Singapore

Background

By the 14th century, a Malay trading port referred to as Temasek was established on the island of Singapore. Over the following centuries, the settlement changed ownership multiple times and was ultimately destroyed by fire in the 17th century, leading to its decline into obscurity. In 1819, the British established contemporary Singapore as a trading colony at the same location and, in 1959, provided it with complete internal self-governance, excluding matters of defense and foreign policy.  In 1963, Singapore became a member of the Malaysian Federation but was expelled two years later, achieving independence. Following this, Singapore evolved into one of the most affluent nations globally, boasting robust international trade connections and a per capita GDP that ranks among the highest worldwide. Since the conclusion of the British colonial period, the People’s Action Party has secured victory in every general election in Singapore, supported by its ability to maintain steady economic growth, along with the disjointed nature of the opposition and electoral systems that heavily favor the ruling party.

Area

Climate

tropical climate characterized by heat, humidity, and rainfall; features two main monsoon periods - the northeastern monsoon from December to March and the southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon periods experience frequent thunderstorms in the afternoons and early evenings

Terrain

a central plateau that is low-lying and gently rolling

Land use

Location

Southeast Asia, located on the islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Coastline

193 km

Elevation

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Map references

Southeast Asia

Land boundaries

Maritime claims

Natural hazards

sudden flooding events

Geography - note

a crucial hub for maritime routes in Southeast Asia; comprises approximately 60 islands, with Pulau Ujong being the largest; land reclamation efforts have eliminated numerous former islands and resulted in the formation of several new ones

Natural resources

marine life and deep-water harbors

Area - comparative

a size that is slightly over 3.5 times greater than that of Washington, D.C.

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Population distribution

most urban development is concentrated along the southern coastline, with relatively dense population centers situated in the central regions

Literacy

Languages

Religions

Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.)

Sex ratio

Birth rate

8.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Median age

Population

Nationality

Tobacco use

Urbanization

Age structure

Ethnic groups

Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.)

Child marriage

Dependency ratios

Physician density

2.83 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Health expenditure

Net migration rate

4.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

Education expenditure

Infant mortality rate

Population growth rate

0.85% (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

0.58 (2025 est.)

Population distribution

the majority of urban development occurs along the southern coastline, with relatively concentrated population centers found in the central regions

Life expectancy at birth

Maternal mortality ratio

6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Sanitation facility access

Alcohol consumption per capita

Major urban areas - population

6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.1% (2016)

Mother's mean age at first birth

30.5 years (2015 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

43.8% (2020 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

Climate

tropical; characterized by hot, humid, and rainy conditions; features two primary monsoon periods - the northeastern monsoon occurring from December to March and the southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon periods are marked by frequent thunderstorms in the afternoons and early evenings

Land use

Urbanization

Waste and recycling

Environmental issues

water contamination; pollution from industrial activities; scarce freshwater supplies; challenges in waste disposal due to restricted land space; air quality degradation; deforestation; seasonal smoke and haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia

Total water withdrawal

Carbon dioxide emissions

Particulate matter emissions

10 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

600 million cubic meters (2022)

International environmental agreements

Flag

description: features two equal horizontal stripes, one red at the top and one white below; on the left side of the red band, a vertical white crescent is present, accompanied by a circle of five five-pointed white stars to the right of the crescent

meaning: red symbolizes brotherhood and equality, while white denotes purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon represents a young nation in a phase of growth; the stars embody the national principles of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality

Capital

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Citizenship

Constitution

Country name

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

Legal system

based on English common law

Government type

parliamentary republic

Judicial branch

Executive branch

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

National color(s)

red, white

National heritage

Political parties

People's Action Party or PAP
Workers' Party or WPS
there are 13 additional active political parties in Singapore

Legislative branch

National anthem(s)

National symbol(s)

lion, merlion (a mythical creature that is half-lion and half-fish), orchid

Administrative divisions

there are no first-order administrative divisions; five community development councils exist: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019)

Diplomatic representation in the US

Diplomatic representation from the US

International organization participation

ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNOOSA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

International law organization participation

has not issued a declaration of jurisdiction to the ICJ; a non-party state to the ICCt

Budget

Exports

Imports

Industries

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, biomedical products, scientific instruments, telecommunication equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, entrepot trade

Labor force

3.722 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Remittances

Exchange rates

Economic overview

characterized as a high-income, service-oriented economy; a global financial center; promotes business-friendly policies and is favorable for investment and trade; inflation is decreasing yet remains persistent in the service sector; public sector investments focus on education, healthcare, and infrastructure; strong development of human capital is confronted by an aging population

Unemployment rate

Exports - partners

Hong Kong 13%, China 11%, USA 10%, Malaysia 9%, S. Korea 6% (2023)

Imports - partners

China 15%, Malaysia 11%, Taiwan 11%, USA 10%, S. Korea 6% (2023)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP growth rate

Agricultural products

chicken, eggs, vegetables, pork, duck, spinach, lettuce, pork offal, cabbages, pork fat (2023)

Exports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, machinery, vaccines, gold (2023)

Imports - commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2023)

Current account balance

Taxes and other revenues

13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$547.387 billion (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

Average household expenditures

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Industrial production growth rate

4.2% (2024 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Coal

Petroleum

Electricity

Natural gas

Electricity access

Energy consumption per capita

Electricity generation sources

Internet users

Broadcast media

Media outlets under government control; six television channels managed by the state-owned MediaCorp; reception of broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian networks permitted; prohibition on satellite dishes; availability of multi-channel cable television services; a total of 19 radio stations exists, comprising 11 operated by MediaCorp, 5 associated with the state-linked Singapore Press Holdings, 2 linked to the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association, and 1 affiliated with BBC Radio; access to Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations is also available (2019)

Internet country code

.sg

Telephones - fixed lines

Telephones - mobile cellular

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

Ports

Airports

9 (2025)

Heliports

1 (2025)

Merchant marine

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9V

Military - note

The primary duty of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) is to ensure external defense, with a particular emphasis on maritime security. Additionally, it prepares for certain domestic security functions, such as conducting joint deterrence patrols with law enforcement during periods of increased terrorism threats. The Army encompasses a 'people's defense force,' which operates as a divisional headquarters tasked with homeland security and counterterrorism efforts. Regularly, the SAF engages in both bilateral and multilateral training exercises.

Singapore is a participant in the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a framework of mutual assistance agreements established in 1971 that includes Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. The FPDA obligates its members to consult each other in the event of an armed attack or threat against any member, allowing them to collectively determine the necessary actions to be taken, whether jointly or individually. Furthermore, Singapore maintains close security collaborations with the United States, which include granting access to military bases, overflight rights, and other privileges.

The origins of the SAF can be traced back to 1854 with the establishment of the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps under colonial authority. The First Singapore Infantry Regiment, which was the first battalion of regular soldiers, was formed in 1957. The contemporary SAF was founded in 1965 (2025).

Military deployments

The SAF operates permanent training detachments stationed in Australia, France, and the United States (2025).

Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF; also known as Singapore Defense Force): comprises the Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force (which includes air defense), and the Digital and Intelligence Service.

Ministry of Home Affairs: includes the Singapore Police Force (SPF; which consists of the Police Coast Guard and the Gurkha Contingent) (2025).

Military service age and obligation

The age for voluntary enlistment for both men and women is set at 18 years (or 16.5 years for early enlistment with parental consent); compulsory military service for men is required between the ages of 18 and 21; the service obligation for conscripts lasts 24 months (2026).

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

The SAF incorporates a varied and contemporary array of both domestically manufactured and imported Western weaponry from suppliers including France, Germany, and the United States. Singapore possesses a compact yet advanced defense industry that produces military equipment such as armored vehicles and naval warships (2025).

Military and security service personnel strengths

While the exact figures may vary, approximately 55,000 personnel are active-duty members of the Armed Forces (40,000 from the Army; 7,000 from the Navy; 8,000 from the Air Force) (2025).

Refugees and internally displaced persons