Match 216 DB Rec# - 7,668 Dataset-WOFACT
Title :Singapore
Text :
Singapore
Geography
Location:
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Map references:
Southeast Asia
Area:
total area:
632.6 sq km
land area:
622.6 sq km
comparative area:
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Land boundaries:
0 km
Coastline:
193 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone:
within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
territorial sea:
3 nm
International disputes:
two islands in dispute with Malaysia
Climate:
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy or dry seasons;
thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days in April)
Terrain:
lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and
nature preserve
Natural resources:
fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land:
4%
permanent crops:
7%
meadows and pastures:
0%
forest and woodland:
5%
other:
84%
Irrigated land:
NA sq km
Environment:
current issues:
industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources; limited land
availability presents waste disposal problems
natural hazards:
NA
international agreements:
party to - Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer
Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Biodiversity, Climate
Change
Note:
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
People
Population:
2,890,468 (July 1995 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years:
23% (female 327,417; male 348,345)
15-64 years:
70% (female 991,015; male 1,030,668)
65 years and over:
7% (female 105,081; male 87,942) (July 1995 est.)
Population growth rate:
1.06% (1995 est.)
Birth rate:
15.93 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Death rate:
5.35 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
5.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
76.16 years
male:
73.28 years
female:
79.25 years (1995 est.)
Total fertility rate:
1.87 children born/woman (1995 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Singaporean(s)
adjective:
Singapore
Ethnic divisions:
Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%
Religions:
Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist,
Confucianist
Languages:
Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English
(official)
Literacy:
age 15 and over can read and write (1990)
total population:
89%
male:
95%
female:
83%
Labor force:
1.649 million (1994)
by occupation:
financial, business, and other services 33.5%, manufacturing 25.6%, commerce
22.9%, construction 6.6%, other 11.4% (1994)
Government
Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Singapore
conventional short form:
Singapore
Digraph:
SN
Type:
republic within Commonwealth
Capital:
Singapore
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore
Constitution)
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Suffrage:
20 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state:
President ONG Teng Cheong (since 1 September 1993); election last held 28
August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1997); results - ONG Teng Cheong was
elected with 59% of the vote in the country's first popular election for
president
head of government:
Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister
LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990)
cabinet:
Cabinet; appointed by the president, responsible to parliament
Legislative branch:
unicameral
Parliament:
elections last held 31 August 1991 (next to be held by 31 August 1996);
results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (81 total) PAP 77, SDP 3, WP
1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Political parties and leaders:
government:
People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary general
opposition:
Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; Singapore Democratic Party (SDP),
CHEE Soon Juan; National Solidarity Party (NSP), leader NA; Barisan Sosialis
(BS, Socialist Front), leader NA; Singapore People's Party (SPP), SIN Kek
Tong
Member of:
APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC,
ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC,
ISO, ITU, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Sellapan Rama NATHAN
Government
chancery:
3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone:
[1] (202) 537-3100
FAX:
[1] (202) 537-0876
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA
embassy:
30 Hill Street, Singapore 0617
mailing address:
FPO AP 96534
telephone:
[65] 3380251
FAX:
[65] 3384550
Flag:
two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of
the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward
the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged
in a circle
Economy
Overview:
Singapore has an open entrepreneurial economy with strong service and
manufacturing sectors and excellent international trading links derived from
its entrepot history. The economy registered 10.1% growth in 1994, with
prospects for 7.5%-8.5% growth in 1995. In 1994, the manufacturing and
financial and business services sectors have led economic growth. Exports
boomed, led by the electronics sector, particularly US demand for disk
drives. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's
competitiveness, but there are indications that productivity is keeping up.
In applied technology, per capita output, investment, and labor discipline,
Singapore has key attributes of a developed country.
National product:
GDP - purchasing power parity - $57 billion (1994 est.)
National product real growth rate:
10.1% (1994)
National product per capita:
$19,940 (1994 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices):
3.6% (1994)
Unemployment rate:
2.6% (1994)
Budget:
revenues:
$11.9 billion
expenditures:
$10.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $3.9 billion (FY93/94 est.)
Exports:
$96.4 billion (f.o.b., 1994)
commodities:
computer equipment, rubber and rubber products, petroleum products,
telecommunications equipment
partners:
Malaysia 20%, US 19%, Hong Kong 9%, Japan 7%, Thailand 6% (1994)
Imports:
$102.4 billion (c.i.f., 1994)
commodities:
aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners:
Japan 22%, Malaysia 16%, US 15%, Taiwan 4%, Saudi Arabia 4% (1994)
External debt:
$20 million (1993 est.)
Industrial production:
growth rate 13% (1994 est.); accounts for 28% of GDP (1993)
Electricity:
capacity:
4,510,000 kW
production:
17 billion kWh
consumption per capita:
5,590 kWh (1993)
Industries:
petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing
and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot
trade, financial services, biotechnology
Agriculture:
minor importance in the economy; self-sufficient in poultry and eggs; must
import much of other food; major crops - rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables
Economy
Illicit drugs:
transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe,
and the Third World; also a major money-laundering center
Economic aid:
recipient:
US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-83), $590 million; Western (non-US)
countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-89), $1 billion
Currency:
1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates:
Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4524 (January 1995), 1.5275 (1994),
1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991), 1.8125 (1990)
Fiscal year:
1 April - 31 March
Transportation
Railroads:
total:
38.6 km
narrow gauge:
38.6 km 1.000-m gauge
Highways:
total:
2,883 km
paved:
2,796 km
unpaved:
87 km (1991 est.)
Ports:
Singapore
Merchant marine:
total:
563 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 11,167,596 GRT/17,845,687 DWT
ships by type:
bulk 96, cargo 121, chemical tanker 16, combination bulk 2, combination
ore/oil 7, container 78, liquefied gas tanker 6, oil tanker 198,
refrigerated cargo 1, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 1,
specialized tanker 3, vehicle carrier 22
note:
a flag of convenience registry; includes 20 countries among which are Japan
35 ships, Denmark 21, Germany 21, Hong Kong 18, Belgium 14, Thailand 11,
Sweden 8, US 7, Indonesia 6, and Norway 5; Singapore owns 1 ship under
Malaysia registry
Airports:
total:
10
with paved runways over 3,047 m:
3
with paved runways 2,438 to 3,047 m:
2
with paved runways 1,524 to 2,437 m:
4
with paved runways 914 to 1,523 m:
1
Communications
Telephone system:
1,110,000 telephones; good domestic facilities; good international service;
good radio and television broadcast coverage
local:
NA
intercity:
NA
international:
submarine cables extend to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia),
Indonesia, and the Philippines; 2 INTELSAT (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific
Ocean) earth stations
Radio:
broadcast stations:
AM 13, FM 4, shortwave 0
radios:
NA
Television:
broadcast stations:
2
televisions:
NA
Defense Forces
Branches:
Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force, Police Force
Manpower availability:
males age 15-49 860,437; males fit for military service 629,973 (1995 est.)
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $2.7 billion, 6% of GDP (1993 est.)
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The printed version of this item can be found under the title:
The World Factbook 1995,
SuDoc No: PREX 3.15:995
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