Republic of Singapore
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Motto:
"Majulah Singapura" (Malay)
"Onward, Singapore" |
Anthem: Majulah Singapura
"Onward, Singapore" |
Location of Singapore (red)
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| Capital | Singapore
(Downtown Core, Central)[a]
 1°17′N 103°50′E |
| Official languages |
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| Official scripts |
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| Demonym | Singaporean |
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| Government | Unitary parliamentaryconstitutional republic |
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| - | President | Tony Tan Keng Yam |
| - | Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong |
| - | Speaker of Parliament | Halimah Yacob |
| - | Chief Justice | Sundaresh Menon |
| Legislature | Parliament |
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| Formation |
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| - | Founding | 6 February 1819[1] |
| - | Self-government | 3 June 1959[2] |
| - | Independence from
the United Kingdom | 31 August 1963[3] |
| - | Merger with Malaysia | 16 September 1963[3] |
| - | Expulsion from Malaysia | 9 August 1965[3] |
| Area |
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| - | Total | 716.1 km2[4] (190th)
276 sq mi |
| Population |
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| - | 2013[4] estimate | 5,399,200 (116th) |
| - | Density | 7,540/km2 (3rd)
19,562/sq mi |
| GDP (PPP) | 2013[5] estimate |
| - | Total | Int$348.7 billion |
| - | Per capita | Int$64,584 (3rd) |
| GDP (nominal) | 2013[5] estimate |
| - | Total | US$295.744 billion (36th) |
| - | Per capita | US$54,776 |
| Gini (2012) | 47.8[6]
high · 26th |
| HDI (2013) |  0.901[7]
very high · 9th |
| Currency | Singapore dollar (SGD) |
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| Time zone | SST (UTC+8) |
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| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
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| Drives on the | left |
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| Calling code | +65 |
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| ISO 3166 code | SG |
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| Internet TLD | .sg, .新加坡, .சிங்கப்பூர் |
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Singapore is one of the world's major commercial hubs, with the fourth-biggest
financial centre and one of the five
busiest ports. Its globalised and diversified economy depends heavily on trade, especially manufacturing, which represented 26 percent of Singapore's GDP in 2005. In terms of
purchasing power parity, Singapore has the
third-highest per capita income in the world but one of the world's
highest income inequalities. It
places highly in international rankings with regard to education, healthcare, and economic competitiveness. Just over five million people live in Singapore, of which approximately two million are foreign-born. While Singapore is diverse, ethnic Asians predominate: 75 percent of the population is
Chinese, with significant minorities of
Malays,
Indians, and
Eurasians. There are four official languages, English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil, and the country promotes
multiculturalism through a range of official policies.
Etymology
The English name of Singapore is derived from the
Malay word
Singapura (
Sanskrit:
सिंहपुर, literally Lion City), hence the customary reference to the nation as the Lion City. However, it is most likely that
lions never lived on the island, and the beast seen by
Sang Nila Utama, who founded and named Singapore, was a
tiger.
[11]
History
Victorious Japanese troops marching through Singapore City after British
capitulation at the Battle of Singapore
Temasek ('sea town'), a second century outpost of the
Sumatran Srivijaya empire, is the earliest known settlement on Singapore. The island was part of the Sri Vijaya Empire until it was invaded by the south Indian Emperor
Rajendra Chola I, of the
Chola Empire, in the 11th century.
[12][13] In 1613,
Portuguese raiders burned down the settlement and the island sank into obscurity for the next two centuries.
[14] Nominally, it belonged to the Johor Sultanate during this period.
In 1819,
Thomas Stamford Raffles arrived and signed a treaty with
Sultan Hussein Shah of
Johor, on behalf of the British East India Company, to develop the southern part of Singapore as a
British trading post. In 1824, the entire island became a British possession under a further treaty with the Sultan, as well as the
Temenggong.
[15] In 1826, Singapore became part of the Straits Settlements, under the jurisdiction of British India, becoming the regional capital in 1836.
[16] Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were approximately 1,000 people living on the island, mostly
indigenous Malays along with a handful of
Chinese.
[17] By 1860, the population exceeded 80,000 and more than half were Chinese. Many immigrants came to work at
rubberplantations and, after the 1870s, the island became a global centre for rubber exports.
[15]
Singapore's first general election in 1955 was won by
David Marshall, the pro-independence leader of the
Labour Front. He led a delegation to
London to demand complete self-rule but was turned down by the British. He subsequently resigned and was replaced by
Lim Yew Hock, whose policies convinced Britain to grant Singapore full internal self-government for all matters except defence and foreign affairs.
[21]
A cheering crowd welcome the return of British forces, 1945
On 31 August 1963, Singapore declared independence from the United Kingdom, and joined with the
Federation of Malaya, the
Crown Colony of Sarawak and
Crown Colony of North Borneo to form the new Federation of Malaysia as the result of the
1962 Merger Referendum. Singaporean leaders chose to join Malaysia primarily due to concerns regarding their limited land size and scarcity of land, water, markets and natural resources. They also were hoping to enlist the help of the Malaysian government to combat the internal Communist threat.
However, the two years that Singapore spent as part of Malaysia were filled with strife and bitter disagreements. The Malaysians insisted on a pro-
Bumiputera (Malay for indigenous) society, where indigenous Malays and tribes were given special rights. The Malaysians were also suspicious of Singapore's ethnic Chinese population, and worried that Singapore's economic clout would shift the centre of power from
Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. There were also linguistic and religious issues. The Singaporeans, on the other hand, wanted an equal and meritocratic society, a
Malaysian Malaysia where all citizens were given equal rights without regard to indigenous or tribal affiliation or ancestry.
Government and politics
Executive power rests with the
Cabinet of Singapore, led by the Prime Minister and, to a much lesser extent, the President.
[23] The President is elected through a popular vote, and has
veto powers over a specific set of executive decisions, such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judges, but otherwise occupies a largely ceremonial post.
[32]
The Parliament serves as the
legislative branch of the government.
[23] Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of elected, non-constituency and nominated members. Elected MPs are voted into the Parliament on a "
first-past-the-post" (plurality) basis and represent either single-member or group-representation constituencies.
[33] The People's Action Party has won control of Parliament with large majorities in every election since self-governance was secured in 1959.
[30] Although the elections are clean, there is no independent electoral authority and the political process is dominated by the PAP, which has strong influence on the media and the courts hampering opposition campaigning. This has led Freedom House to regard Singapore as not a proper electoral democracy.
[34] Despite this, in the most recent Parliamentary elections in 2011, the opposition, led by the
Workers' Party, increased its representation to six elected MPs.
[35]
The
legal system of Singapore is based on
English common law, but with substantial local differences.
Trial by jury was abolished in 1970 so that judicial decisions would rest entirely in the hands of appointed judges.
[36] Singapore has penalties that include
judicial corporal punishment in the form of
caning, which may be imposed for such offenses as rape, rioting, vandalism, and certain immigration offenses.
[37][38] There is a mandatory
death penalty for murder, as well as certain aggravated drug-trafficking and firearms offenses.
[39] Amnesty International has said that some legal provisions of the Singapore system conflict with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and that Singapore has "... possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population".
[40] The government has disputed Amnesty's claims.
[41] In a 2008 survey of international business executives, Singapore and
Hong Kong received the top ranking with regard to judicial system quality in Asia.
[42] Singapore has been consistently rated among the least corrupt countries in the world by
Transparency International.
[43]
In 2011, the
World Justice Project's
Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore among the top countries surveyed with regard to "Order and Security", "Absence of Corruption", and "Effective Criminal Justice". However, the country received a much lower ranking for "Freedom of Speech" and "Freedom of Assembly".
[44] All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may legally be held only at the
Speakers' Corner.
[45]
Geography
Outline of Singapore and the surrounding islands and waterways
On-going
land reclamation projects have increased Singapore's land area from 581.5 km
2 (224.5 sq mi) in the 1960s to 716.1 km
2 (276.5 sq mi) presently.
[4] The country is projected to grow by another 100 km
2 (40 sq mi) by 2030.
[48] Some projects involve merging smaller islands through land reclamation to form larger, more functional islands, as has been done with Jurong Island.
[49] Close to 10 percent of Singapore's land has been set aside for parks and nature reserves, and the network of nature reserves, parks, park connectors, nature ways, tree-lined roads and other natural areas have also enhanced the sense of green space in the city.
[50] This is a result of five decades of greening efforts, which began in 1963, when Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew launched Singapore’s first tree-planting campaign by planting a mempat tree (Cratoxylum formosum). The aim was to soften the harshness of urbanisation and improve the quality of life in the city.
[51] This initiative was carried through into the 1970s and 1980s under the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD), which was renamed the
National Parks Board (
Abbreviation:
NParks) in July 1996.
Climate
Singapore has a
tropical rainforest climate (
Köppen:
Af ) with no distinctive seasons, uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures usually range from 22 to 35 °C (72 to 95 °F).
Relative humidity averages around 79% in the morning and 73% in the afternoon.
[52] April and May are the hottest months, with the wetter
monsoon season from November to January.
[53] From July to October, there is often
haze caused by
bush fires in neighbouring Indonesia.
[54] Although Singapore does not observe
daylight saving time (DST), it follows the GMT+8 time zone, one hour ahead of the typical zone for its geographical location.
[55]
| [hide]Climate data for Singapore |
|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|
| Record high °C (°F) | 34.3
(93.7) | 35.2
(95.4) | 36.0
(96.8) | 35.8
(96.4) | 35.4
(95.7) | 35.0
(95) | 34.0
(93.2) | 34.2
(93.6) | 34.3
(93.7) | 34.6
(94.3) | 34.2
(93.6) | 33.8
(92.8) | 36.0
(96.8) |
|---|
| Average high °C (°F) | 30.1
(86.2) | 31.2
(88.2) | 31.6
(88.9) | 31.7
(89.1) | 31.6
(88.9) | 31.3
(88.3) | 30.9
(87.6) | 30.9
(87.6) | 30.9
(87.6) | 31.1
(88) | 30.6
(87.1) | 30.0
(86) | 31.0
(87.8) |
|---|
| Average low °C (°F) | 23.3
(73.9) | 23.6
(74.5) | 23.9
(75) | 24.4
(75.9) | 24.8
(76.6) | 24.8
(76.6) | 24.6
(76.3) | 24.5
(76.1) | 24.2
(75.6) | 24.1
(75.4) | 23.7
(74.7) | 23.5
(74.3) | 24.1
(75.4) |
|---|
| Record low °C (°F) | 19.4
(66.9) | 19.7
(67.5) | 20.2
(68.4) | 20.7
(69.3) | 21.2
(70.2) | 20.8
(69.4) | 19.7
(67.5) | 20.2
(68.4) | 20.7
(69.3) | 20.6
(69.1) | 21.1
(70) | 20.6
(69.1) | 19.4
(66.9) |
|---|
| Rainfall mm (inches) | 243.2
(9.575) | 159.9
(6.295) | 185.7
(7.311) | 178.9
(7.043) | 171.3
(6.744) | 162.1
(6.382) | 158.7
(6.248) | 175.4
(6.906) | 169.2
(6.661) | 193.8
(7.63) | 256.9
(10.114) | 287.4
(11.315) | 2,342.5
(92.224) |
|---|
| Avg. rainy days | 15 | 11 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 19 | 19 | 178 |
|---|
| % humidity | 84.7 | 82.8 | 83.8 | 84.8 | 84.4 | 83.0 | 82.8 | 83.0 | 83.4 | 84.1 | 86.4 | 86.9 | 84.2 |
|---|
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 173.6 | 183.6 | 192.2 | 174.0 | 179.8 | 177.0 | 189.1 | 179.8 | 156.0 | 155.0 | 129.0 | 133.3 | 2,022.4 |
|---|
| Percent possible sunshine | 47 | 54 | 52 | 48 | 48 | 49 | 51 | 48 | 43 | 42 | 36 | 36 | 46.2 |
|---|
| Source #1: National Environment Agency (Temp 1929–1941 and 1948–2011, Rainfall 1869–2011, Humidity 1929–1941 and 1948–2011, Rain days 1891–2011) [56] |
| Source #2: Hong Kong Observatory (sun only, 1982—2008) [57] |
Economy
Pre-independence economy
Before independence in 1965, Singapore was the capital of the British Straits Settlements, a
Crown Colony. It was also the main British naval base in East Asia.
[58] Because it was the main British naval base in the region and held the
Singapore Naval Base, the largest dry dock of its time, Singapore was commonly described in the press as the '
Gibraltar of the East'.
[59] The opening of the
Suez Canal in 1869 caused a major increase in trade between Europe and Asia, helping Singapore become a major world trade center, and turning the Port of Singapore into one of the largest and busiest ports in the world.
[60] Prior to 1965, Singapore had a
GDP per capita of $511, then the third-highest in East Asia.
[61] After independence, the combination of
foreign direct investment and a state-led drive for industrialisation, based on plans by
Goh Keng Swee and
Albert Winsemius, started the expansion of the country's economy.
[62]
Modern-day economy
Today, Singapore has a highly developed
market economy, based historically on extended
entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong,
South Korea, and
Taiwan, Singapore is one of the original Four Asian Tigers. The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest,
[64] most innovative,
[65] most competitive,
[66] and most business-friendly.
[67] The 2013
Index of Economic Freedom ranks Singapore as the second freest economy in the world, behind Hong Kong. According to the
Corruption Perceptions Index, Singapore is consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, along with
New Zealand and the
Scandinavian countries.
Singapore is the 14th largest exporter and the 15th largest importer in the world. The country has the highest trade-to-GDP ratio in the world at 407.9 percent, signifying the importance of trade to its economy. The country is currently the only Asian country to receive AAA credit ratings from all
three major credit rating agencies:
Standard & Poor's,
Moody's, and
Fitch.
[68][69] Singapore attracts a large amount of foreign investment as a result of its location, corruption-free environment, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advanced
infrastructure. There are more than 7,000 multinational corporations from the United States, Japan, and Europe in Singapore. There are also approximately 1,500 companies from China and a similar number from India. Foreign firms are found in almost all sectors of the country's economy.
[6] Singapore is also the second-largest foreign investor in India.
[70] Roughly 44 percent of the Singaporean workforce is made up of non-Singaporeans.
[71] Over ten
free-trade agreements have been signed with other countries and regions.
[72] Despite market freedom, Singapore's government operations have a significant stake in the economy, contributing 22% of the GDP.
[73]
In recent years, the country has been identified as an increasingly popular
tax haven for the wealthy due to the low tax rate on personal income and tax exemptions on foreign-based income and capital gains. Australian millionaire retailer Brett Blundy, with an estimated personal wealth worth AU$835 million, and multi-billionaire Facebook co-founder
Eduardo Saverin are two examples of wealthy individuals who have settled in Singapore (Blundy in 2013 and Saverin in 2012).
[79] Singapore ranked fifth on the
Tax Justice Network's 2013
Financial Secrecy Index of the world's top tax havens, scoring narrowly ahead of the United States.
[80]
Sectors
Singapore's economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing,
[81] which constituted 27% of the country's GDP in 2010,
[6] and includes significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals,
mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences sectors. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10% of the world's foundry
wafer output.
[82] Singapore has a diversified economy, a strategy that the government considers vital for its growth and stability despite its size.
[83]
Tourism also forms a large part of the economy, and 10.2 million tourists visited the country in 2007.
[84] To attract more tourists, the government legalised gambling in 2005 and allowed two casino resorts (called
Integrated Resorts) to be developed.
[85] Singapore also promotes itself as a
medical tourism hub: about 200,000 foreigners seek medical care there each year. Singapore medical services aim to serve at least one million foreign patients annually and generate USD 3 billion in revenue.
[86]
Singapore is an education hub, and many foreign students study in Singapore. More than 80,000 international students studied in Singapore in 2006.
[87] Every morning, more than 5,000 Malaysian students cross the
Johor–Singapore Causeway thinking that they will receive better education in Singapore.
[88] In 2009, 20% of all students in Singaporean universities were international students. The students were mainly from ASEAN, China and India.
[89]
Singapore is a world leader in several economic areas: The country is the world's fourth leading
financial centre,
[90] the world's second largest casino gambling market,
[91] one of the world's top three oil-refining centres, the world's largest oil-rig producer, and a major hub for ship repair services.
[92][93][94] The port is one of the five
busiest ports in the world.
[91] The
World Bank has named Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business,
[91] and ranks Singapore the world's top
logistics hub.
[95] It is also the world's fourth largest foreign-exchange trading centre after London,
New York City and
Tokyo.
[96]
As a result of the
recession in the early 2000s and a slump in the technology sector, Singapore's GDP contracted by 2.2% in 2001. The Economic Review Committee was set up in December 2001 and recommended several policy changes to revitalise the economy. Singapore has since recovered, due largely to improvements in the world economy; the economy grew by 8.3% in 2004, 6.4% in 2005,
[97] and 7.9% in 2006.
[98] After a contraction of 0.8% in 2009, the economy recovered in 2010, with GDP growth of 14.5%.
[6] Most work in Singapore is in the
service sector, which employed 2,151,400 people out of 3,102,500 jobs in December 2010. The percentage of unemployed economically active people above age 15 is about 2%.
[99]
Employment and poverty
Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaires, with one out of every six households having at least one million US dollars in disposable wealth (excluding property, businesses, and luxury goods, which if included would increase the number of millionaires, as property in Singapore is among the world's most expensive).
[100] Singapore does not have a
minimum wage, believing that it would lower its competitiveness. It also has one of the
highest income inequality levels among
developed countries, coming in just behind Hong Kong and in front of the United States.
[101][102]
Acute poverty is rare in Singapore; the government has rejected the idea of a generous welfare system, stating that each generation must earn and save enough for its entire life cycle. There are, however, numerous means-tested assistance programs provided by the
Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports in Singapore, including some that pay out from SGD 400 to SGD 1000 per month to each needy household, free medical care at government hospitals, money for children's school fees, rental of studio apartments, training grants for courses, etc.
[103][104][105]
Foreign relations
Singapore's foreign policy is directed at maintaining a secure environment in Southeast Asia as well as the surrounding territories. An underlying principle is political and economic stability in the region.
[72] It has diplomatic relations with more than 180 other sovereign states.
[106] As one of the five founding members of ASEAN,
[107] the country is a strong supporter of the
ASEAN Free Trade Area and the ASEAN Investment Area, because Singapore's economic growth is closely linked with the economic progress of the region as a whole. Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong proposed the formation of an
ASEAN Economic Community, a step beyond the current AFTA, bringing it closer to a
common market. This idea was agreed to in 2007 for implementation by 2015. Other regional organisations are also important to Singapore, and it is the host of the APEC Secretariat. Singapore also maintains membership in other regional organisations, such as
Asia–Europe Meeting, the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation, the
Asian Network of Major Cities 21, and the
East Asia Summit.
[72] It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement
[108] and the Commonwealth.
[109]
In general, bilateral relations with other ASEAN members are strong; however, disagreements have arisen,
[72] and relations with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia have historically sometimes been very strained and difficult.
[110] Malaysia and Singapore have clashed over the delivery of
fresh water to Singapore,
[111] and access of the Singapore Armed Forces to Malaysian airspace.
[110] Border issues exist with both Malaysia and Indonesia, and both have banned the sale of marine sand to Singapore over disputes about Singapore's land reclamation.
[112] Some previous disputes have been resolved by the
International Court of Justice. Piracy in the
Strait of Malacca has been a cause of concern for all three countries.
[111] Close economic ties exist with
Brunei, and the two share a pegged currency value.
[113]
The first diplomatic contact with
China was made in the 1970s, with full diplomatic relations being established in the 1990s. Since then the two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, being major players in strengthening the ASEAN–China relationship.
[114] Singapore and the
United States share a long-standing and strong relationship, in particular in defence, the economy, health, and education. The United States was Singapore's third largest trading partner in 2010, behind China (2nd) and Malaysia (1st).
[115] The two countries have a free-trade agreement, and Singapore views its relationship with the United States as an important counterbalance to China's influence.
[116] A Strategic Framework Agreement between the two signed in 2005 formalises security and defence cooperation.
[117] Singapore has pushed regional counter-terrorism initiatives, with a strong resolve to deal with terrorists inside its borders. To this end it has given support to the US-led coalition to fight terrorism, with bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation initiatives, and joint military exercises.
[72]
Military
The Singaporean military is arguably the most technologically advanced in Southeast Asia.
[118] It comprises the
Singapore Army,
Republic of Singapore Navy, and
Republic of Singapore Air Force.
[6] It is seen as the guarantor of the country's independence.
[119] The nation's philosophy of defence is one of diplomacy and deterrence.
[120] This principle translates into the culture, involving all citizens in the country's defence.
[121] The government spends 4.9% of the country's GDP on the military,
[6] and one out of every four dollars of government spending is spent on defence.
[122]
After its independence, Singapore had two
infantry regiments commanded by British officers. This force was considered too small to provide effective security for the new country, so the development of the military became a priority.
[123] Britain pulled its military out of Singapore in October 1971, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence. The last British soldier left Singapore in March 1976. New Zealand troops were the last to leave, in 1989.
[124]
A great deal of initial support came from
Israel,
[123] a country that is not recognised by neighbouring
Muslim-majority nations of Malaysia, Indonesia or Brunei.
[125][126][127] The main fear after independence was an invasion by Malaysia.
Israeli Defense Force (IDF) commanders were tasked with creating the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) from scratch, and Israeli instructors were brought in to train Singaporean soldiers. Military courses were conducted according to the IDF's format, and Singapore adopted a system of conscription and reserve service based on
the Israeli model.
[123] Singapore still maintains strong security ties with Israel and is one of the biggest buyers of Israeli arms and weapons systems.
[128] The
MATADOR is one example of recent Singapore-Israeli collaboration.
[129]
The SAF is being developed to respond to a wide range of issues, in both conventional and unconventional warfare. The
Defence Science and Technology Agency is responsible for procuring resources for the military.
[120] The geographic restrictions of Singapore mean that the SAF must plan to fully repulse an attack, as they can not fall back and re-group. The small size of the population has also affected the way the SAF has been designed, with a small active force but a large number of reserves.
[121]
Singapore has
conscription for all able-bodied males at age 18, except those with a criminal record or who can prove that their loss would bring hardship to their families. Males who have yet to complete pre-university education or are awarded the
Public Service Commission scholarship can opt to defer their draft. Though not required to perform military service, the number of women in the SAF has been increasing: since 1989 they have been allowed to fill military vocations formerly reserved for men. Before induction into a specific branch of the armed forces, recruits undergo at least 9 weeks of basic military training.
[130]
Because of the scarcity of open land on the main island, training involving activities such as live firing and
amphibious landings is often carried out on smaller islands, typically barred to civilian access. This also avoids risk to the main island and the city. However, large-scale drills are considered too dangerous to be performed in the area, and since 1975 have been performed in Taiwan.
[130] Training is also held in about a dozen other countries. In general, military exercises are held with foreign forces once or twice per week.
[121]
Due to airspace and land constraints, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) maintains a number of overseas bases in
Australia, the United States, and France. The RSAF's 130 Squadron is based in
RAAF Base Pearce,
Western Australia,
[131] and its
126 Squadron is based in the
Oakey Army Aviation Centre,
Queensland.
[132] The RSAF has one squadron – the 150 Squadron – based in
Cazaux Air Base in southern
France.
[133][134] The RSAF also has a few overseas detachments in the United States, in
San Diego,
California,
Marana, Arizona,
Grand Prairie, Texas and
Luke Air Force Base, among others.
[135][136]
Demographics
As of 2012, the population of Singapore was 5.3 million people, of whom 3.3 million (62%) are
citizens, while the rest (38%) are permanent residents or foreign workers/students. Twenty-three percent of Singaporean citizens are
foreign born. There are about half a million permanent residents in Singapore in 2012. The resident population does not take into account the 11 million annual visitors to Singapore.
[4][140][141]
In 2010, three quarters of Singaporean residents live in properties that are equal to or larger than a four-room HDB flat or in private housing. The rate of home ownership is 87%.
[144][145] Mobile phone penetration rate is extremely high at 1,400 mobile phone subscribers per 1000 people. Around 1 in 10 residents own a car.
[141]
As of 2009, about 40% of Singapore's residents were foreigners,
one of the highest percentage in the world.
[150] The government is considering capping these workers, although it has been recognised that they are crucial to the country's economy,
[151] as foreign workers make up 80% of the construction industry and up to 50% of the service industry.
[152][153]
In 2009, the government census reports that 74% of residents were of Chinese, 13.4% of Malay, and 9% of Indian descent,
[154] while
Eurasians and other groups made up 3.2%. Prior to 2010, each person could register as a member of only one race, by default that of his or her father, therefore, mixed-race persons were solely grouped under their father's race in government censuses. From 2010 onward, people may register using a multi-racial classification, in which they may choose one primary race and one secondary race, but no more than two.
[155]
Religion
Buddhism is the most widely practised religion in Singapore, with 33% of the resident population declaring themselves adherents at the most recent census. The next-most practised religion is
Christianity, followed by
Islam,
Taoism, and
Hinduism. 17% of the population did not have a religious affiliation. The proportion of Christians, Taoists, and non-religious people increased between 2000 and 2010 by about 3% each, whilst the proportion of Buddhists decreased. Other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population.
[156] An analysis by the
Pew Research Center found Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation.
[158]
There are monasteries and
Dharma centres from all three major traditions of Buddhism in Singapore:
Theravada,
Mahayana, and
Vajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and are of the Mahayana tradition,
[159] with missionaries having come into the country from Taiwan and China for several decades. However,
Thailand's Theravada Buddhism has seen growing popularity among the populace (not only the Chinese) during the past decade.
Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, is practised by many people in Singapore, but mostly by those of Chinese descent.
Tibetan Buddhism has also made slow inroads into the country in recent years.
[160]
Languages
| Native languages (mother tongues) of Singaporeans[161] |
|---|
| Language | | | Percent | |
| Mandarin |
| 50% |
| English |
| 32% |
| Malay |
| 12% |
| Tamil |
| 3% |
Singapore has four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil.
[162] English is the common language, and is the language of business, government, and the medium of instruction in schools.
[163][164] Public bodies in Singapore, i.e. the
Singapore Public Service (which includes the
Singapore Civil Service and other agencies), conduct their businesses in English, and official documents written in a non-English official language such as Malay, Chinese or Tamil typically have to be translated into English to be accepted for submission. The
Constitution of Singapore and all laws are written in English,
[165] and translators are required if one wishes to address the
Singaporean Courts in a language other than English.
[166][167] However, English is the native tongue for only one-third of all Singaporeans, with roughly a third of all Singaporean Chinese, a quarter of all Singaporean Malays and half of all Singaporean Indians speaking it as their native tongue. Twenty percent of Singaporeans cannot read or write in English.
[156][168]
Many, but not all, Singaporeans are bilingual in English and another official language, with vastly varying degrees of fluency. The official languages ranked in terms of literacy amongst Singaporeans are English (80% literacy), Mandarin (65% literacy), Malay (17% literacy), and Tamil (4% literacy).
[156][169] Singapore English is based on
British English,
[170] and forms of English spoken in Singapore range from
Standard Singapore English to a
pidgin known as "
Singlish". Singlish is heavily discouraged by the government.
[171]
Mandarin is the language that is spoken as the native tongue by the greatest number of Singaporeans, half of them.
[161] Singaporean Mandarin is the most common version of Chinese in the country,
[172] with 1.2 million using it as their home language. Nearly half a million speak other Chinese dialects, mainly
Hokkien,
Teochew, and
Cantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favour of Mandarin and English.
[173]
Malay was chosen as a national language by the Singaporean government after independence from Britain in the 1960s to avoid friction with Singapore's neighbours — Malaysia and Indonesia — which are Malay-speaking.
[174] It has a symbolic, rather than functional purpose.
[162][175][176] It is used in the national anthem "Majulah Singapura",
[177] in citations of
Singaporean orders and decorations, and in military commands. Today, in general, Malay is spoken within the Singaporean Malay community, with only 17% of all Singaporeans literate in Malay
[178] and only 12% using it as their native language.
[161]
Around 100,000, or 3%, of Singaporeans speak Tamil as their native language.
[161] Tamil has official status in Singapore and there have been no attempts to discourage the use of other Indian languages.
[179]
Infrastructure
Science and technology
Education
Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is mostly supported by the state. All institutions, private and public, must be registered with the
Ministry of Education.
[181] English is the language of instruction in all public schools,
[182] and all subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "
mother tongue" language paper.
[183] While the term "mother tongue" in general refers to the first language internationally, in Singapore's education system, it is used to refer to the second language, as English is the first language.
[184][185] Students who have been abroad for a while, or who struggle with their "Mother Tongue" language, are allowed to take a simpler syllabus or drop the subject.
[186][187]
Education takes place in three stages: primary, secondary, and pre-university education. Only the primary level is compulsory. Students begin with six years of primary school, which is made up of a four-year foundation course and a two-year orientation stage. The curriculum is focused on the development of English, the mother tongue,
mathematics, and
science.
[188][189] Secondary school lasts from four to five years, and is divided between Special, Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) streams in each school, depending on a student's ability level.
[190] The basic coursework breakdown is the same as in the primary level, although classes are much more specialised.
[191] Pre-university education takes place over two to three years at senior schools, mostly called Junior Colleges.
[192]
Some schools have a degree of freedom in their curriculum and are known as autonomous schools. These exist from the secondary education level and up.
[190]
| Educational attainment of non-student Singaporeans above 15 years old in 2005[193] |
|---|
| Highest qualification | | | Percentage | |
| No education |
| 18% |
| Primary school |
| 45% |
| Secondary school |
| 15% |
| Post-secondary diploma |
| 8% |
| Degree |
| 14% |
National examinations are standardised across all schools, with a test taken after each stage. After the first six years of education, students take the
Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE),
[188] which determines their placement at secondary school. At the end of the secondary stage,
GCE "O"-Level exams are taken; at the end of the following pre-university stage, the
GCE "A"-Levelexams are taken. Of all non-student Singaporeans aged 15 and above, 18% have no education qualifications at all while 45% have the PSLE as their highest qualification; 15% have the GCE 'O' Level as their highest qualification and 14% have a degree.
[193]
Singaporean students consistently rank in the top five in the world in the two major international assessments of mathematics and science knowledge:
Health
Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare system, even though their health expenditures are relatively low for developed countries.
[198] The
World Health Organisation ranks Singapore's healthcare system as 6th overall in the world in its
World Health Report.
[199] In general, Singapore has had the
lowest infant mortality rate in the world for the past two decades.
[141] Life expectancy in Singapore is 80 for males and 85 for females, placing the country
4th in the world for life expectancy. Almost the whole population has access to improved water and sanitation facilities. There are fewer than 10 annual deaths from HIV per 100,000 people. There is a high level of immunisation. Adult obesity is below 10%.
[200]
The government's healthcare system is based upon the "3M" framework. This has three components: Medifund, which provides a safety net for those not able to otherwise afford healthcare,
Medisave, a compulsory health savings scheme covering about 85% of the population, and Medishield, a government-funded health insurance program.
[198] Public hospitals in Singapore have autonomy in their management decisions, and compete for patients. A subsidy scheme exists for those on low income.
[201] In 2008, 32% of healthcare was funded by the government. It accounts for approximately 3.5% of Singapore's GDP.
[202]
Culture
The country has strict laws against drug use, and has one of the lowest rates of drug use in the world.
[203]
Languages, religions, and cultures
Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated by Singapore's
Tamilcommunity
Singapore is a very diverse and young country. It has many languages, religions, and cultures for a country its size.
[205]
When Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963, most of the newly minted Singaporean citizens were uneducated labourers from Malaysia, China and
India. Many of them were transient labourers who were seeking to make some money in Singapore and they had no intention of staying for good. A sizeable minority of middle-class, local-born people, known as the
Peranakans, also existed. With the exception of the Peranakans (descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants) who pledged their loyalties to Singapore, most of the labourers' loyalties lay with their respective homelands of Malaysia, China and India.
[206][207] After independence, the process of crafting a Singaporean identity and culture began.
Former Prime Ministers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, have stated that Singapore does not fit the traditional description of a
nation, calling it a society-in-transition, pointing out the fact that Singaporeans do not all speak the same language, share the same religion, or have the same customs.
[205][208] Even though English is the first language of the nation, according to the government's 2010 census 20% of Singaporeans, or one in five, are
illiterate in English. This is a marked improvement from 1990 where 40% of Singaporeans were illiterate in English.
[209][210]
Unlike many other countries, languages, religions and cultures among Singaporeans are not delineated according to
skin colour or
ancestry. Among Chinese Singaporeans, one in five is
Christian, another one in five is
atheist, and the rest are mostly
Buddhists or
Taoists. One-third speak English as their home language, while half speak Mandarin Chinese. The rest speak other
mutually unintelligible Chinese languages at home.
[209] Singaporean Indians are much more religious. Only 1% of them are atheists. Six in ten are Hindu, two in ten Muslim, and the rest mostly Christian. Four in ten speak English as their home language, three in ten Tamil, one in ten Malay, and the rest other
Indian languages as their home language.
[209]
Each Singaporean's behaviours and attitudes would therefore be influenced by, among many other things, his or her home
language and his
religion. Singaporeans who speak English as their native language tend to lean toward
Western culture, while those who speak Chinese languages as their native language tend to lean toward
Chinese culture and
Confucianism. Malay-speaking Singaporeans tend to lean toward the
Malay culture, which itself is closely linked to the
Islamic culture.
Attitudes and beliefs
Singapore, as a country, in general is conservative socially, but some liberalisation has occurred.
[211] At the national level,
meritocracy, where one is judged based on one's ability, is heavily emphasised.
[212]
Singaporean employees work an average of around 45 hours weekly, relatively long compared to many other nations. Three in four Singaporean employees surveyed stated that they take pride in doing their work well, and that doing so helps their self-confidence.
[218]
Cuisine
Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country's national pastime.
[219] The focus on food has led countries like Australia to attract Singaporean tourists with food-based itineraries.
[220] The diversity of food is touted as a reason to visit the country,
[221] and the variety of food representing different ethnicities is seen by the government as a symbol of its multiculturalism.
[222] The "national fruit" of Singapore is the
durian.
[223]
In popular culture, food items belong to a particular ethnicity, with Chinese, Malay, and Indian food clearly defined. However, the diversity of cuisine has been increased further by the "hybridisation" of different styles (e.g., the Peranakan style, a mix of Chinese and Malay cuisine).
[221]
Arts
The
durian-shaped Esplanade, performing arts centre, stands out in front of the
Marina Square area.
Sport and recreation
Popular sports include football, basketball, cricket, swimming, sailing, table tennis and badminton. Most Singaporeans live in public residential areas (known as "HDB flats", as
mentioned above) near amenities such as public swimming pools, outdoor
basketball courts and indoor sport complexes. Water sports are popular, including sailing,
kayaking and
water skiing.
Scuba diving is another popular recreational sport. The Southern island of
Pulau Hantu, particularly, is known for its rich
coral reefs.
[228]
Media
The
Media Development Authority regulates Singaporean media, claiming to balance the demand for choice and protection against offensive and harmful material.
[243] Private ownership of TV satellite dishes is banned.
[241] Television is censored, and shows like
Sex and the City and
Queer as Folk (UK TV series) are banned. There are 3.4 million users of the internet in Singapore,
[241] one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. The Singapore government does not engage in widespread censoring of the internet,
[244] but it maintains a list of one hundred websites (mostly pornographic) that it blocks as a 'symbolic statement of the Singaporean community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet'.
[245] As the block covers only home internet access, users may still visit the blocked websites from their office computers.
[246]
Transport
The Port of Singapore with Sentosa island in the background
Since Singapore is a small island with a high population density, the number of private cars on the road is restricted so as to curb pollution and congestion. Car buyers must pay for duties one-and-a-half times the vehicle's market value, and bid for a Singaporean
Certificate of Entitlement (COE), which allows the car to run on the road for a decade. The cost of the Singaporean certificate of entitlement alone would buy a
Porsche Boxster in the United States. Car prices are generally significantly higher in Singapore than in other English-speaking countries.
[141][247]As with most Commonwealth countries, vehicles on the road and people walking on the streets keep to the left.
[248]
Singaporean residents also travel by foot, bicycles,
bus,
taxis and
train (
MRT or
LRT). Two companies run the public bus and train transport system –
SBS Transit and
SMRT Corporation. There are almost a dozen
taxi companies, who together put out 25,000 taxis on the road. Taxis are a popular form of public transport as the fares are relatively cheap compared to many other developed countries.
[249][250]
Ships in the ocean with Singapore visible in the background
Source: Wikipedia
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