Singapore

Internet country code

.sg

Internet hosts

898,762 (2006)

Internet users

2,421,800 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005 international: country code - 65; 9 submarine cables provide direct connection to more than 100 countries; 4 satellite earth stations, supplemented by VSAT coverage

Telephones - main lines in use

1.848 million (2005)

Telephones - mobile cellular

4.385 million (2005)

Television broadcast stations

1 (broadcasting on six channels); additional reception of numerous UHF and VHF signals originating in Malaysia and Indonesia; note - digital TV for reception in public spaces and transportation is transmitted from 10 sites (2006)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $18.67 billion expenditures: $18.21 billion; including capital expenditures of $5.1 billion (2005 est.)

Currency (code)

Singapore dollar (SGD)

Current account balance

$32.74 billion (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$23.76 billion (2005 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

42.5 (1998)

Economic aid - recipient

$NA

Economy - overview

Singapore, a highly-developed and successful free-market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to that of the four largest West European countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism and consumer spending. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous growth in 2004, with real GDP rising by 8% - by far the economy's best performance since 2000 - but growth slowed to 5.7% in 2005.

Electricity - consumption

33.2 billion kWh (2004)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2004)

Electricity - production

36.8 billion kWh (2004)

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001)

Exports

$204.8 billion f.o.b. (2005 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels

Exports - partners

Malaysia 14.7%, US 11.5%, Indonesia 10.7%, Hong Kong 10.4%, China 9.5%, Japan 6%, Thailand 4.5%, Australia 4.1% (2005)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate)

$110.6 billion (2005 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$126.5 billion (2005 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry: 33.9% services: 66.1% (2005 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$28,600 (2005 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

6.4% (2005 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$188.3 billion (2005 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs

Imports - partners

Malaysia 14.4%, US 12.4%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.1%, Indonesia 5.5%, Saudi Arabia 4.7%, South Korea 4.5% (2005)

Industrial production growth rate

9.5% (2005 est.)

Industries

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

0.4% (2005 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

21.8% of GDP (2005 est.)

Labor force

2.28 million (September 2005 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 39%, other 26% (2003)

Natural gas - consumption

5.32 billion cu m (2003 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2001 est.)

Natural gas - imports

2.5 billion cu m note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2001 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

8,290 bbl/day (2003 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

102.9% of GDP (2005 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$115.8 billion (2005 est.)

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2005 est.)

Area

total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

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, 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

Land boundaries

0 km

Land use

arable land: 1.47% permanent crops: 1.47% other: 97.06% (2005)

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Map references

Southeast Asia

Maritime claims

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

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

name: Singapore geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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 local long form: Republic of Singapore local short form: Singapore

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340

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) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York

Executive branch

chief of state: President S. R. NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) note: uses S. R. NATHAN but his full name and the one used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September 2005); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004) cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; last appointed 17 August 2005 - see note (next election to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be candidates; scheduled election not held

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 Malaysian Federation)

International organization participation

APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

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 (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member elections: last held 6 May 2006 (next to be held in 2011) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SDA 1

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Political parties and leaders

People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian] note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP, Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP

Political pressure groups and leaders

NA

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Background

Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,215,568 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 982,368 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2006)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

4.9% (FY01)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age for compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; conscript service obligation reduced to 24 months beginning December 2004 (2004)

Age structure

0-14 years: 15.6% (male 362,329/female 337,964) 15-64 years: 76.1% (male 1,666,709/female 1,750,736) 65 years and over: 8.3% (male 165,823/female 208,589) (2006 est.)

Birth rate

9.34 births/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Death rate

4.28 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Ethnic groups

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.2% (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

less than 200 (2003 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

4,100 (2003 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.29 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)

Languages

Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 81.71 years male: 79.13 years female: 84.49 years (2006 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2002)

Median age

total: 37.3 years male: 36.9 years female: 37.6 years (2006 est.)

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

9.12 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.)

Population

4,492,150 (July 2006 est.)

Population growth rate

1.42% (2006 est.)

Religions

Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2006 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.06 children born/woman (2006 est.)

Disputes - international

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years; Indonesia and Singapore pledged in 2005 to finalize their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs

as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering

Airports

9 (2006)

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 (2006)

Merchant marine

total: 1,063 ships (1000 GRT or over) 31,033,735 GRT/49,715,650 DWT by type: bulk carrier 155, cargo 87, chemical tanker 136, container 214, liquefied gas 53, livestock carrier 1, passenger/cargo 1, petroleum tanker 353, refrigerated cargo 10, roll on/roll off 2, specialized tanker 11, vehicle carrier 40 foreign-owned: 592 (Australia 7, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 12, China 23, Denmark 52, Germany 9, Greece 9, Hong Kong 50, India 5, Indonesia 56, Italy 2, Japan 100, South Korea 17, Malaysia 35, Netherlands 2, Norway 90, Philippines 5, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Taiwan 59, Thailand 22, UAE 7, UK 9, US 7) registered in other countries: 285 (Antigua and Barbuda 1, Bahamas 12, Belize 6, Bolivia 3, Cambodia 4, Cayman Islands 10, Cyprus 1, Dominica 9, France 2, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 24, Indonesia 17, Isle of Man 7, North Korea 1, Liberia 28, Malaysia 44, Marshall Islands 6, Mongolia 10, Nigeria 1, Panama 67, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Thailand 6, Tuvalu 6, US 2, unknown 2) (2006)

Pipelines

gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006)

Ports and terminals

Singapore

Roadways

total: 3,234 km paved: 3,234 km (including 150 km of expressways) (2005)