President: Tony Tan Prime minister: Lee Hsien Loong
Head of state: Queen Elizabeth II, represented by a governor-general Prime minister: Baldwin Spencer
Population
5,353,494
89,018
Life Expectancy
83.750 years
75.690 years
Capital City
Singapore
Saint John's
Largest city
Singapore (population: 3,547,810)
Saint John's (population: 24,226)
Human Development Index
0.918
0.83
GDP per capita
$60,500 US
$18,200 US
Literacy Rate
92.5%
85.8%
Corruption Perception Index
9.2
NA
Percentage of Women in Parliament
24.5%
16.7%
Wealthiest Citizens
Ng Teng Fong & family ($5.5bn US)
NA
Unemployment Rate
2.000%
11.000%
Death Penalty
Legal
Legal
Political System
parliamentary republic
constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of government
Independence date
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
1 November 1981 (from UK)
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)
Anglican 25.7%, Seventh Day Adventist 12.3%, Pentecostal 10.6%, Moravian 10.5%, Roman Catholic 10.4%, Methodist 7.9%, Baptist 4.9%, Church of God 4.5%, other Christian 5.4%, other 2%, none or unspecified 5.8% (2001 census)
Languages
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census)
English (official), local dialects
Exports
machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels
petroleum products, bedding, handicrafts, electronic components, transport equipment, food and live animals
External Debt
$23,580,000,000 $
$359,800,000 US
Exchange Rate
Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar - 1.415 (2008 est.), 1.507 (2007), 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644 (2005), 1.6902 (2004)
East Caribbean dollars (XCD) per US dollar - 2.7 (2007), 2.7 (2006), 2.7 (2005), 2.7 (2004), 2.7 (2003) note: fixed rate since 1976
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
4.900%
0.500%
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
1
0
Location
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Caribbean, islands between the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east-southeast of Puerto Rico
Area
697 km sq
443 km sq
Coastline
193 km
153 km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
tropical maritime; little seasonal temperature variation
