Singapore

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

8 (1999)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 15, shortwave 5 (1998)

Radios

2.55 million (1997)

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)

Telephones - main lines in use

54.6 million (including 46.62 million that serve facsimile machines, computers, and other communication devices) (1998)

Telephones - mobile cellular

1.02 million (1998)

Television broadcast stations

4 (1997)

Televisions

1.33 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry, eggs, fish, vegetables, orchids, ornamental fish

Budget

revenues: $13.9 billion expenditures: $16.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $8.1 billion (FY98/99 est.)

Currency

1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents

Debt - external

$NA

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Singapore is blessed with a highly developed and successful free-market economy, a remarkably open and corruption-free business environment, stable prices, and the fifth highest per capita GDP in the world. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services are the main drivers of the economy. The government promotes high levels of savings and investment through a mandatory savings scheme and spends heavily in education and technology. It also owns government-linked companies (GLCs) - particularly in manufacturing - that operate as commercial entities and account for 60% of GDP. As Singapore looks to a future increasingly marked by globalization, the country is positioning itself as the region's financial and high-tech hub.

Electricity - consumption

24.725 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production

26.586 billion kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.6733 (January 2000), 1.6950 (1999), 1.6736 (1998), 1.4848 (1997), 1.4100 (1996), 1.4174 (1995)

Exports

$114 billion (1999)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment (including electronics) 63%, chemicals, mineral fuels (1998)

Exports - partners

US 19%, Malaysia 17%, Hong Kong 8%, Japan 7%, Taiwan 5%, Thailand 4%, UK 4%, China 3%, Germany 3% (1998)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP

purchasing power parity - $98 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: NEGL% industry: 28% services: 72%

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $27,800 (1999 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

5.5% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Imports

$111 billion (1999)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment 57%, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs (1998)

Imports - partners

US 17%, Japan 17%, Malaysia 16%, Thailand 5%, China 5%, Taiwan 4%, Germany, Saudi Arabia (1998)

Industrial production growth rate

14% (1999 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.4% (1999)

Labor force

1.932 million (1998)

Labor force - by occupation

financial, business, and other services 38%, manufacturing 21.6%, commerce 21.4%, construction 7%, other 12%

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

3.2% (1999 est.)

Area

total: 647.5 sq km land: 637.5 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)

Coastline

193 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

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, Desertification, 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

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Geography - note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Irrigated land

NA sq km

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 2% permanent crops: 6% permanent pastures: 0% forests and woodland: 5% other: 87% (1993 est.)

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice territorial sea: 3 nm

Natural hazards

NA

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Terrain

lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve

Administrative divisions

none

Capital

Singapore

Constitution

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

Country name

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

Data code

SN

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Steven J. GREEN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507 telephone: [65] 476-9100 FAX: [65] 476-9340

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 consulate(s): New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) 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 1999 (next to be held NA August 2005); 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: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed

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

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)

International organization participation

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

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

Legal system

based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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; note - subsequent to the election, there was a change in the distribution of seats, the new distribution is as follows: PAP 80, WP 1, SPP 1, vacant 1

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Political parties and leaders

National Solidarity Party or NSP [C. K. TAN]; People's Action Party or PAP [GOH Chok Tong, secretary general] - the governing party; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [J. B. JEYARETNAM and LOW Thia Khiang]

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Military branches

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

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$4.4 billion (FY98/99)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.9% (FY98/99)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 1,278,525 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 932,978 (2000 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 18% (male 390,352; female 365,730) 15-64 years: 75% (male 1,520,875; female 1,590,355) 65 years and over: 7% (male 124,413; female 159,539) (2000 est.)

Birth rate

12.79 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate

4.21 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 77%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.6%, other 1.4%

Infant mortality rate

3.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 80.05 years male: 77.1 years female: 83.23 years (2000 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 91.1% male: 95.9% female: 86.3% (1995 est.)

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

26.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Population

4,151,264 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate

3.54% (2000 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.16 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international

two islands in dispute with Malaysia

Illicit drugs

transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to North America, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering center [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports

9 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 9 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 under 914 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Heliports

1 (1999 est.)

Highways

total: 3,122 km paved: 3,038 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 84 km (1998)

Merchant marine

total: 891 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 21,808,813 GRT/34,783,544 DWT ships by type: bulk 140, cargo 121, chemical tanker 66, combination bulk 6, combination ore/oil 6, container 162, liquified gas 26, livestock carrier 2, multi-functional large load carrier 3, petroleum tanker 294, refrigerated cargo 6, roll-on/roll-off 10, short-sea passenger 1, specialized tanker 12, vehicle carrier 36 (1999 est.) note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 22 countries among which are Japan 41, Denmark 35, Sweden 28, Thailand 28, Hong Kong 26, Germany 19, Taiwan 19, and Indonesia 11 (1998 est.)

Ports and harbors

Singapore

Railways

total: 38.6 km narrow gauge: 38.6 km 1.000-m gauge note: there is a 83 km mass transit system with 48 stations