Singapore

Republic of Singapore

republic within CommonwealthIndependence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Singapore as the 1997 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 94 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

Position1 22 N, 103 48 E

Area647.5 sq km

LocationSoutheastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Populationas each edition published it

3.44 million July 1997 est. · 2.72m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.67% 1997 est. · 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

1.46 children per woman 1997 est. · 2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

3.9 deaths per 1,000 live births 1997 est. · 8 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$21,200 1996 est. · $16,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

6.5% 1996 · 5.8% in 1993

Geography

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

18 fields

Land useshare of 647.5 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 6%forests and woodland 5%other 87% (1993 est.)permanent pastures: NA%

Area

647.5sq km

land: 637.5 sq kmwater: 10 sq kmslightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Coastline

193km

land boundaries: 0 kmexclusive fishing zone : within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practiceterritorial sea: 3 nm

Highest point

166m

Bukit Timahlowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

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

Environment - current issues

industrial pollution;
limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems

Environment - international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified :: Climate Change

Geography - note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People

15 fields

Population

3,440,693

(July 1997 est.)growth rate: 1.67% (1997 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1997 est.)

Birth

14.13Death

4.68Net migration

7.27

Male · female

Male · femaleLife expectancy years (1997 est.)

75.14 · 81.4

Male · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)

95.9% · 86.3%

MaleFemaleLife expectancy total population : 78.15 years · Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write · total population : 91.1%

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years : 21% (male 378,651; female 357,070)

15-64 years:: 72% (male 1,237,478; female 1,239,494)
65 years and over:: 7% (male 101,536; female 126,464) (July 1997 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth :: 1.08 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
total population :: 1 male(s)/female (1997 est.)

Infant mortality rate

3.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1997 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Singaporean(s)
adjective:: Singapore

Religions

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

Languages

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

Government

Republic within Commonwealth; Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

59%

ONG Teng Cheong 59%CHUA Kim Yeow 41%

Parliament, 83 seats, elected 2 January 1997one dot, one seat

PAP 81WP 1SPP 1

Percent of vote

PAP (in contested constituencies) 65%other 35%

Country name

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

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)
head of government:: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet:: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections :: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term;
election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999);
following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president;
deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election results:: ONG Teng Cheong elected president in the country's first popular election for president; percent of vote - ONG Teng Cheong 59%, CHUA Kim Yeow 41%

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002)
election results:: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 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; Court of Appeals

Political parties and leaders

government :: People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary general
opposition:: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHEE Soon Juan;
Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM;
National Solidarity Party (NSP), C. K. TAN;
Singapore People's Party (SPP), CHIAM See Tong

International organization participation

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery:: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:: [1] (202) 537-3100

FAX

[1] (202) 537-0876

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA
embassy :: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address:: FPO AP 96534
telephone:: [65] 476-9100

FAX

[65] 476-9340

Flag description

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 economy with strong service | and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links | derived from its entrepot history.

22 fields

Real growth rate

6.5%

(1996)industrial production growth: 7% (1996 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.3%

(1996)

Unemployment rate

2.7%

(1996 est.)

Labor force

1.801million

(1996 est.)by occupation : financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

GDP - composition by sector

industry 28%services 72%agriculture: NEGL%

Budget

Revenues

$18.5 billionExpenditures

$13.5 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $4.4 billion (FY96/97 est.)

Economy - overview

Singapore has an open economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. A slump in global demand for electronics slowed Singapore's export growth in 1996, and as a result, real GDP grew 6.5%, down from 8.9% in 1995.

The government predicts growth will be in the 5%-7% range in 1997. 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.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $72.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $21,200 (1996 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - capacity

4.51 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production

22.1 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity - consumption per capita

7,002 kWh (1995)

Agriculture - products

rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry

Exports

total value:: $144.8 billion (1996 est.)
commodities:: computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products, telecommunications equipment
partners:: Malaysia 19%, US 18%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 8%, Thailand 6% (1995)

Imports

total value:: $151.1 billion (1996 est., including goods for reexport)
commodities:: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners:: Japan 21%, Malaysia 15%, US 15%, Thailand 5%, Taiwan 4%, South Korea 4% (1995)

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid

$NA

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4061 (January 1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

1.23 million

(1993 est.)

Telephone system

good domestic facilities; good international service

domestic:: NA
international:: submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines;
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0

Radios

Television broadcast stations

4 (1996)

Televisions

1.05 million (1992 est.)

Transportation

6 fields

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m : 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Networkskm

Highways

2,972Railways

38.6

Highways: paved: 2,892 km (including 132 km of expressways) · unpaved : 80 km (1995 est.) · Railways: narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is a 67 km mass transit system with 42 stations

Railways

total:: 38.6 km
narrow gauge:: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge

note: there is a 67 km mass transit system with 42 stations

Highways

total:: 2,972 km
paved:: 2,892 km (including 132 km of expressways)
unpaved :: 80 km (1995 est.)

Ports and harbors

Singapore

Merchant marine

total :: 737 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 15,420,046 GRT/24,508,019 DWT
ships by type:: bulk 122, cargo 123, chemical tanker 24, combination bulk 8, combination ore/oil 6, container 115, liquefied gas tanker 23, livestock carrier 1, multifunction large-load carrier 6, oil tanker 259, refrigerated cargo 7, roll-on/roll-off cargo 14, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 4, vehicle carrier 24

note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 24 countries among which are Japan 42, Denmark 33, Hong Kong 26, Germany 22, Thailand 17, Sweden 15, Belgium 11, China 10, US 10, and Indonesia 8; Singapore also owns an additional 220 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,289,213 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Malaysia, Panama, Thailand, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Vanuatu (1996 est.)