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Singapore


 
Firework display at midnight in Marina Bay of Singapore
Fireworks at midnight in Singapore's Marina Bay, with the luxury Marina Bay Sands hotel in the background on the left.
Image: Uwe Aranas

 
Location map of Singapore. Where in the world is Singapore?
Location map of Singapore


Flag of Singapore
Flag of Singapore

Singapore in brief

Destination Singapore, a Nations Online country profile of the multiethnic city-state in Maritime Southeast Asia.

The small archipelago is situated about 140 km (87 mi) north of the equator and just south of the tip of the Malay Peninsula, separated by the Straits of Johor. Singapore lies on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes along the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea. The Strait of Singapore separates the country's islands from the Indonesian Riau Archipelago in the south. The former British colonial trading post gained independence in 1965.

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is known as the Lion City (Singapura) and consists of the main island and about 64 smaller offshore islands, including Sentosa (the largest of the offshore islands), Pulau Ubin, St John's Island and the Sisters' Islands. Two bridges connect Singapore to Malaysia and Continental Asia. The Johor–Singapore Causeway links Singapore to the Malaysian city of Johor Baru on Peninsular Malaysia.

Singapore shares maritime borders with Malaysia and Indonesia.

The city-state occupies an area of 718 km², compared, it is the smallest state in Southeast Asia, approximately one-fourth of Luxembourg or somewhat larger than 3.5 times the size of the District of Columbia, Washington, DC.

Singapore has a population of about 5.7 million people (in 2020) and a resident population of 4 million (in 2020). Spoken languages are English (the language of administration and education), Singlish (the Singaporean creole), Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil.



What is Singapore famous for?
Singapore is famous for being a global financial center, being among the most densely populated places in the world, having a world-class city airport with a waterfall, and a Botanic Garden that is a World Heritage Site.
Singapore is known as a tourist destination and for its hot and humid climate, being very clean, and growing in area due to reclaimed land.
The city-state is a shopper's paradise, besides the usual luxury brands sold in luxurious malls with luxury air conditioning, you can buy almost everything except chewing gum. Singapore is also known as "Instant Asia" because it offers visitors a quick glimpse of the Asian cultures that immigrants have brought from all parts of the continent.

 
Singapore | Republic of Singapore | Republik Singapura | 新加坡共和国



Background:
The island city-state on the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula has seen many rulers in its history. It has been an outpost of the ancient Sumatran Srivijaya empire; it was part of the Sultanate of Johore in the 15th and 16th centuries, and it was burned down by Portuguese forces in 1617. At the beginning of the 19th century, Singapore became a trade post and settlement of the British East India Company and a British crown colony some years later.

Singapore is today (beside Monaco) the most densely populated independent country in the world. Its strategic location at the Strait of Malacca and the South China Sea, combined with a mostly corruption-free government, a skilled workforce, pro-foreign investment and export-oriented, led to a thriving free-market economy that attracts international investment funds on a large scale despite its relatively high-cost operating environment.

 

 


Country Profile


Official Name:
Republik Singapura
Republic of Singapore
short form: Singapore
Chinese (pinyin): Xinjiapo Gònghéguó
Malay: Republik Singapura

ISO Country Code: sg, SGP,
IATA code: SIN

Time:
Local Time = UTC +8h
Actual Time: Mon-Mar-18  18:52

Country Calling Code: +65

Capital City: Singapore (Sanskrit Singapura--Lion City; pop. 3.5 million)

...show more



 


Official Sites of Singapore


Parliament House Singapore
Entry to Singapore's Parliament House in the Civic District of Downtown Singapore.
Image: kk nationsonline.org


Political System of Singapore


Singapore is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a (in theory) multi-party system. Since 1965, Singapore's policy has been dominated by the People's Action Party (PAP). Therefore, Singapore is classified as a one-party state by critics.
Head of state is the President, head of government is the Prime Minister, appointed by the President. Together with the President, the Cabinet of Singapore forms the government (executive branch) of Singapore.
Voting at Singapore's presidential elections or parliamentary elections is compulsory for all eligible citizens. On the other hand, Singapore has been consistently rated in the Top10 of the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International.


Note: External links will open in a new browser window.

Government


Coat of arms of Singapore
Coat of arms of
Singapore



Istana Singapore
Office of the President of the Republic.

Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister's Office Singapore.

The Cabinet
Official site of the Cabinet.

The Parliament of Singapore
The official web site of the unicameral Parliament of Singapore.


gov.sg - Government of Singapore
The Government of Singapore's official site.

Singapore Government Directory
The government directory lists Ministries, Organs of State, and other institutions.


Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
The official site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Diplomatic Missions
Embassy of Singapore to the U.S.
Washington D.C.
Embassy of Singapore in Germany
Singapore embassy Berlin.
Singapore Missions Worldwide
Address list of Singapore Embassies Abroad.
Foreign Missions Accredited in Singapore
Addresses of Foreign High Commissions, Embassies, Consulates and International Organizations.
Visa & Entry Facilities
Visa information.


Weather
Meteorological Services
Singapore weather.

Statistics
Statistics Singapore
Statistical figures, census and more.
Singapore in Figures
Singapore key statistical data.

 

 


 


Maps of Singapore


Singapore Map
Map of Singapore (click map to enlarge)
Image: © nationsonline.org


Maps


Map of Singapore
Map of Singapore.

Google Earth Google Earth Singapore.
Searchable map and satellite view of Singapore.

Map of Southeast Asia
Map of the Southeast Asia region.
profile Map of Asia
Reference Map of Asia.

 

 


News of Singapore



Singapore Newspapers


News from Singapore


Singapore's tightly-controlled media environment fosters self-censorship among journalists. Singapore's curbs on online content. Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) is the leading newspaper publisher in Singapore and operates English-language One FM and Kiss 92, and the Mandarin station UFM.

In 2019 Singapore's government placed greater restrictions on the country's already sharply curtailed free expression rights, Human Rights Watch said in its World Report 2020/21.
According to RSF, the Media Development Authority has the power to censor all forms of journalistic content. Defamation suits are common and may sometimes be accompanied by a charge of sedition, which is punishable by up to 21 years in prison. [1]


Online News from Singapore

CNA
Channel News Asia is an English language Asian news network owned by Mediacorp Pte. Ltd., Singapore's media and entertainment group.

Lianhe ZaoBao
National and international news (in Chinese)

Singapore News Net
Digital news from Singapore.

The Straits Times
The Straits Times Singapore Global Edition with national and international news.

The New Paper
Singaporean tabloid news.

TODAY
TODAY is an English-language digital news provider in Singapore.

Tamil Murasu
News in Tamil.

 

 


Arts & Culture of Singapore


Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Singapore
Inside the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. The statue in the center is a seated Buddha Maitreya (the future Buddha) flanked by two Bodhisattvas.
Image: kk. nationsonline.org


Arts & Culture

Asian Civilizations Museum
Where Asian Cultures Come Alive - the first museum in the region to present a broad perspective of pan-Asian cultures and civilizations.

Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
The famous Buddhist temple in Chinatown is worth a visit.

The Chinese Calligraphy Society of Singapore
The art of calligraphy. (in Chinese)

Esplanade
Theaters on the Bay is Singapore's performing arts center.

Roots
One-stop destination to discover Singapore's diverse culture and history through a collection of objects, images, stories and more by the National Heritage Board.

National Museum of Singapore
Singapore's oldest museum hosts Singapore Living Galleries: Fashion, Film & Wayang (shadow puppet theater), Photography and Food.

Singapore Art Museum
Local and Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art.

Southeast Asian Art Museum
The National Gallery of Singapore presents the largest public exhibition of modern Southeast Asian art.


Singapore Events


The Flower Dome and Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, Singapore
The Flower Dome and Gardens by the Bay, Singapore
Image: William Cho

Singapore Arts Festival
Celebrations of cultural diversity and artistic innovation: dance, music, theater.


Audi Fashion Festival
Singapore celebrates fashion on a grand scale, now at the Singapore Fashion Week.


Singapore Food Festival
Feast Your Senses - Singapore's annual food festival brings together Asian and international cuisine.




Esplanade Theaters on the Bay in Singapore
Esplanade Theaters on the Bay in Singapore, the futuristic waterfront performing arts venue with concert hall and theater.
Image: kk. nationsonline.org
 

 


 


Business & Economy of Singapore


Tanjong Pagar Housing Estate and Pinnacle@Duxton Singapore
Tanjong Pagar Housing Estate in Singapore with the Pinnacle@Duxton, the world's tallest public residential buildings, in the background.
Image: Bob T


The Economy of Singapore
Singapore is one of the most market-oriented and open economies in the world and is also considered the easiest country in which to do business. In recent years, Singapore has launched a productivity drive to boost GDP growth and facilitate its transformation into a high-tech economy. Singapore is a major international maritime center and a global air hub. [2]

Business and Money
Monetary Authority of Singapore MAS
MAS administers the various laws that relate to money, banking, insurance, securities and the financial sector in general.

Singapore Exchange SGX
Official site of Singapore Stock Exchange.

Singapore International Chamber of Commerce
Official site of the Chamber.

Enterprise Singapore
The former Singapore Trade Development Board and later International Enterprise (IE) Singapore now acts as Enterprise Singapore, the government agency that promotes enterprise development.


Singapore's Major Companies


Banking
DBS Bank
DBS is a Singaporean multinational banking and financial services corporation headquartered in Marina Bay, Singapore.
OCBC Bank
Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation, a publicly listed financial services organization headquartered in Singapore.
UOB
United Overseas Bank is a multinational banking organization headquartered in Singapore; UOB has branches in most Southeast Asian countries.


Telecommunication (telcos)
M1
M1 Limited is one of the four major telcos operating in Singapore.
MyRepublic
Singaporean communications services provider.
Singtel
Singapore Telecommunications Limited, a major telecommunications company with operations in 20 countries.
StarHub
Telecommunications company based in Singapore.

Insurance
Great Eastern Life Singapore
Great Eastern Life is the oldest insurance company in Asia; it is the largest life insurer in Singapore and Malaysia.

Others
Fraser and Neave (F&N)
The group’s subsidiaries and associated companies include Frasers Centrepoint, Asia Pacific Breweries and Times Publishing. Fraser and Neave is, since 2013, a subsidiary of ThaiBev (Chang Beer, Thailand).
Keppel Corporation
The company is focused on marine, property and infrastructure businesses. [3]
SembCorp Marine
Sembcorp Marine provides engineering solutions for ship repair, shipbuilding, ship conversion, rig building and offshore engineering; it is headquartered in Singapore.
Trafigura
Singaporean multinational commodity trading and Fortune Global 500 company.
Wilmar International
Asia’s leading agribusiness group, one of the world's largest oil palm plantation owners and a Fortune Global 500 company, was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Singapore.

Business News
Business Times Online
S'pore business news.

Yellow Pages
Yellow Pages Singapore
Online Yellow Pages.


Transportation

Airlines
Singapore positions itself as a leading aviation hub due to its strategic location at the heart of the Asia-Pacific region. Well-placed to benefit from the growth potential of aviation-related activities such as air cargo handling, maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services and aircraft manufacturing.

Singapore Airlines
Official site of the national carrier, based at Changi Airport.
SilkAir
The regional wing of Singapore Airlines connects to destinations in Asia.
Scoot
Low-cost long-haul airline owned by Singapore Airlines with destinations in Asia and Australia.
Tigerair
Tigerair was a budget airline headquartered in Singapore; it ceased operations in July 2017 (merged with Scoot).


Airport
Singapore Changi Airport

Official site of Singapore's Changi Airport.

Public Transport
SMRT
The state's mass rapid transit passenger service.

Land Transport Authority
Public Transport information with maps to get around in Singapore.


Ports

Port of Singapore
The Port of Singapore is the world's second-busiest port in terms of total shipping tonnage; it also transships one-fifth of the world's shipping containers, half of the world's annual supply of crude oil, and is the world's busiest transshipment port. Singapore's port is crucial for the import of raw materials and the subsequent re-export of refined products.

Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
MPA regulates and manages port and marine services, facilities and activities in Singapore waters.


Port of Singapore, Tanjong Pagar container terminal Singapore
Tanjong Pagar container terminal, one of several container terminals within the Port of Singapore.
Image: Nicolas Lannuzel

 

 


 


Tourism in Singapore



The Merlion statue at at Marina Bay
The original Merlion, Singapore's world-famous landmark, at Marina Bay, with the skyline of the Central Business District in the background. The statue was made by sculptor Lim Nang Seng.
Image: kk. nationsonline.org


Destination Singapore - Travel and Tour Guides



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Discover the Lion City: Central Business District, Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India, Boat Quay, Night Safari, Bugis and Kampong Glam, Jurong Bird Park, Sentosa, Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin.

The city-state is a location for various activities, such as fine dining, or you may enjoy the street food of a multicultural food scene. Have a Singapore Sling cocktail at the 1-Altitude roof-top bar, or find other entertainment in the city's Geylang red-light district.

Visit the Supertrees at the Gardens by the Bay, or the world's tallest indoor waterfall, known as the "Rain Vortex" in Singapore's Jewel Changi Airport.


great site Visit Singapore
The official destination website with comprehensive travel and tourism information.

Festivals & Events
Visit Singapore informs you about the attractions and events in the Lion City.

Singapore Tourism Board
Travel and tourism information plus event calendar.

Sentosa
A tour guide to Sentosa, the premier island resort.

Singapore Zoo
Wildlife in the city. Singapore Zoo is set in a rainforest environment and is operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which also manages neighboring Night Safari, River Safari and the Jurong Bird Park.

Wikivoyage Logo Wikivoyage Singapore
Extensive Singapore travel guide from Wikivoyage.


Singapore Hotels
The Fullerton
The famous 5-star hotel in the Civic District.
Marina Bay Sands
Marina Bay Sands is a large resort property on Marina Bay across from the city's Central Business District. MBS offers 2,561 rooms and a 150 m (490 ft) long infinity swimming pool set on top of the building.
Raffles
The homepage of the grand old dame of the city.

Shopping
Great Singapore Sale
Sale event in Asia's shopper's paradise.

 
Rain Vortex indoor waterfall at Jewel Changi international airport, Singapore
The Rain Vortex indoor waterfall at Singapore's Jewel Changi international airport is the world's tallest indoor waterfall.
Image: Joe Green
 

 


 


UNESCO World Heritage Sites


The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Singapore Botanic Gardens, the city-state's UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Image: Maksym Kozlenko
 

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Singapore
There is one UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Singapore. (see the List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Singapore).

World Heritage Site Singapore Botanic Gardens
Located in the heart of the city, the Singapore Botanic Gardens showcases the evolution of a British colonial tropical botanical garden. From an English landscape-style "pleasure garden" to a colonial commercial garden, with horticultural and botanical research facilities, to a world-class modern botanical garden, scientific institution, and place of conservation, recreation, and education.


Crane Fountain in Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Crane Fountain in Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Image: Lobster1
 

 


Education in Singapore



University Cultural Center, National University of Singapore
University Cultural Center, National University of Singapore.
Image: Sengkang


Ministry of Education (MOE)
Official site of the ministry.

National University of Singapore (NUS)
NUS is Singapore's national research university; it is considered one of the most prestigious universities in the world, founded in 1905.

NUS Library
The University's Libraries are a group of six multi-disciplinary libraries.

Singapore Polytechnic
The official website of Singapore Polytechnic with comprehensive information on an extensive range of programs and courses offered by the post-secondary education institution.
 
 

 


Environment & Nature



Singapore's Changi beach
Changi beach at the easternmost point of Singapore, one of the oldest coastal parks in the city.
Image: Calvin Teo


Jurong Bird Park
Bird Park in Jurong Town.

National Environment Agency
To ensure a quality environment for Singaporeans, for now, and for generations to come.

National Parks Board (NParks)
Extensive tour guide to Parks and Gardens.

Singapore Botanic Gardens
Regional park, botanical institution, and tourist destination.

 

The future of Singapore
The future of Singapore, artist's impression shows new attractions alongside Resorts World Sentosa, under the Sentosa-Brani Master Plan, that will transform Sentosa and Pulau Brani into a "game-changing leisure and tourism destination".
Image: Sentosa Development Corporation

 

 


Singapore History



Historic photo of Thian Hock Keng temple in Singapore
Late 19th/early 20th-century image of Thian Hock Keng, the Palace of Heavenly Happiness, a temple built in Singapore for the worship of Mazu, a Chinese sea goddess.
Photo: Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen


Wikipedia W History of Singapore - Wikipedia
Wikipedia's History of Singapore page.

 History of Singapore
History outline of the city-state of Singapore.
 

 


Indigenous People of Singapore



Wooden kelongs (fishermen's huts on stilts) of Orang Laut peoples
A village of wooden kelongs (fishermen's huts on stilts) of Orang Laut peoples in Riau Islands (Indonesia).
Image: Merbabu


Indigenous Peoples - Singapore


The present-day state of Singapore was part of the Malay world for thousands of years, initially as an outpost of the Sumatran empire of Srivijaya under the name Temasek. It was then part of the Sultanate of Johore from the 16th century until it was ceded in a treaty with Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles in 1819. Raffles intended to open a port under the British flag to circumvent the Dutch and Spanish trade monopolies in the Indonesian and Philippine islands. At the time of its founding, Singapore was inhabited by a small number of Malay and Orang Laut or "Straits People" and several Chinese planters and traders. [4]

Malays
Minority Rights Group International article about "Minorities and indigenous peoples in Singapore."

Wikipedia W Orang Laut
Wikipedia entry about the seafaring ethnic groups and tribes living around Singapore, peninsular Malaysia and the Indonesian Riau Islands.
 

 


Additional Information


Selected country profiles of Singapore published by international organizations.


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Amnesty International: Singapore
Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization focused on human rights.

BBC Country Profile: Singapore
Country profiles by the British public service broadcaster.

BTI Transformation Index Singapore
Singapore Country Report by Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The Commonwealth: Singapore
Profile of the Commonwealth Member country Singapore.

FAO: Singapore
UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

Freedom House: Singapore
The U.S. government-funded non-profit organization whose goal is to promote liberal democracies worldwide.

GlobalEDGE: Singapore
Singapore ranking by the Global business knowledge portal.

The Heritage Foundation: Singapore
Index of Economic Freedom by The Heritage Foundation, an American conservative think tank.

Human Rights Watch: Singapore
HRW conducts research and advocacy on human rights.

OEC: Singapore
The Observatory of Economic Complexity provides the latest international trade data.

Reporters Without Borders: Singapore
RSF (Reporters sans frontières) is an international NGO that defends and promotes media freedom.

Wikipedia: Singapore
Wikipedia's Singapore page in many languages.

Worldbank Data for Singapore

World Development Indicators database.

The World Factbook -- Singapore
CIA World Factbook Singapore Page.
 

 



 
Other major countries in the Asia-Pacific region
Australia | Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei | Cambodia | China | India | Indonesia | Japan | Laos | Malaysia | Maldives | Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal | North Korea | Pakistan | Philippines | Singapore | Sri Lanka | South Korea | Taiwan (ROC) | Thailand | Timor Leste | Vietnam

Major Cities in Southeast Asia
Bandar Seri Begawan, Bandung, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Jakarta, Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Mandalay, Manila, Medan, Naypyidaw, Phnom Penh, Singapore, Surabaya, Vientiane, Yangon