Singapore

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia Singapore at a glance Did you know? The name Singapore derives from the Sanskrit Singa Pura, `City of the Lion'. This refers to the sighting of an animal, thought to be a lion, by the 14th-century Sumatran prince Sang Nila Utama, who was sheltering on the island during a thunderstorm and who later established the town Region South East Asia Population 4,492,150 (July 2006 est.) Land Geography: Flat Climate: Tropical People Religion: Buddhist, 42.5%; Muslim, 14.9%; Taoist, 8.5%; Hindu, 4%; Christian, 14.6%; other, 0.7%; none, 14.8% (2000 census) Language: 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% Economy GDP per person: (PPP): $30,900 GDP by sector: Agriculture, 0%; industry, 33.8%; services, 66.2% Government Parliamentary republic Land Physical geography Lying just north of the equator, the Republic of Singapore is separated from Peninsular Malaysia by the narrow Johor Straits (1 kilometre wide). Singapore is made up of the main island - which is 42 kilometres long by 23 kilometres wide (617.1 sq km) - and 63 smaller islands. Singapore has a total area of approximately 1,000 square kilometres, which is roughly one-twentieth the size of Greater Sydney. The land is flat apart from low hills. Its highest point is Bukit Timah, at just 166 metres. Its land area has been expanding through massive land reclamation projects using sand from inland, the sea-bed and purchased from Indonesia and Malaysia. The island is drained by a number of small streams. Climate Singapore has a tropical climate and is hot, humid and rainy all year round. Temperatures average between 23ºC and 31ºC, relative humidity is 84.3% and average annual rainfall is 2,345 millimetres. There are two distinct monsoon seasons, the North eastern monsoon (December-March) and the South western monsoon (June-September). Environment Much of the natural dense forest, swamp areas and coastal mangroves have been cleared for housing and industry. There are strict environmental regulations and an intense commitment to develop conservation areas, nature reserves, parks and roadside greenery as Singapore develops itself as a 'garden city state'. Flying lemur, squirrels and the long-tailed macaque, as well as a wide variety of birds are found in these areas. People Singapore is a totally urbanised city-state. People Culture and identity The people of Singapore are mainly descendants of immigrants from the Malay Peninsula, China, the Indian subcontinent and Sri Lanka. They have gradually acquired a distinct identity as Singaporeans while retaining their traditional practices, customs and festivals. The Chinese make up 77% of the population, with Malays, 14%; Indians, 8%; and others, 1.4%. The official languages are Malay, Chinese, Tamil and English. Malay is the national language and English is the language of administration. Mandarin is being increasingly used among the Chinese in place of the main Chinese dialects Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese and Foochow. Besides Tamil, some of the other languages spoken by Singaporean Indians are Malayalam, Punjabi, Telegu, Hindi and Bengali. More than half of the population is literate in two or more languages. The Peranakan, Straits Chinese or Baba-Nonya are descendants of Chinese immigrants who married Malay women. They retain their names and the religion (ancestor worship or Christianity) of their fathers, but speak a dialect of Malay that includes many Hokkien words and prepare food using traditional Chinese ingredients but with Malay spices. Peranakan dress is ornate, with women wearing kabaya, or blouses worn over a sarong and tied with gold or silver brooches. Singaporeans enjoy one of the world's highest standards of living, but there are also strong controls on their behaviour and severe punishments for acts deemed to be anti-social. The government has taken a strong lead in promoting Singapore as a centre for arts and culture. Health The well-organised health care system and access to safe water and sanitation contribute to a high life expectancy of 81.7 years and a low infant mortality rate of 2.3 per 1,000 births. Only a tiny 0.2% of the population are HIV positive. Religion and beliefs The range of religious beliefs reflects the ethnic diversity of the population, with Buddhist, 42.5%; Muslim, 14.9%; Taoist, 8.5%; Hindu, 4%; Catholic, 4.8%; Christian, 9.8%; other, 0.7%; and none, 14.8%. Food and shelter The enormous variety of food reflects the ethnic heritage of the population, and includes many merging flavours and styles. Travelling street hawkers have relocated to massive food courts, offering a mix of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan cuisine. Most Singaporeans own their homes, which are predominantly in tower blocks. Economy Wealth and poverty Singapore has a highly developed free-market economy with an average income per person of $30,900. The unemployment rate is a low 3.1%. Education and work A strong commitment to education has led to almost universal primary education in both government and private schools. Children must attend school for 11 years from the age of six. Secondary education is streamed at three levels, according to measured ability, leading to junior college or vocational institutions. The literacy rate for females is 88.6%, and for males, 96.6%. Industries and products Electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil-drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, food and beverages processing and ship repair are the main industries. Trade Singapore exports machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, minerals and fuels worth about $283.6 billion to Malaysia, 14.7%; US, 11.5%; Indonesia, 10.7%; Hong Kong, 10.4%; China, 9.5%; Japan, 6%; Thailand, 4.5% and Australia, 4.1%. Singapore imports machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals and foodstuffs worth $246.1 billion from Malaysia, 14.4%; US, 12.4%; China, 10.8%; Japan, 10.1%; Indonesia, 5.5%; Saudi Arabia, 4.7%; and South Korea, 4.5%. Achievements and challenges Singapore has one of the busiest harbours in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly of consumer electronics and information technology products. The high population density and tiny land area mean that Singapore is heavily dependent on imports for its food and water supplies. Car ownership is limited by expensive permits and tolls, but the Mass Rapid Transit System provides quick, efficient public transport and links to the railway across the Straits of Johor to the Peninsular Malaysia. Singapore 's land reclamation has caused both environmental concerns and tensions with neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia. Links with Australia There are longstanding political, defence, educational, trade, tourism and Commonwealth links between Singapore and Australia. The 2001 Census indicated there were 33,590 Singapore-born persons in Australia, with Western Australia with the largest number (10,270), followed by New South Wales (8,510), Victoria (7,610) and Queensland (4,520). In 265,300 Singaporeans visited Australia, while around 620,237 Australians travelled to Singapore. Main Sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ http://www20.sbs.com.au/worldguide/ http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/

The glittering city skyline of Singapore 's Central Business District. Image courtesy of the Singapore Tourism Board