Location

Situated approx. 137 kilometres north of the Equator, at the tip of the Malaysian Peninsula, between latitudes 1o09’N and 1o29’N and longitudes 103o36’E and 104o25’E; immediate neighbours are Malaysia and Indonesia

Capital

Singapore

Area

710.2 sq. km.  

Climate

Singapore is an equatorial country with a relatively uniform temperature, abundant rainfall and high humidity.
Average daily temperature 24.7 to 31.1 degrees C.
December and January are generally less warm.
Rains throughout the year; maximum rainfall in November to January. 
Annual rainfall 2,325 mm.
Average daily relative humidity 84.3 per cent

Population

• 3.164 million citizens, 478,200 expatriate Permanent Residents(PRs), 1,196 million expatriate non-residents. Total population 4.84 million (June 2008)
• Ethnic composition of Resident Population (citizens + PRs)–Chinese 74.7%; Malays 13.6%; Indians 8.9%; others 2.8%  (2008)
• Density 6814 persons per sq km
• Growth rate Total: 5.5%  Resident Population-1.7% per annum 
• Literacy 96% ; Fertility 1.29%;
• Life expectancy: Total 80.9 years,  males 78.4 years, females 83.2 years (2008)

Language

English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil are all official languages; the constitution of the Republic of Singapore provides that the national language is Malay and shall be in Roman script; the administrative language is English.

Religion

Political Structure

• Constitutional Republic, with a parliamentary system of Government based on universal adult suffrage.
• Since 1993, Singapore citizens elect the President for a fixed term of six years.
• Executive powers vested in the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister. People’s Action Party (PAP) in power since 1959. Currently it occupies 82 of the 84 elected parliamentary seats.
• General elections held on 6th May 2006. 

Mr. S.R. Nathan (President)

Mr. LEE Hsien Loong (Prime Minister)

Currency

Singapore Dollar
Rate of Exchange: US$1 = Sing $  1.404 (January, 2010) 

Economy

Basically entrepot economy, dependent on foreign trade and investment; Focus on financial services, tourism, oil rig/ship construction, shipping logistics, high tech industries like petro/biofuel refineries, petrochemicals, electronics,  pharma, aircraft MRO,  R&D in biosciences etc.

Per capita  GDP

US$ 37,597 in 2008

GDP Growth

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009(Advance Estimates)

7.3%

8.2%

7.7%

1.1%

-2.1%

GDP Amount

S$257.418 billion in 2008 at current market prices.
(S$ 233.524 billion in 2008 at 2000 market prices)

Sectoral contribution to GDP in 2008

Goods producing Industries

30.64%

Manufacturing  

24.62%

Construction   

4.2%

Services producing Industries                         

65.64%

Whole & Retail Trade                               

16.39%

Transport & Storage  

9.14%

Hotels & Restaurants              

1.72%

Info&Communications                            

4.4%

Financial Services

12.57%

Business Services

11.94%

Inflation

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

1.7%

0.5%

1.0%

2.1%

6.5%

0.2%

Unemployment

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

4.0%

3.4%

3.1%

2.7%

2.1%

2.3%

3.0%

Singapore’s Global Trade
in million S$

FDI in Singapore

Major foreign investors (Country-wise FDI) in Singapore
(2008 year-end; in billion Singapore Dollars)

FDI in Singapore
(In billion Singapore Dollars)

Sector-wise figures of FDI in Singapore in 2007
(in billion Singapore Dollars)

Singaporean Investment Abroad

Total Direct Investment abroad by Singapore (2008)
in billion Singapore dollars

Forex Reserves

US$ 189.619 billion in January 2010

2006

2007

2008

2009

Jan 2009

Jan 2010

Total Bilateral Trade

19,920.832

23,860.242

28,756.963

21,585.714

1,690.949

2,224.115

%change y-o-y

19.97%

19.78%

20.52%

-24.94%

-34.18%

31.53%

Singapore's Imports

7,755.256

8,814.189

11,922.381

8,156.459

641,342

1,055.202

%change y-o-y

14.24%

13.65%

35.26%

-31.59%

-43.23%

64.53%

Singapore's Exports

12,165.576

15,046.053

16,834.582

13,429.255

1,049.607

1,168.913

%change y-o-y

24%

23.68%

11.89%

-20.23%

-27.07%

11.37%

Singapore’s Domestic
Exports

5,094.876

6,191.148

7,515.094

5,677.674

386,920

502,622

%change y-o-y

7.8%

21.52%

21.38%

-24.45%

-43.85%

29.90%

Singapore’s Re
Exports

7,070.700

8,854.905

9,319.488

7,751.581

662,687

666,291

%change y-o-y

39%

25.23%

5.25%

-16.82%

-11.65%

0.54%

Indian origin Singaporeans

Indian
Expatriates

Approximately 2,73,600 in Feb 2008 serving in financial services & computer/software engineers, construction/marine engineering sectors

Indian Media in Singapore

‘The Hindu’ has a Resident Correspondent based in Singapore.  UNI has a freelance reporter. Vijay TV, Sun TV, Zee network, Star Plus, Sony Entertainment and Asianet are available on cable channel.