Singapore

Republic of Singapore

republic within CommonwealthIndependence 9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

Singapore as the 1998 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

3.49 million July 1998 est. · 2.72m in 1990

Population growth% a year

1.2% 1998 est. · 1.19% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 34.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

78.49 years 1998 est. · 75.75 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

1.46 children per woman 1998 est. · 2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

3.87 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 8 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$24,600 1997 est. · $16,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

6% 1997 est. · 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;
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment-international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified:: none of the selected agreements

Geography-note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

People

15 fields

Population

3,490,356

(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 1.2% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth

13.79Death

4.68Net migration

2.87

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)78.49

75.46 · 81.77

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)91.1%

95.9% · 86.3%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Ethnic groups

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

Age structure

0-14 years:: 21% (male 383,960; female 361,244)
15-64 years:: 72% (male 1,252,427; female 1,255,795)
65 years and over:: 7% (male 105,417; female 131,513) (July 1998 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 (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

3.87 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 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; President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993); 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%election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999)

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

Data code

Government type

republic within Commonwealth

National 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)
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, MINUGUA, 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 Steven J. GREEN
embassy:: 27 Napier Street, Singapore 258508
mailing address:: FPO AP 96534-0001
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.

28 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

-$84.6billion

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

-$24,600

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: 7% (1996 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

1.8%

(1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector

industry 28%services 72%agriculture: NEGL%

Budget

Revenues

$16.3 billionExpenditures

$13.6 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (FY97/98 est.)

Fixed lines

1.4 million

(1997 est.)

Economy-overview

Singapore has an open economy with strong service and manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from its entrepot history. Extraordinarily strong fundamentals allowed Singapore to weather the effects of the Asian financial crisis better than its neighbors, but the crisis did pull GDP growth down to approximately 6% in 1997.

Projections for 1998 GDP growth are in the 4.5% to 6.5% range. Rising labor costs and appreciation of the Singapore dollar against its neighbors' currencies continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness. 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.

Labor force

total:: 1.856 million (1997 est.)
by occupation:: financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce 22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)

Unemployment rate

3% (1997 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity-capacity

4.513 million kW (1995)

Electricity-production

21 billion kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

7,234 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry

Exports

total value:: $125.6 billion (1997 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:: $133.9 billion (1997 est.)
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$1-1.7533 (January 1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993)

Fiscal year

1 April-31 March Communications

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

Merchant marine, 856 ships by typeships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 18,463,338 GRT/29,322,743 DWT

bulk 135cargo 146chemical tanker 42combination bulk 5combination ore/oil 6container 143liquefied gas tanker 30livestock carrier 1multifunction large-load carrier 7oil tanker 284refrigerated cargo 9roll-on/roll-off cargo 11short-sea passenger 1specialized tanker 7vehicle carrier 29note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22 countries among which are Japan 42, Denmark 32, Hong Kong 31, Sweden 24, Thailand 24, Germany 18, Taiwan 12, Belgium 12, China 11, and Indonesia 11; Singapore also owns an additional 196 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 10,052,598 DWT that operate under the registries of The Bahamas, Belize, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Honduras, Liberia, Malta, Panama, Philippines, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1997 est.)

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: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1

Networkskm

Highways

3,010Railways

38.6

Highways: paved: 2,932 km (including 150 km of expressways) · unpaved: 78 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