Singapore

Broadcast media

state controls broadcast media; 7 domestic TV stations operated by MediaCorp which is wholly owned by a state investment company; broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian stations available; satellite dishes banned; multi-channel cable TV service available; a total of 18 domestic radio stations broadcasting with MediaCorp operating more than a dozen and another 4 stations are closely linked to the ruling party or controlled by the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association; many Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations are available (2008)

Internet country code

.sg

Internet hosts

1.96 million (2012) country comparison to the world: 39

Internet users

3.235 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 65

Telephone system

general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities; launched 3G wireless service in February 2005; combined fixed-line and mobile-cellular teledensity more than 180 telephones per 100 persons; multiple providers of high-speed Internet connectivity and the government is close to completing an island-wide roll out of a high-speed fiber-optic broadband network international: country code - 65; numerous submarine cables provide links throughout Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, and US; satellite earth stations - 4; supplemented by VSAT coverage

Telephones - main lines in use

2.017 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 58

Telephones - mobile cellular

7.794 million (2011) country comparison to the world: 90

Agriculture - products

orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs; fish, ornamental fish

Budget

revenues: $39.86 billion expenditures: $39.58 billion note: expenditures include both operational and development expenditures (2012 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

0.1% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 37

Commercial bank prime lending rate

5.4% (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 153 5.38% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

$44.87 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $50.16 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$24.64 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 75 $23.62 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

47.3 (2011) country comparison to the world: 29 48.1 (2008)

Economy - overview

Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and on a growing financial services sector. Real GDP growth averaged 8.6% between 2004 and 2007. The economy contracted 1.0% in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis, but rebounded 14.8% in 2010, on the strength of renewed exports, before slowing to 4.9% in 2011 and 2.1% in 2012, largely a result of soft demand for exports during the second European recession. Over the longer term, the government hopes to establish a new growth path that focuses on raising productivity, which has sunk to a compound annual growth rate of just 1.8% in the last decade. Singapore has attracted major investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology production and will continue efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.253 (2012 est.) 1.258 (2011 est.) 1.3635 (2010 est.) 1.4545 (2009) 1.415 (2008)

Exports

$430.6 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $414.8 billion (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

machinery and equipment (including electronics and telecommunications), pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, refined petroleum products

Exports - partners

Malaysia 12.2%, Hong Kong 11%, Indonesia 10.4%, China 10.4%, US 5.5%, Japan 4.5% (2011)

Fiscal year

1 April - 31 March

GDP (official exchange rate)

$267.9 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$326.7 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 40 $320 billion (2011 est.) $305.1 billion (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 0% industry: 27.8% services: 72.2% (2010 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$60,900 (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6 $60,700 (2011 est.) $58,900 (2010 est.) note: data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

2.1% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 140 4.9% (2011 est.) 14.8% (2010 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 4.4% highest 10%: 23.2% (2008)

Imports

$390.4 billion (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 $366.3 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs, consumer goods

Imports - partners

US 10.8%, Malaysia 10.7%, China 10.4%, Japan 7.2%, South Korea 5.9%, Indonesia 5.3%, Saudi Arabia 4.8% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

7.8% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 30

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

4.4% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 122 5.2% (2011 est.)

Investment (gross fixed)

24.7% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 52

Labor force

3.303 million country comparison to the world: 99 note: excludes non-residents (2012 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 0.1% industry: 19.6% services: 80.3% note: excludes non-residents (2011)

Market value of publicly traded shares

$569.4 billion (31 December 2011) country comparison to the world: 20 $620.5 billion (31 December 2010) $474.3 billion (31 December 2009)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Public debt

106.5% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 118.2% of GDP (2011 est.) note: for Singapore, public debt consists largely of Singapore Government Securities (SGS) issued to assist the Central Provident Fund (CPF), which administers Singapore's defined contribution pension fund; special issues of SGS are held by the CPF, and are non-tradable; the government has not borrowed to finance deficit expenditures since the 1980s

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$253.3 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 11 $237.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$400.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 27 $340.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$353.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 17 $335.9 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$522.1 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 15 $497 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$278.8 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 37 $235.2 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$120.7 billion (31 December 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 28 $99.27 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

14.9% of GDP (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 189

Unemployment rate

2% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 14 2% (2011 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

172.2 million Mt (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 31

Crude oil - exports

900 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 64

Crude oil - imports

883,500 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 14

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 188

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 187

Electricity - consumption

41.2 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

Electricity - from fossil fuels

99.8% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 49

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 199

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 177

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0.2% of total installed capacity (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 88

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 133

Electricity - installed generating capacity

10.47 million kW (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Electricity - production

45.37 billion kWh (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 54

Natural gas - consumption

8.4 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 53

Natural gas - imports

8.4 billion cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 28

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 192

Refined petroleum products - consumption

1.183 million bbl/day (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 20

Refined petroleum products - exports

1.58 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Refined petroleum products - imports

1.489 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 5

Refined petroleum products - production

1.116 million bbl/day (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 21

Area

total: 697 sq km country comparison to the world: 192 land: 687 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 freshwater 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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.19 cu km/yr (45%/51%/4%) per capita: 44 cu m/yr (1975)

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

Total renewable water resources

0.6 cu km (1975)

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 pre-independence 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 David I. ADELMAN 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 Ashok Kumar MIRPURI 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 Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 September 2011) head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Minister TEO Chee Hean (since 1 April 2009) and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman SHANMUGARATNAM (since 21 May 2011) cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to parliament (For more information visit theWorld Leaders website) elections: president elected by popular vote for six-year term; election last held on 27 August 2011 (next to be held by August 2017); following legislative elections, leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime ministers appointed by president election results: Tony TAN Keng Yam elected president from a field of four candidates with 35.2% of the votes cast

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; red denotes brotherhood and equality; white signifies purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the five stars represent the nation's ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality

Government type

parliamentary republic

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

ADB, AOSIS, APEC, ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIT, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court consists of High Court and Court of Appeals; Specialist Commercial Courts consist of Admiralty Court, Intellectual Property Court, and Abritation Court note: (chief justice, judges of appeal, and judicial commissioners are appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister)

Legal system

English common law

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (87 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may be appointed as Nominated Members of Parliament (NMP) elections: last held on 7 May 2011 (next to be held in May 2016) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 60.1%, WP 12.8%, NSP 12.1%, others 15%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 6

National anthem

name: "Majulah Singapura" (Onward Singapore) lyrics/music: ZUBIR Said note: adopted 1965; the anthem, which was first performed in 1958 at the Victoria Theatre, is sung only in Malay

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

National symbol(s)

lion

Political parties and leaders

National Solidarity Party or NSP [Hazel POA]; People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Reform Party [Kenneth JEYARETNAM]; Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [Desmond LIM]; Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong]; Workers' Party or WP [LOW Thia Khiang] note: SDA includes Singapore Justice Party or SJP and Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

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 16-49: 1,255,902 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 1,018,839 females age 16-49: 1,087,134 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 27,098 female: 25,368 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Singapore Armed Forces: Army, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense) (2010)

Military expenditures

4.9% of GDP (2005 est.) country comparison to the world: 17

Military service age and obligation

18-21 years of age for male compulsory military service; 16 years of age for volunteers; 2-year conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers) (2008)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14% (male 382,537/ female 364,542) 15-64 years: 78.3% (male 2,057,169/ female 2,133,851) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 187,448/ female 227,947) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

7.72 births/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 220

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.3% (2000) country comparison to the world: 103

Death rate

3.41 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 213

Education expenditures

3% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 131

Ethnic groups

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.1% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152

HIV/AIDS - deaths

fewer than 100 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 130

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

3,400 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 127

Health expenditures

3.9% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 168

Hospital bed density

3.14 beds/1,000 population (2008)

Infant mortality rate

total: 2.65 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 220 male: 2.76 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.53 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

Languages

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

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 83.75 years country comparison to the world: 4 male: 81.47 years female: 86.2 years (2012 est.)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2000 census)

Maternal mortality rate

3 deaths/100,000 live births (2010) country comparison to the world: 182

Median age

total: 33.5 years male: 33.4 years female: 33.6 years (2012 est.)

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore

Net migration rate

15.62 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 6

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.9% (2004) country comparison to the world: 61

Physicians density

1.833 physicians/1,000 population (2009)

Population

5,353,494 (July 2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 114

Population growth rate

1.993% (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 55

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)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban: 100% of population total: 100% of population

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.07 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.82 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Total fertility rate

0.78 children born/woman (2012 est.) country comparison to the world: 224

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 12.9% country comparison to the world: 87 male: 9.9% female: 16.6% (2009)

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 0.9% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

disputes persist with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's extensive land reclamation works, bridge construction, and maritime boundaries in the Johor and Singapore Straits; in 2008, ICJ awarded sovereignty of Pedra Branca (Pulau Batu Puteh/Horsburgh Island) to Singapore, and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, but did not rule on maritime regimes, boundaries, or disposition of South Ledge; Indonesia and Singapore continue to work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island; piracy remains a problem in the Malacca Strait

Illicit drugs

drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering

Airports

9 (2012) country comparison to the world: 159

Airports - with paved runways

total: 9 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2012)

Merchant marine

total: 1,599 country comparison to the world: 6 by type: bulk carrier 247, cargo 109, carrier 6, chemical tanker 256, container 339, liquefied gas 131, petroleum tanker 436, refrigerated cargo 13, roll on/roll off 5, vehicle carrier 57 foreign-owned: 966 (Australia 12, Bangladesh 1, Belgium 1, Bermuda 25, Brazil 9, Chile 6, China 29, Cyprus 6, Denmark 149, France 3, Germany 32, Greece 22, Hong Kong 46, India 21, Indonesia 60, Italy 5, Japan 164, Malaysia 27, Netherlands 1, Norway 153, Russia 2, South Africa 13, South Korea 3, Sweden 11, Switzerland 3, Taiwan 77, Thailand 33, UAE 10, UK 6, US 36) registered in other countries: 344 (Australia 2, Bahamas 7, Bangladesh 7, Belize 4, Cambodia 3, Cyprus 1, France 3, Honduras 11, Hong Kong 13, Indonesia 46, Italy 1, Kiribati 9, Liberia 22, Malaysia 13, Maldives 4, Malta 4, Marshall Islands 30, Mongolia 3, North Korea 1, Panama 92, Philippines 1, Saint Kitts and Nevis 10, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 5, Sierra Leone 9, Thailand 1, Tuvalu 19, US 16, Vanuatu 2, unknown 5) (2010)

Pipelines

gas 111 km (2010)

Ports and terminals

Singapore

Roadways

total: 3,356 km country comparison to the world: 163 paved: 3,356 km (includes 161 km of expressways) (2009)

Transportation - note

the International Maritime Bureau reports the territorial and offshore waters in the South China Sea as high risk for piracy and armed robbery against ships; numerous commercial vessels have been attacked and hijacked both at anchor and while underway; hijacked vessels are often disguised and cargo diverted to ports in East Asia; crews have been murdered or cast adrift