottoming out in the second quarter, the economy picked up in line with a gradual recovery in the United States. The year's best performers were the construction and financial services industries and manufacturers of computer-related components.

Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, but there are indications that productivity is catching up. Government surpluses and the rate of gross national savings remain high. In technology, per capita output, and labor discipline, Singapore is well on its way toward its goal of becoming a developed country.

National product

GDP - exchange rate conversion - $45.9 billion (1992)

Exports

$61.5 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:
computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment
partners:
US 21%, Malaysia 13%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%, Thailand 6%

Imports

$66.4 billion (f.o.b., 1992)

commodities:
aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners:
Japan 21%, US 16%, Malaysia 14%, Taiwan 4%

External debt

$0 Singapore is a net creditor

Electricity

4,860,000 kW capacity; 18,000 million kWh produced, 6,420 kWh per capita (1992)

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

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

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

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6531 (January 1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990), 1.9503 (1989), 2.0124 (1988)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

6 fields

Merchant marine, 492 ships by type

passenger-cargo 1cargo 125container 72roll-on/roll-off cargo 7refrigerated cargo 4vehicle carrier 18livestock carrier 1oil tanker 165chemical tanker 8combination ore/oil 7specialized tanker 2liquefied gas 5bulk 74combination bulk; note - many Singapore flag ships are foreign owned 3492 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 9,763,511 GRT/15,816,384 DWT

Networkskm

Highways
2,644 (1985)Railroads
38

Ports

Singapore

Airports

total:
10
usable:
10
with permanent-surface runways:
10
with runways over 3,659 m:
2
with runways 2,440-3,659 m:
4
with runways 1,220-2,439 m:
3

Telecommunications

  • 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

Branches

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

Manpower availability

males age 15-49 853,440; fit for military service 629,055 (1993 est.)

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $1.7 billion, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Singapore.” The World Factbook 1993. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/singapore/1993.

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