Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Current weather conditions
Map references: Southeast Asia

Area:
total area: 632.6 sq km
land area: 622.6 sq km
comparative area: slightly more than three 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
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
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 - Biodiversity, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution; signed, but not ratified - Climate Change
Geographic note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes

Population: 3,396,924 (July 1996 est.)
Age structure:
0-14 years: 22% (male 379,076; female 358,739)
15-64 years: 72% (male 1,220,131; female 1,219,412)
65 years and over: 6% (male 97,882; female 121,684) (July 1996 est.)
Population growth rate: 1.9% (1996 est.)
Birth rate: 16.28 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Death rate: 4.56 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
Net migration rate: 7.29 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.8 male(s)/female
all ages: 1 male(s)/female (1996 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 4.7 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 78.13 years
male: 75.07 years
female: 81.39 years (1996 est.)
Total fertility rate: 1.65 children born/woman (1996 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 (1995 est.)

total population: 91.1%
male: 95.9%
female: 86.3%

Government type: republic within Commonwealth
National 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)
head of government: Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990) and Deputy Prime Ministers LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995)
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament
elections : president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1993 (next to be held NA August 1999); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: ONG Teng Cheong elected president in the country's first popular election for president; percent of vote - ONG Teng Cheong 59%, CHUA Kim Yeow 41%

Legislative branch: unicameral Parliament (83 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms) elections: last held 2 January 1997 (next to be held by 2002) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 65% (in contested constituencies), other 35%; seats by party - PAP 81, WP 1, SPP 1

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

Political parties and leaders:
government : People's Action Party (PAP), GOH Chok Tong, secretary general
opposition: Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), CHEE Soon Juan; Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; National Solidarity Party (NSP), C. K. TAN; Singapore People's Party (SPP), CHIAM See Tong

International organization participation: APEC, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS (pending member), C, CCC, CP, ESCAP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, Mekong Group, NAM, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNIKOM, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

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


Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Timothy A. CHORBA
embassy : 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96534
telephone: [65] 476-9100
FAX: [65] 476-9340


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

Economic 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 8.9% growth in 1995, with prospects for 7%-8% growth in 1996. In 1995, the manufacturing and financial and business services sectors led economic growth. Rising labor costs continue to be a threat to Singapore's competitiveness, and the government's strategy to address this problem includes increasing productivity, improving infrastructure, and encouraging higher value-added industries. In applied technology, per capita output, investment, and labor discipline, Singapore has key attributes of a developed country.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $66.1 billion (1995 est.)
GDP real growth rate: 8.9% (1995)
GDP per capita: $22,900 (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector:
agriculture: NEGL%
industry: 28%
services: 72%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (1995)

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)
Unemployment rate: 2.6% (1995 est.)

Budget:
revenues: $17.3 billion
expenditures: $12.9 billion, including capital expenditures of $4.5 billion (FY95/96 est.)

Industries: petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, entrepot trade, financial services, biotechnology
Industrial production growth rate: 10% (1995)

Electricity:
capacity: 4,510,000 kW
production: 17 billion kWh
consumption per capita: 5,590 kWh (1993)

Agriculture: rubber, copra, fruit, vegetables; poultry

Illicit drugs: transit point for Golden Triangle heroin going to the US, Western Europe, and the Third World; also a money-laundering center

Exports: $119.6 billion (1995)
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: $125.9 billion (1995)
commodities: aircraft, petroleum, chemicals, foodstuffs
partners: Japan 22%, Malaysia 16%, US 15%, Taiwan 4%, Saudi Arabia 4% (1994)
External debt: $3.2 million (1994)
Economic aid: $NA
Currency: 1 Singapore dollar (S$) = 100 cents
Exchange rates: Singapore dollars (S$) per US$1 - 1.4214 (January 1996), 1.4174 (1995), 1.5274 (1994), 1.6158 (1993), 1.6290 (1992), 1.7276 (1991)
Fiscal year: 1 April - 31 March




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