Tuesday, December 14, 2004
Singapore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Republic of Singapore (Chinese ??????, pinyin: X?nj?ap? Gònghéguó; Malay Republik Singapura; Tamil ??????????? ????????, Cingkapp?r Kudiyarasu), is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, at latitude 1°17'35"N longitude 103°51'20"E, situated on the southern tip of Malay Peninsula, south of the state of Johor of Peninsular Malaysia and north of the Indonesian islands of Riau.
Republic of Singapore??????Republik Singapura??????????? ????????
(Flag)
(Coat of Arms)
(Symbol)
(Flower)
National motto: Majulah Singapura(Malay: Onward, Singapore)
Official languages
English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil
National language
Malay
Capital
Singapore
Head of State
Sellapan Rama NATHAN
Head of Government
LEE Hsien Loong
Area - Total - % water
697.1 km²1.444%
Population - Total (July 2003 est.) - Density
Ranked 114th4,185,2006,004/km²
GDP (2003) - Total - Total - GDP/head - GDP/head
56th, 37nd, 25th, 21stUS$112 billion (PPP)$91 billion (Nominal)$25,200 (PPP)$23,999 (Nominal)
Independence - Date
From MalaysiaAugust 9, 1965
Currency
Singapore Dollar (S$, SGD)
Time zone
UTC +8
National anthem
Majulah Singapura
Internet TLD
.sg
Calling code
65 (02 when dialling from Malaysia)
Contents
//
[showhide]
1 History
2 Geography & Climate
2.1 Geography2.2 Climate
3 Demographics
4 Culture
5 Politics
6 Economy
7 Transportation
8 Laws
9 Reference
10 Miscellaneous topics
11 External links
[edit]
History
Main article: History of Singapore
The history of Singapore begins with the earliest references to the island in Chinese texts from the 3rd century. The island served as an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and was originally given the Javanese name Temasek. Temasek rose to become a significant trading city in its heyday, but later declined in significance - little is to be found of old Temasek in Singapore other than archaeological evidence.
The current name of the city derives from the Sanskrit Singapura (Lion City); this name became common by the late 14th century. The 15th and 16th century Sultanate of Johore included Singapore. During the Malay-Portugal wars, Singapura was burned down by Portugese forces in 1617. The city was officially abandoned; the island remained inhabited by small bands of fishermen and pirates.
In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, an official with the British East India Company, established Singapore as a trade post and settlement, having made a treaty with the Sultan of Johor, the effective ruler of the island of Singapore then. After some conflict over the territory between the Dutch and the British, the Dutch withdrew objections to Great Britain's founding of Singapore as a trade city in Southeast Asia in August 1824. After undergoing a number of territorial incarnations, Singapore was made a crown colony in 1867.
Singapore prospered as a trading port. Entrepot trade grew, no doubt helped by Singapore's strategic location at an important trade route along the Straits of Malacca, later to become the busiest shipping route in the world.
1888 German map of Singapore
During World War II, Japanese forces invaded Malaya and pushed southwards towards Singapore. The British and Allied forces were forced to retreat towards Singapore with the Japanese in pursuit. Despite having numerical superiority, the British and Allied troops were less well trained and they did not have the combined arms support of the navy and air force that the Japanese enjoyed after successful raids on the Royal Air Force base in Singapore and the destruction of the battleships, the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse". The Japanese landed in Singapore on February 7, 1942. On February 15, 1942, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, commander of British forces in Singapore surrendered to the Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The Japanese held Singapore until September 1945.
Singapore became a self-governing crown colony in 1959. Singapore joined Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as part of the Federation of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. It however, withdrew from Malaysia, becoming a sovereign nation on August 9, 1965. This was due to the fact that, during the years of merger, racial tensions had grown within Singapore, culminating in numerous riots and curfews, notably the clash that took place on Prophet Mohammed's birthday, between the Malay and Chinese races. Malaysia and Singapore, therefore, both decided that separation was for the best. Singapore rapidly formed its own armed forces as Britain withdrew troops from Singapore in October 1971. Lee Kuan Yew wrote in his memoirs of his feelings of insecurity regarding the country's safety, writing that Singapore was "a Chinese island in a Malay sea", referring to Singapore's position at the tip of Malaysia. He also lamented the partial loss of the Malaysian hinterland.
Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's first Prime Minister, governing Singapore from 1959 to 1990. His main priority then was to raise Singapore from the ashes after the World War II and develop it to compete in the global market, which was extremely hard, given the economic and political state of Singapore after the war.
His successor, Goh Chok Tong, took office in 1990 as the second Prime Minister, while Lee Kuan Yew became Senior Minister. Goh Chok Tong was faced with the problems of sustaining Singapore's growth and further promoting it as a business hub. He also saw the country through crises such as the 1997 Asian economic crisis and SARS in 2003.
On August 12, 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, took over as the third Prime Minister of Singapore. In turn, Goh Chok Tong became Senior Minister while Lee Kuan Yew took on the newly created portfolio of Minister Mentor.
[edit]
Geography & Climate
Main article: Geography & Climate of Singapore
Map of Singapore
[edit]
Geography
Singapore's main territory is a diamond-shaped island which is connected to the city of Johor Bahru in the state of Johor, Malaysia by a man-made causeway to the north. There is also a bridge (Tuas Second Link) in the western part of Singapore connecting to Johor. Singapore also has dozens of smaller islands, of which Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the larger ones. The highest point of Singapore is Bukit Timah, with a height of 164m or 538 feet.
When Singapore was first colonized by the British, the city of Singapore was situated on the southern coast, around the mouth of the Singapore River. This area remains the downtown core of Singapore. The rest of the island was farmland and jungle. However, since the 1960s the government has constructed many new towns in other areas, so that today the island is nearly entirely built-up, with only a few exceptions. In addition, Singapore has reclaimed land with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5km² in the 1960s to 697.1km² today, and may grow by another 100km² by 2030.
Since Singapore is basically a city-state, there are no further administrative divisions. Singapore does however have community development councils and town councils that handle local matters.
[edit]
Climate
Singapore's climate is tropical ("tropical rainforest climate" under Köppen climate classification), with no distinct seasons. Because of its geographical location and maritime exposure, its climate is characterised by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperature as a diurnal range of a minimum 23-26ºC and a maximum of 31-34ºC. Relative humidity has a diurnal range in the high 90's in the early morning to around 60 % in the mid-afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 %.
The climate of Singapore can be divided into two main seasons, the Northeast Monsoon (December to early March) and the Southwest Monsoon season (June to September), separated by two relatively short inter-monsoon periods. (These seasons are usually found in more academic contexts and are not generally familiar to laypeople in Singapore.) During the Northeast Monsoon season, northeast winds prevail, sometimes reaching 20 km/h. Cloudy conditions in December and January with frequent afternoon showers. Spells of widespread moderate to heavy rain occur lasting from 1 to 3 days at a stretch. Relatively drier in February till early March. Also generally windy with wind speeds sometimes reaching 30 to 40 km/h in the months of January and February. During the Southeast Monsoon season, southeast/southwest winds prevail. Isolated to scattered showers occur in the late morning and early afternoon. Early morning "Sumatra" line squalls are common.
[edit]
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Singapore
Trishaws in Singapore
Apart from the much smaller Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated independent country in the world. 85% of Singaporeans live in public housing provided by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Source: Singapore Department of Statistics (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/keystats/people.html#hhlds)
Singapore's population is diverse. The Chinese account for 76.8% of Singaporeans. Malays, who are the indigenous native group of the country, constitute 13.9%, though this number includes many Malay ethnic groups from other parts of the Malay archipelago including the Javanese, Bugis, Baweans and Minangs.The Indians are the third largest ethnic group at 7.9% which consisted of several groups - Tamils, who form the largest Indian group and others such as Malayalees, Punjabis and Bengalis. The rest are made up of smaller groups such as Arab and Eurasian.
The government of Singapore has been careful to maintain ethnic harmony after racial riots erupted in the 1960s. Racial harmony has been emphasized in all aspects of society, including education, military and housing. So far the policy has been successful, and there has been no signs of ethnic unrest since the early 1970s. Issues exist such as bans on fundamentalist evangelical Christian activities and the Islamic headscarf in public schools (without a reciprocal ban on other religious symbols).
The official languages are English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English has been promoted as the country's lingua franca since independence, and it is spoken by the majority of the population. Malay remains Singapore's national language for historical reasons and it is used in the national anthem.
[edit]
Culture
Main article: Culture of Singapore
A ferry in Singapore
Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of semi-indigenous Malay population with the majority Chinese and the minority Indian and Arab migrants. There appears little in the way of specifically Singaporean culture, as there is little intermarriage, although there is a community of Peranakan or "Straits Chinese", of mixed Chinese and Malay descent. There is also a steadily increasing Eurasian community. The major public holidays in Singapore reflect this diversity, including the religious holidays of various denominations.
Officially, the English used is modelled on British English (spelling and grammar), with some American English influences. The local colloquial dialect of English is known formally as Singapore Colloquial English (though it is more commonly called "Singlish"), and has many creole-like characteristics, having incorporated much vocabulary and grammar from various dialects of Chinese, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is basically identical to Manglish (the English dialect of Malaysia), and is the usual language on the streets, but is frowned upon in official contexts, and this matter has been brought up in recent years in the Parliament and the ruling party.
Singapore also has several ethnic neighborhoods, including a "Little India" and a "Chinatown", formed by the Raffles Plan of Singapore to segregate the new immigrants into specific areas. Although the population are no longer segregated in distribution mainly due to the policies of the HDB now, these ethnic neighbourhoods retain selective elements of their specific culture. The usage of such neighbourhoods is mostly commercial or for cottage industry specific to the culture of its ethnic neighbourhood, and does not play a big part in housing the population, although it is used for that purpose. Hence, these neighbourhoods have patronage of all races who probably wish to either eat or buy something specific to that culture.
In other parts of the country, segregation is discouraged, and diversity is encouraged. This can often be found in the policies of the HDB, which try to make sure there is a lively mix of all races within each housing district; the effect of this can be observed in all parts of the country as for example, a store devoted to selling Malay food might be right next to stores selling Chinese or Indian goods.
[edit]
Politics
Main article: Politics of Singapore
Singapore has a Westminster-style constitution. There is an elected figurehead president, who has veto powers in a few key decisions - such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary positions. True executive power rests with the prime minister who leads the majority party in the elected Parliament.
In practice, politics is dominated by the People's Action Party which has ruled since Independence. Over the years the PAP has been accused of taking overly harsh actions against opposition parties to discourage and impede their success, such as gerrymandering (redrawing electoral districts to one's own favour). Since most people are supportive or apathetic regarding PAP policies, the opposition parties are stereotypically associated with the truly political passionate (some say foolhardy). There are also several cases of government leaders taking out civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander. Critics point out that in any case brought before the Singaporean courts involving the PAP or the Singapore Government, judges have always ruled in their favour, although a few instances of successful opposition suits have been recorded. Western democracies consider the mode of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism than true democracy.
Paradoxically (for political scientists), Singapore has a highly successful and transparent market economy. Singapore was originally known as a social democracy, but the PAP has consistently rejected the notion of being socialist. One difference from a social democracy could be the sense that it uses public opinion and feedback to make policies instead of rigorous lawmaking procedures. However, PAP's policies contain certain hallmarks of socialism, which includes government owned public housing constituting the majority of real estate and the dominance of government owned and controlled companies in the local economy. PAP has also consistently rejected Western democratic values in the past, with former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew citing incompatibilities with "Asian values". Most recently, the PAP has promulgated the loosening of social conservative policies and policies to promote enterpreneurship but the effects of both efforts have not completely manifested.
[edit]
Economy
Main article: Economy of Singapore
Singapore CBD lit up
As one of the East Asian Tigers, Singapore enjoys a highly developed and successful free-market economy, characterised by a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDP in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. In 2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The economy has since recovered in response to improvements in the US economy, and is now expected to expand between 8 to 9% in 2004. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
The per capita GDP in 2003 was US$22,366. In the third quarter of 2004, the unemployment rate was 3.4%.
The Economic Review Committee (ERC), set up in December 2001, made key recommendations to remake Singapore into:
a globalised economy where Singapore is the key node in the global network, linked to all the major economies;
a creative and entrepreneurial nation willing to take risks to create fresh businesses and blaze new paths to success; and
a diversified economy powered by the twin engines of manufacturing and services, where vibrant Singapore companies complement MNCs, and new startups co-exist with traditional businesses exploiting new and innovative ideas.
[edit]
Transportation
Public transportation in Singapore is relatively easy, convenient and cheap to use.
Main article: Transportation in Singapore
Singapore is linked to Johor, Malaysia via a causeway and bridge, as well as a railway line operated by KTMB of Malaysia. Singapore Changi Airport is situated at the eastern most tip of the main island. Comprising of two terminals, it is one of the most important air hubs in the region, serving 167 cities in 53 countries. When construction of the third terminal is completed in 2006, Changi will be capable of handling 64 million passengers every year.
Within Singapore, there is a well-developed system of expressways and public transport roads.
In addition, Singapore has a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rapid Transit (LRT) train system consisting of five lines. There is also a well-worked system of bus routes throughout the island, most of which have air conditioning due to Singapore's yearlong sweltering heat, while buses without air conditioning will be gradually phased out. A contactless smartcard (EZ-link) is used to pay bus and subway fares.
[edit]
Laws
Main article: Laws of Singapore
Laws in Singapore are generally strict and aimed at instilling a self-disciplined society with restrictions and harsh punishments, for example caning and execution. Even the idea has been poked fun at by its citizens by using the saying "Singapore is a fine country", whereas the "fine" actually refers to a monetary fine.
Currently, pornography, oral sex (except as a precursor to regular intercourse), and anal sex are illegal in Singapore. Magazines, movies and TV shows have to undergo government censorship before being released to the general public and sales of several kinds of newspapers and magazines has been banned or restricted. Various minor offences could lead to heavy fines and caning while conviction of first-degree murder and drug trafficking cases instantly leads to the death penalty.
[edit]
Reference
This article incorporates public domain text from the websites of Singapore Department of Statistics, United States Department of State & CIA World Factbook (2004).
[edit]
Miscellaneous topics
Singapore Changi Airport
Communications in Singapore
Education in Singapore
Foreign relations of Singapore
Military of Singapore
Singapore Army
Republic of Singapore Air Force
Republic of Singapore Navy
Singapore Police Force
Religion in Singapore
Tourism in Singapore
[edit]
External links
The Singapore Wiki (http://www.sgwiki.com)
Singapore Government Online Portal (http://www.gov.sg/)
The Singapore Infomap (http://www.sg/)
Singapore travel guide at Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Singapore)
Singapore Hotels (http://www.2pl.com/Singapore/bs-4380100001.htm)
Panorama of Singapore from Boat Quay
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
Brunei Cambodia Indonesia Laos Malaysia Myanmar Philippines Singapore Thailand Vietnam
Observer status: Papua New Guinea
Commonwealth of Nations
Antigua and Barbuda Australia Bahamas Bangladesh Barbados Belize Botswana Brunei Cameroon Canada Cyprus Dominica Fiji The Gambia Ghana Grenada Guyana India Jamaica Kenya Kiribati Lesotho Malawi Malaysia Maldives Malta Mauritius Mozambique Namibia Nauru New Zealand Nigeria Pakistan Papua New Guinea Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Solomon Islands South Africa Sri Lanka Swaziland Tanzania Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tuvalu Uganda United Kingdom Vanuatu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
The Republic of Singapore (Chinese ??????, pinyin: X?nj?ap? Gònghéguó; Malay Republik Singapura; Tamil ??????????? ????????, Cingkapp?r Kudiyarasu), is an island city-state in Southeast Asia, at latitude 1°17'35"N longitude 103°51'20"E, situated on the southern tip of Malay Peninsula, south of the state of Johor of Peninsular Malaysia and north of the Indonesian islands of Riau.
Republic of Singapore??????Republik Singapura??????????? ????????
(Flag)
(Coat of Arms)
(Symbol)
(Flower)
National motto: Majulah Singapura(Malay: Onward, Singapore)
Official languages
English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil
National language
Malay
Capital
Singapore
Head of State
Sellapan Rama NATHAN
Head of Government
LEE Hsien Loong
Area - Total - % water
697.1 km²1.444%
Population - Total (July 2003 est.) - Density
Ranked 114th4,185,2006,004/km²
GDP (2003) - Total - Total - GDP/head - GDP/head
56th, 37nd, 25th, 21stUS$112 billion (PPP)$91 billion (Nominal)$25,200 (PPP)$23,999 (Nominal)
Independence - Date
From MalaysiaAugust 9, 1965
Currency
Singapore Dollar (S$, SGD)
Time zone
UTC +8
National anthem
Majulah Singapura
Internet TLD
.sg
Calling code
65 (02 when dialling from Malaysia)
Contents
//
[showhide]
1 History
2 Geography & Climate
2.1 Geography2.2 Climate
3 Demographics
4 Culture
5 Politics
6 Economy
7 Transportation
8 Laws
9 Reference
10 Miscellaneous topics
11 External links
[edit]
History
Main article: History of Singapore
The history of Singapore begins with the earliest references to the island in Chinese texts from the 3rd century. The island served as an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and was originally given the Javanese name Temasek. Temasek rose to become a significant trading city in its heyday, but later declined in significance - little is to be found of old Temasek in Singapore other than archaeological evidence.
The current name of the city derives from the Sanskrit Singapura (Lion City); this name became common by the late 14th century. The 15th and 16th century Sultanate of Johore included Singapore. During the Malay-Portugal wars, Singapura was burned down by Portugese forces in 1617. The city was officially abandoned; the island remained inhabited by small bands of fishermen and pirates.
In 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, an official with the British East India Company, established Singapore as a trade post and settlement, having made a treaty with the Sultan of Johor, the effective ruler of the island of Singapore then. After some conflict over the territory between the Dutch and the British, the Dutch withdrew objections to Great Britain's founding of Singapore as a trade city in Southeast Asia in August 1824. After undergoing a number of territorial incarnations, Singapore was made a crown colony in 1867.
Singapore prospered as a trading port. Entrepot trade grew, no doubt helped by Singapore's strategic location at an important trade route along the Straits of Malacca, later to become the busiest shipping route in the world.
1888 German map of Singapore
During World War II, Japanese forces invaded Malaya and pushed southwards towards Singapore. The British and Allied forces were forced to retreat towards Singapore with the Japanese in pursuit. Despite having numerical superiority, the British and Allied troops were less well trained and they did not have the combined arms support of the navy and air force that the Japanese enjoyed after successful raids on the Royal Air Force base in Singapore and the destruction of the battleships, the "Prince of Wales" and the "Repulse". The Japanese landed in Singapore on February 7, 1942. On February 15, 1942, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival, commander of British forces in Singapore surrendered to the Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita. The Japanese held Singapore until September 1945.
Singapore became a self-governing crown colony in 1959. Singapore joined Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as part of the Federation of Malaysia between 1963 and 1965. It however, withdrew from Malaysia, becoming a sovereign nation on August 9, 1965. This was due to the fact that, during the years of merger, racial tensions had grown within Singapore, culminating in numerous riots and curfews, notably the clash that took place on Prophet Mohammed's birthday, between the Malay and Chinese races. Malaysia and Singapore, therefore, both decided that separation was for the best. Singapore rapidly formed its own armed forces as Britain withdrew troops from Singapore in October 1971. Lee Kuan Yew wrote in his memoirs of his feelings of insecurity regarding the country's safety, writing that Singapore was "a Chinese island in a Malay sea", referring to Singapore's position at the tip of Malaysia. He also lamented the partial loss of the Malaysian hinterland.
Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore's first Prime Minister, governing Singapore from 1959 to 1990. His main priority then was to raise Singapore from the ashes after the World War II and develop it to compete in the global market, which was extremely hard, given the economic and political state of Singapore after the war.
His successor, Goh Chok Tong, took office in 1990 as the second Prime Minister, while Lee Kuan Yew became Senior Minister. Goh Chok Tong was faced with the problems of sustaining Singapore's growth and further promoting it as a business hub. He also saw the country through crises such as the 1997 Asian economic crisis and SARS in 2003.
On August 12, 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, took over as the third Prime Minister of Singapore. In turn, Goh Chok Tong became Senior Minister while Lee Kuan Yew took on the newly created portfolio of Minister Mentor.
[edit]
Geography & Climate
Main article: Geography & Climate of Singapore
Map of Singapore
[edit]
Geography
Singapore's main territory is a diamond-shaped island which is connected to the city of Johor Bahru in the state of Johor, Malaysia by a man-made causeway to the north. There is also a bridge (Tuas Second Link) in the western part of Singapore connecting to Johor. Singapore also has dozens of smaller islands, of which Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the larger ones. The highest point of Singapore is Bukit Timah, with a height of 164m or 538 feet.
When Singapore was first colonized by the British, the city of Singapore was situated on the southern coast, around the mouth of the Singapore River. This area remains the downtown core of Singapore. The rest of the island was farmland and jungle. However, since the 1960s the government has constructed many new towns in other areas, so that today the island is nearly entirely built-up, with only a few exceptions. In addition, Singapore has reclaimed land with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5km² in the 1960s to 697.1km² today, and may grow by another 100km² by 2030.
Since Singapore is basically a city-state, there are no further administrative divisions. Singapore does however have community development councils and town councils that handle local matters.
[edit]
Climate
Singapore's climate is tropical ("tropical rainforest climate" under Köppen climate classification), with no distinct seasons. Because of its geographical location and maritime exposure, its climate is characterised by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity and abundant rainfall. Temperature as a diurnal range of a minimum 23-26ºC and a maximum of 31-34ºC. Relative humidity has a diurnal range in the high 90's in the early morning to around 60 % in the mid-afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 %.
The climate of Singapore can be divided into two main seasons, the Northeast Monsoon (December to early March) and the Southwest Monsoon season (June to September), separated by two relatively short inter-monsoon periods. (These seasons are usually found in more academic contexts and are not generally familiar to laypeople in Singapore.) During the Northeast Monsoon season, northeast winds prevail, sometimes reaching 20 km/h. Cloudy conditions in December and January with frequent afternoon showers. Spells of widespread moderate to heavy rain occur lasting from 1 to 3 days at a stretch. Relatively drier in February till early March. Also generally windy with wind speeds sometimes reaching 30 to 40 km/h in the months of January and February. During the Southeast Monsoon season, southeast/southwest winds prevail. Isolated to scattered showers occur in the late morning and early afternoon. Early morning "Sumatra" line squalls are common.
[edit]
Demographics
Main article: Demographics of Singapore
Trishaws in Singapore
Apart from the much smaller Monaco, Singapore is the most densely populated independent country in the world. 85% of Singaporeans live in public housing provided by the Housing and Development Board (HDB). Source: Singapore Department of Statistics (http://www.singstat.gov.sg/keystats/people.html#hhlds)
Singapore's population is diverse. The Chinese account for 76.8% of Singaporeans. Malays, who are the indigenous native group of the country, constitute 13.9%, though this number includes many Malay ethnic groups from other parts of the Malay archipelago including the Javanese, Bugis, Baweans and Minangs.The Indians are the third largest ethnic group at 7.9% which consisted of several groups - Tamils, who form the largest Indian group and others such as Malayalees, Punjabis and Bengalis. The rest are made up of smaller groups such as Arab and Eurasian.
The government of Singapore has been careful to maintain ethnic harmony after racial riots erupted in the 1960s. Racial harmony has been emphasized in all aspects of society, including education, military and housing. So far the policy has been successful, and there has been no signs of ethnic unrest since the early 1970s. Issues exist such as bans on fundamentalist evangelical Christian activities and the Islamic headscarf in public schools (without a reciprocal ban on other religious symbols).
The official languages are English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English has been promoted as the country's lingua franca since independence, and it is spoken by the majority of the population. Malay remains Singapore's national language for historical reasons and it is used in the national anthem.
[edit]
Culture
Main article: Culture of Singapore
A ferry in Singapore
Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of semi-indigenous Malay population with the majority Chinese and the minority Indian and Arab migrants. There appears little in the way of specifically Singaporean culture, as there is little intermarriage, although there is a community of Peranakan or "Straits Chinese", of mixed Chinese and Malay descent. There is also a steadily increasing Eurasian community. The major public holidays in Singapore reflect this diversity, including the religious holidays of various denominations.
Officially, the English used is modelled on British English (spelling and grammar), with some American English influences. The local colloquial dialect of English is known formally as Singapore Colloquial English (though it is more commonly called "Singlish"), and has many creole-like characteristics, having incorporated much vocabulary and grammar from various dialects of Chinese, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is basically identical to Manglish (the English dialect of Malaysia), and is the usual language on the streets, but is frowned upon in official contexts, and this matter has been brought up in recent years in the Parliament and the ruling party.
Singapore also has several ethnic neighborhoods, including a "Little India" and a "Chinatown", formed by the Raffles Plan of Singapore to segregate the new immigrants into specific areas. Although the population are no longer segregated in distribution mainly due to the policies of the HDB now, these ethnic neighbourhoods retain selective elements of their specific culture. The usage of such neighbourhoods is mostly commercial or for cottage industry specific to the culture of its ethnic neighbourhood, and does not play a big part in housing the population, although it is used for that purpose. Hence, these neighbourhoods have patronage of all races who probably wish to either eat or buy something specific to that culture.
In other parts of the country, segregation is discouraged, and diversity is encouraged. This can often be found in the policies of the HDB, which try to make sure there is a lively mix of all races within each housing district; the effect of this can be observed in all parts of the country as for example, a store devoted to selling Malay food might be right next to stores selling Chinese or Indian goods.
[edit]
Politics
Main article: Politics of Singapore
Singapore has a Westminster-style constitution. There is an elected figurehead president, who has veto powers in a few key decisions - such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of key judiciary positions. True executive power rests with the prime minister who leads the majority party in the elected Parliament.
In practice, politics is dominated by the People's Action Party which has ruled since Independence. Over the years the PAP has been accused of taking overly harsh actions against opposition parties to discourage and impede their success, such as gerrymandering (redrawing electoral districts to one's own favour). Since most people are supportive or apathetic regarding PAP policies, the opposition parties are stereotypically associated with the truly political passionate (some say foolhardy). There are also several cases of government leaders taking out civil suits against the opposition for libel or slander. Critics point out that in any case brought before the Singaporean courts involving the PAP or the Singapore Government, judges have always ruled in their favour, although a few instances of successful opposition suits have been recorded. Western democracies consider the mode of government in Singapore to be closer to authoritarianism than true democracy.
Paradoxically (for political scientists), Singapore has a highly successful and transparent market economy. Singapore was originally known as a social democracy, but the PAP has consistently rejected the notion of being socialist. One difference from a social democracy could be the sense that it uses public opinion and feedback to make policies instead of rigorous lawmaking procedures. However, PAP's policies contain certain hallmarks of socialism, which includes government owned public housing constituting the majority of real estate and the dominance of government owned and controlled companies in the local economy. PAP has also consistently rejected Western democratic values in the past, with former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew citing incompatibilities with "Asian values". Most recently, the PAP has promulgated the loosening of social conservative policies and policies to promote enterpreneurship but the effects of both efforts have not completely manifested.
[edit]
Economy
Main article: Economy of Singapore
Singapore CBD lit up
As one of the East Asian Tigers, Singapore enjoys a highly developed and successful free-market economy, characterised by a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita GDP in the world. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing, and was hard hit in 2001 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. In 2001, GDP contracted by 2.2%. The economy has since recovered in response to improvements in the US economy, and is now expected to expand between 8 to 9% in 2004. In the longer term the government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle than the current export-led model, but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
The per capita GDP in 2003 was US$22,366. In the third quarter of 2004, the unemployment rate was 3.4%.
The Economic Review Committee (ERC), set up in December 2001, made key recommendations to remake Singapore into:
a globalised economy where Singapore is the key node in the global network, linked to all the major economies;
a creative and entrepreneurial nation willing to take risks to create fresh businesses and blaze new paths to success; and
a diversified economy powered by the twin engines of manufacturing and services, where vibrant Singapore companies complement MNCs, and new startups co-exist with traditional businesses exploiting new and innovative ideas.
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Transportation
Public transportation in Singapore is relatively easy, convenient and cheap to use.
Main article: Transportation in Singapore
Singapore is linked to Johor, Malaysia via a causeway and bridge, as well as a railway line operated by KTMB of Malaysia. Singapore Changi Airport is situated at the eastern most tip of the main island. Comprising of two terminals, it is one of the most important air hubs in the region, serving 167 cities in 53 countries. When construction of the third terminal is completed in 2006, Changi will be capable of handling 64 million passengers every year.
Within Singapore, there is a well-developed system of expressways and public transport roads.
In addition, Singapore has a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rapid Transit (LRT) train system consisting of five lines. There is also a well-worked system of bus routes throughout the island, most of which have air conditioning due to Singapore's yearlong sweltering heat, while buses without air conditioning will be gradually phased out. A contactless smartcard (EZ-link) is used to pay bus and subway fares.
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Laws
Main article: Laws of Singapore
Laws in Singapore are generally strict and aimed at instilling a self-disciplined society with restrictions and harsh punishments, for example caning and execution. Even the idea has been poked fun at by its citizens by using the saying "Singapore is a fine country", whereas the "fine" actually refers to a monetary fine.
Currently, pornography, oral sex (except as a precursor to regular intercourse), and anal sex are illegal in Singapore. Magazines, movies and TV shows have to undergo government censorship before being released to the general public and sales of several kinds of newspapers and magazines has been banned or restricted. Various minor offences could lead to heavy fines and caning while conviction of first-degree murder and drug trafficking cases instantly leads to the death penalty.
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Reference
This article incorporates public domain text from the websites of Singapore Department of Statistics, United States Department of State & CIA World Factbook (2004).
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Miscellaneous topics
Singapore Changi Airport
Communications in Singapore
Education in Singapore
Foreign relations of Singapore
Military of Singapore
Singapore Army
Republic of Singapore Air Force
Republic of Singapore Navy
Singapore Police Force
Religion in Singapore
Tourism in Singapore
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External links
The Singapore Wiki (http://www.sgwiki.com)
Singapore Government Online Portal (http://www.gov.sg/)
The Singapore Infomap (http://www.sg/)
Singapore travel guide at Wikitravel (http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Singapore)
Singapore Hotels (http://www.2pl.com/Singapore/bs-4380100001.htm)
Panorama of Singapore from Boat Quay
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
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Commonwealth of Nations
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