Singapore 
Facts
Background: Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading links (its port is one of the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Area land: 687 sq km
Area water: 10 sq km
Coastline: 193 km
Country name conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
Country name conventional short form: Singapore
Country name former: Republic of Singapore
Population: 4,740,737 (July 2011 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 13.8% (male 338,419/female 314,704); 15-64 years: 77% (male 1,774,444/female 1,874,985); 65 years and over: 9.2% (male 196,101/female 242,084) (2011 est.);
Population growth rate: 0.817% (2011 est.)
Birth rate: 8.5 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Death rate: 4.95 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)
Net migration rate: 4.63 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.077 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.08 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female; total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2011 est.);
Infant mortality rate: total: 2.32 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 2.52 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 2.11 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 82.14 years; male: 79.53 years; female: 84.96 years (2011 est.);
Total fertility rate: 1.11 children born/woman (2011 est.);
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.1% (2009 est.);
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 3,400 (2009 est.);
HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 100 (2009 est.);
Nationality: noun: Singaporean(s); adjective: Singapore;
Ethnic groups: Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000 census);
Religions: Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census);
Languages: Mandarin (official) 35%, English (official) 23%, Malay (official) 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil (official) 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census);
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write; total population: 92.5%; male: 96.6%; female: 88.6% (2000 census);
GDP (purchasing power parity): $292.4 billion (2010 est.); $255 billion (2009 est.); $258.3 billion (2008 est.);
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP (official exchange rate): $233.9 billion (2010 est.);
GDP - real growth rate: 14.7% (2010 est.); -1.3% (2009 est.); 1.8% (2008 est.);
GDP - per capita (PPP): $57,200 (2010 est.); $54,700 (2009 est.); $56,100 (2008 est.);
note: data are in 2010 US dollars
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 0%; industry: 27.2%; services: 72.8% (2010 est.);
Population below poverty line: NA%;
Household income or consumption by percentage share: lowest 10%: 4.4%; highest 10%: 23.2% (2008);
Labor force: 3.075 million (2010 est.);
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture: 0.1%; industry: 30.2%; services: 69.7% (2010);
Unemployment rate: 2.1% (2010 est.); 3% (2009 est.);
Budget: revenues: $29.87 billion; expenditures: $34.01 billion;
note: expenditures include both operational and development expenditures (2010 est.)
Industries: electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade;
Industrial production growth rate: 25% (2010 est.);
Electricity - production: 39.21 billion kWh (2008 est.);
Electricity - consumption: 37.11 billion kWh (2008 est.);
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2009 est.);
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2009 est.);
Statistics: CIA World Factbook.
Press
http://asiancorrespondent.com/category/singap...
(pro-government), Singapore
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/
(Pro-government, English-language), Singapore
http://www.todayonline.com/
Singapore in the News
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Displaying 1 to 4 of 12 items.
Singapore's bilingual policy has been the cornerstone of its development. It is time for the country to take the next step and embrace biculturalism.
Singapore's multi-cultural background, diverse cuisine and gorgeous architecture will keep a tourist's head on a swivel, taking in something new on every block.
Reforms of the World Bank should be part of a coordinated global effort to make poverty history.
An old shop front verandah in Singapore's Little India is "home" to a group of about 50 migrant workers who have been spat out by an economy that relies heavily on so-called "guest workers."
