Singapore

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Flag Coat of arms
Motto: "Majulah Singapura"  (Malay)
"Onward, Singapore"
Anthem: 
Majulah Singapura instrumental.ogg

Majulah Singapura
Location of  Singapore  (green)
Location of  Singapore  (green)
Capital Singapore
(Downtown Core, Central)1
1°17′N 103°50′E / 1.283°N 103.833°E / 1.283; 103.833
Official language(s) English (Main language)[1][2]
Malay (National language)[3][4]
Mandarin Chinese
Tamil
Official scripts English alphabet
Malay alphabet
Simplified Chinese
Tamil script
Demonym Singaporean
Government Parliamentary republic
 -  President S.R. Nathan
 -  Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong
 -  Speaker of Parliament Abdullah Tarmugi
 -  Chief Justice Chan Sek Keong
Legislature Parliament
Formation
 -  Founding 29 January 1819[5] 
 -  Self-government 3 June 1959[6] 
 -  Independence from the United Kingdom 31 August 1963[7] 
 -  Merger with Malaysia 16 September 1963 
 -  Separation from Malaysia 9 August 1965 
Area
 -  Total 710.2 km2 (187th)
274.2 sq mi 
 -  Water (%) 1.444
Population
 -  2009 estimate 4,987,600 
 -  2010 census 5,076,700[8] (115th)
 -  Density 7,022[9]/km2 (3rd)
17,275.7/sq mi
GDP (PPP) 2010 estimate
 -  Total $255.338 billion[10] 
 -  Per capita $52,839[10] 
GDP (nominal) 2010 estimate
 -  Total $194.918 billion[10] 
 -  Per capita $40,336[10] 
HDI (2010) increase 0.846[11] (very high) (27th)
Currency Singapore dollar (SGD)
Time zone SST (UTC+8)
Date formats dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on the left
ISO 3166 code SG
Internet TLD .sg
Calling code +65
1 Singapore is a city-state.
2 02 from Malaysia.

Singapore (/ˈsɪŋəpɔr/  ( listen)), officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator, in Southeast Asia. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north, and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is the world's fourth leading financial centre[12] and a cosmopolitan world city, playing a key role in international trade and finance. The port of Singapore is one of the five busiest ports in the world.[13]

Singapore has a long history of immigration. It has a diverse population of close to 5 million people made up of Chinese, Malays, Indians, Asians of various descents, and Caucasians.[14] 42% of the population in Singapore are foreigners who work and study there. Foreign workers make up 50% of the service sector.[15][16] The country is the second most densely populated in the world after Monaco.[17] A.T. Kearney names Singapore the most globalised country in the world in its Globalization Index.[18]

Before independence in 1965, Singapore was a vibrant trading port with a GDP per capita of $511, the third highest in East Asia then.[19] After independence, foreign direct investment and a state-led drive for industrialization based on plans by former Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Goh Keng Swee created a modern economy.[20]

The Economist Intelligence Unit in its "Quality-Of-Life Index" ranks Singapore as having the best quality of life in Asia and eleventh overall in the world.[21] Singapore possesses the world's ninth largest foreign reserves.[22][23] The country also maintains armed forces that are technologically advanced and well-equipped.[24][25]

After a contraction of -6.8% in the 4th quarter of 2009,[26] Singapore claimed the title of fastest-growing economy in the world, with GDP growth of 17.9% in the first half of 2010.[27]

Contents

Etymology

Main article: Names of Singapore

The English name of Singapore is derived from the Malay name Singapura (Sanskrit सिंहपुर "Lion City"). Today it is sometimes referred to as the Lion City. Studies indicate that lions probably never lived there; the beast seen by Sang Nila Utama, founder of Singapore, who gave it the Malay name of Singapura meaning Lion City, was most likely a tiger.[28][29]

History

Main article: History of Singapore

Pre-19th century

Main article: Early history of Singapore
Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, early founder of Singapore

The first records of settlement in Singapore are from the 2nd century AD.[30] The island was an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and originally had the Javanese name Temasek ('sea town'). Between the 16th and early 19th centuries, Singapore was part of the Sultanate of Johor. In 1613, Portuguese raiders burnt down the settlement at the mouth of Singapore River and the island sank into obscurity for the next two centuries.

British colonial rule

Main article: Founding of modern Singapore
See also: Singapore in the Straits Settlements

On 28 January 1819, Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on the main island in Singapore. Spotting its potential as a strategic trading post for Southeast Asia, Raffles signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah on behalf of the British East India Company on 6 February 1819 to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post and settlement.[31]

Until 1824, Singapore was still a territory controlled by a Malay Sultan. It became a British colony on 2 August 1824 when John Crawfurd, the second resident of Singapore, officially made the whole island a British possession by signing a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah in which the Sultan and the Temmenggong handed it over to the British East India Company. In 1826 it became part of the Straits Settlements, a British colony. By 1869, 100,000 people lived on the island.[31]

World War II and post-war period

Main article: Japanese occupation of Singapore
Victorious Imperial Japanese Army troops marching through downtown Singapore City after British capitulation.

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Malaya, culminating in the Battle of Singapore. The British were defeated in six days, and surrendered the supposedly impregnable fortress to General Tomoyuki Yamashita on 15 February 1942. The surrender was described by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill as "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history".[32] The Sook Ching massacre of ethnic Chinese after the fall of Singapore claimed between 5,000 and 25,000 lives.[33] The Japanese renamed Singapore Shōnantō (昭南島?), from Japanese "Shōwa no jidai ni eta minami no shima" ("昭和の時代に得た南の島"?), or "southern island obtained in the age of Shōwa", and occupied it until the British repossessed the island on 12 September 1945, a month after the Japanese surrender.

Following the war, the British government allowed Singapore to hold its first general election, in 1955, which was won by a pro-independence candidate, David Marshall, leader of the Labour Front party, who became Chief Minister.

Demanding complete self-rule, Marshall led a delegation to London, but was refused by the British. He resigned upon return, and was replaced by Lim Yew Hock, whose policies then convinced the British. Singapore was granted full internal self-government with its own prime minister and Cabinet overseeing all matters of government except defence and foreign affairs.

Elections were held on 30 May 1959 with the People's Action Party winning a landslide victory. Singapore eventually became a self-governing state within the Commonwealth on 3 June 1959, and Lee Kuan Yew was sworn in as the first prime minister.[34] Then Governor of Singapore, Sir William Allmond Codrington Goode, served as the first Yang di-Pertuan Negara until 3 December 1959. He was succeeded by Yusof bin Ishak, later first President of Singapore.

Singapore declared independence from Britain unilaterally in August 1963,[35] before joining the Federation of Malaysia in September along with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as the result of the 1962 Merger Referendum of Singapore. Singapore was expelled from the Federation two years after heated ideological conflict between the state's PAP government and the federal government in Kuala Lumpur.

Independence (since 1965)

Main article: History of the Republic of Singapore

Singapore officially gained sovereignty on 9 August 1965.[7] Yusof bin Ishak was sworn in as President, and Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of the Republic of Singapore.

In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee as Prime Minister. During his tenure, the country faced the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis, the 2003 SARS outbreak, and terrorist threats posed by Jemaah Islamiyah. In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third prime minister.[36] Among his more notable decisions is the plan to open casinos to attract tourism.[37]

Government and politics

Main articles: Government of Singapore and Politics of Singapore
See also: Law of Singapore
Singapore's Parliament House.

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing different constituencies. The Constitution of Singapore establishes representative democracy as the nation's political system.[38] The People's Action Party (PAP) dominates the political process and has won control of Parliament in every election since self-government in 1959.[39] Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its "Freedom in the World report" and The Economist ranks Singapore as a "hybrid regime", the third rank out of four, in its "Democracy Index".

The bulk of the executive powers rests with the cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. The office of President of Singapore, historically a ceremonial one, was granted some veto powers in 1991 for a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judicial positions. Although the position is to be elected by popular vote, only the 1993 election has been contested to date. The legislative branch of government is the Parliament.[40]

Parliamentary elections in Singapore are plurality-based for group representation constituencies since the Parliamentary Elections Act was modified in 1991.[41]

Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of elected, non-constituency and nominated Members. The majority of MPs are elected to Parliament at a General Election on a first-past-the-post basis and represent either Single Member or Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).[42]

Singapore has consistently been rated as one of the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International.[43][44]

Although Singapore's laws are inherited from English and British Indian laws, and include many elements of English common law, in some respects they have departed from that tradition since independence. For example, trial by jury has been abolished.

Singapore has laws and penalties that include judicial corporal punishment in the form of caning for offenses such as rape, violence, rioting, drug use, vandalism of property, and some immigration offences.[45][46] Singapore also imposes a mandatory death penalty for first-degree murder, drug-trafficking, and firerams offences.[47] Amnesty International said that "a series of clauses in the Misuse of Drugs Act and the Arms Offences Act contain presumptions of guilt, conflicting with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and eroding the right to a fair trial", and has estimated that Singapore has "possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population".[48] The government states that Singapore has the sovereign right to determine its own judicial system and impose what it sees as an appropriate punishment.[49] The government disputed many points in the Amnesty report in detail. They said that in the five years to 2004, 101 Singaporeans and 37 foreigners had been executed, all but 28 for drugs-related offences.[49] Amnesty listed 408 executions between 1991 and 2003 from government and other sources, out of a population of about four million.[48]

A survey by Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC) of expatriate business executives in September 2008 found that those surveyed considered that Hong Kong and Singapore had the best judicial systems in Asia, with Indonesia and Vietnam the worst: Hong Kong's judicial system scored 1.45 on the scale (zero representing the best performance and 10 the worst); Singapore with a grade of 1.92, followed by Japan (3.50), South Korea (4.62), Taiwan (4.93), the Philippines (6.10), Malaysia (6.47), India (6.50), Thailand (7.00), China (7.25), Vietnam (8.10) and Indonesia (8.26).[50][51]

PERC commented that, as the survey involved expatriate business executives rather than political activists, criteria such as contracts and IPR protection were given more weight: "the general perception of expatriates is that local politics has not compromised the way commercial and criminal law is conducted". PERC noted that the Singapore's top rating in the survey is not shared by political activists, who have criticised the ruling People's Action Party (PAP) for using the judiciary to silence critics.

Geography

Main article: Geography and climate of Singapore
Year 2006's map outline of Singapore and the surrounding islands & waterways

Singapore consists of 63 islands, including mainland Singapore. The main island is widely known as Singapore Island but is officially called Pulau Ujong (Malay: transliterated as island at land's end [of the peninsula]). There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia: the Johor–Singapore Causeway in the north, and the Tuas Second Link in the west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of Singapore's many smaller islands. The highest natural point is Bukit Timah Hill at 166 m (545 ft).[52]

Singapore has on-going land reclamation projects with earth obtained from its own hills, the seabed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5 km2 (224.5 sq mi) in the 1960s to 704 km2 (271.8 sq mi) today, and may grow by another 100 km2 (38.6 sq mi) by 2030.[53] The projects sometimes involve some of the smaller islands being merged together through land reclamation in order to form larger, more functional islands, as in the case of Jurong Island.[citation needed]

Climate

Singapore Botanic Gardens, a 67.3-hectare (166-acre) botanical garden in Singapore that includes the National Orchid Garden, with more than 3,000 species of orchids

Under the Köppen climate classification system, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate with no distinctive seasons, uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures range from 22 to 34 °C (71.6 to 93.2 °F). On average, the relative humidity is around 90% in the morning and 60% in the afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100%.[54] The lowest and highest temperatures recorded in its maritime history are 19.4 °C (66.9 °F) and 36.0 °C (96.8 °F).

May and June are the hottest months, while November and December make up the wetter monsoon season.[55] From August to October, there is often haze, sometimes severe enough to prompt public health warnings, due to bush fires in neighbouring Indonesia. Singapore does not observe daylight saving time or a summer time zone change. The length of the day is nearly constant year round due to the country's position near the equator.[citation needed]

About 23% of Singapore's land area consists of forest and nature reserves.[56] Urbanisation has eliminated many areas of former primary rainforest, with the only remaining area of primary rainforest being Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. A variety of parks are maintained, such as the Singapore Botanic Gardens.[citation needed]


Climate data for Singapore
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 30.1
(86.2)		 31.1
(88)		 31.6
(88.9)		 31.7
(89.1)		 31.6
(88.9)		 31.3
(88.3)		 30.9
(87.6)		 30.9
(87.6)		 30.9
(87.6)		 31.1
(88)		 30.6
(87.1)		 29.9
(85.8)		 31.0
(87.8)
Average low °C (°F) 23.3
(73.9)		 23.6
(74.5)		 23.9
(75)		 24.4
(75.9)		 24.8
(76.6)		 24.7
(76.5)		 24.5
(76.1)		 24.4
(75.9)		 24.2
(75.6)		 24.0
(75.2)		 23.7
(74.7)		 23.4
(74.1)		 24.1
(75.4)
Rainfall mm (inches) 242.5
(9.547)		 162.0
(6.378)		 184.8
(7.276)		 178.8
(7.039)		 171.8
(6.764)		 161.2
(6.346)		 158.3
(6.232)		 176.2
(6.937)		 169.7
(6.681)		 193.9
(7.634)		 255.7
(10.067)		 288.2
(11.346)		 2,343.1
(92.248)
Avg. rainy days 15 11 14 15 14 13 13 14 14 16 19 19 177
Sunshine hours 173.6 183.6 192.2 174.0 179.8 177.0 189.1 179.8 156.0 155.0 129.0 133.3 2,022.4
Source #1: National Environment Agency (Temp 1929-1941 and 1948-2009, Rainfall 1869-2009, Rain days 1891-2009) [57]
Source #2: Hong Kong Observatory (sun only, 1982—2008) [58]

Economy

Main article: Economy of Singapore
See also: International trade agreements of Singapore
The port of Singapore, one of the world's busiest, with the skyline of Singapore in the background

Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy, which has historically revolved around extended entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing, which constituted 26% of Singapore's GDP in 2005[59] and includes significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences sectors. In 2006 Singapore produced about 10% of the world's foundry wafer output.[60] Singapore has one of the busiest ports in the world and is the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York and Tokyo.[61] The World Bank ranks Singapore as the world's top logistics hub.[62]

Singapore's economy has been ranked amongst the world's ten most open,[63] competitive[64] and innovative.[65][66] Rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world,[67][68] Singapore sees hundreds of thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. In addition, it also employs hundreds of thousands of foreign manual workers.

Alternative view of Singapore Central Business District (CBD)

As a result of a global recession and a slump in the technology sector, the country's GDP contracted 2.2% in 2001. The Economic Review Committee (ERC) was set up in December 2001, and recommended several policy changes with a view to revitalising the economy. Singapore has since recovered from the recession, largely due to improvements in the world economy; the economy grew by 8.3% in 2004, 6.4% in 2005[69] and 7.9% in 2006.[70]

Singapore introduced a Goods and Services Tax (GST) with an initial rate of 3% on 1 April 1994 substantially increasing government revenue by S$1.6 billion (US$1b, €800m) and stabilising government finances.[71] The taxable GST was increased to 4% in 2003, to 5% in 2004, and to 7% on 1 July 2007.[72]

Tourism

Main article: Tourism in Singapore
The Merlion, a national symbol of Singapore

Singapore is a popular travel destination, contributing to the importance of its tourism industry. Total visitor arrivals were 10.2 million in 2007.[73] To attract more tourists, the government has decided to legalise gambling and to allow two casino resorts (euphemistically called Integrated Resorts) to be developed at Marina South and Sentosa in 2005.[74] To compete with regional rivals like Bangkok, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government has announced that the city area would be transformed into a more exciting place by lighting up the civic and commercial buildings.[75] Food has also been promoted as an attraction for tourists, with the Singapore Food Festival held every July to celebrate Singapore's cuisine.

Singapore is promoting itself as a medical tourism hub: about 200,000 foreigners seek medical care in the country each year, and Singapore medical services aim to serve one million foreign patients annually by 2012 and generate USD 3 billion in revenue.[76] The government states that this could create some 13,000 new jobs within the health industries.

Currency

Main article: Singapore dollar

The currency of Singapore is the Singapore dollar, represented by the symbol S$ or the ISO abbreviation SGD. The central bank is the Monetary Authority of Singapore, responsible for issuing currency. Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency in 1967[77] and issued its first coins and notes.[78] The Singapore dollar was exchangeable at par with the Malaysian ringgit until 1973.[78] Interchangeability with the Brunei dollar is still maintained.[78][79] On 27 June 2007, to commemorate 40 years of currency agreement with Brunei, a commemorative S$20 note was launched; the back is identical to the Bruneian $20 note launched concurrently.[79]

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Singapore
Then Senior Minister Lee Kuan Yew and Ambassador to the U.S. Chan Heng Chee meet with Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen during Lee's visit in 2000

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 175 countries,[80] although it does not maintain a high commission or embassy in many of those countries. It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement. For obvious geographical reasons, relations with Malaysia and Indonesia are most important but the domestic politics of the three countries often threatens their relations.

Singapore also enjoys good relations with many European nations, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the latter sharing ties via the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) along with Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. Good relations are also maintained with the United States, a country perceived as a stabilising force in the region to counterbalance the regional powers.

Singapore supports the concept of Southeast Asian regionalism and plays an active role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which it is a founding member. It is also a member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which has its Secretariat in Singapore. Singapore also has close relations with fellow ASEAN nation Brunei and maintains Army training facilities there.

Singapore is one of the first countries to normalise ties with the People's Republic of China after its opening up in 1978.[81][82] It recognizes the PRC's One-China policy and has extensive trade relations with the latter, although it maintains diplomatic ties with the Republic of China in Taiwan.

Military

Main article: Singapore Armed Forces
See also: Ministry of Defence (Singapore) and Conscription in Singapore
RSS Formidable
A Singapore Air Force F-15SG

Despite its small size, Singapore has one of the most advanced military forces in South East Asia. The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), currently headed by Minister Teo Chee Hean, oversees the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, collectively known as the Singapore Armed Forces, along with volunteer private companies in supporting roles. The Chief of Defence Forces is Lieutenant-General Neo Kian Hong.

The armed forces serve primarily as a deterrent against potential aggressors and also provide humanitarian assistance to other countries. Singapore has mutual defence pacts with several countries, most notably the Five Power Defence Arrangements. There is an extensive overseas network of training grounds in the United States, Australia, Republic of China (Taiwan), New Zealand, France, Thailand, Brunei, India and South Africa. Since 1980, the concept and strategy of "Total Defence" has been adopted in all aspects of security, aimed at strengthening Singapore against all kinds of threats.

Singapore legislation requires every able-bodied male Singapore citizen and permanent resident to undertake National Service for a minimum of two years upon reaching 18 years of age or completion of his studies (whichever comes first), with exemption on medical or other grounds. After serving for two years, every male is considered operationally ready, and is liable for reservist national service to the age of 40 (50 for commissioned officers). Those medically fit must also take the Individual Physical Proficiency Test (IPPT) yearly as part of their training program. More than 350,000 men serve as operationally ready servicemen assigned to reservist combat units, and another 72,500 men form the full-time national service and regular corps.

The recent rise in unconventional warfare and terrorism has cast increasing emphasis on non-military aspects of defence. The Gurkha Contingent, part of the Singapore Police Force, is also a counter-terrorist force. In 1991, the hijacking of Singapore Airlines Flight 117 ended in the storming of the aircraft by Singapore Special Operations Force and the subsequent deaths of all four hijackers without injury to either passengers or SOF personnel. A concern is Jemaah Islamiyah, a militant Islamic group whose plan to attack the Australian High Commission was ultimately foiled in 2001.

Singapore's defence resources have been used in international humanitarian aid missions, including United Nations peacekeeping assignments involved in 11 different countries.[83] In September 2005, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) sent three CH-47 Chinook helicopters to Louisiana to assist in relief operations for Hurricane Katrina. In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami the SAF deployed tanks and helicopters to aid relief operations to the countries affected.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Singapore

Population

The population of Singapore has the sixth-highest percentage of foreigners globally. Approximately 42% of the population in Singapore are foreigners and foreigners make up 50% of the service sector.[15][16] Most foreigners come from China, Malaysia, Philippines, North America, Middle East, Europe, Australia, Bangladesh and India. The country is also the second most densely populated in the world after Monaco.[17] According to government statistics, the population of Singapore as of 2009 was 4.99 million, of whom 3.73 million were Singaporean citizens and permanent residents (termed "Singapore Residents"). There were 3.2 million citizens in 2009.[84] Various Chinese linguistic groups formed 74.2% of Singapore's residents, Malays 13.4%, Indians 9.2%, while Eurasians, Arabs and other groups formed 3.2%.

In 2008, the total fertility rate was only 1.28 children per woman, the 3rd lowest in the world and well below the 2.10 needed to replace the population.[84][85] In 2008, 39,826 babies were born, compared to around 37,600 in 2005. This number, however, is not sufficient to maintain the population's growth. To overcome this problem, the government is encouraging foreigners to immigrate to Singapore. These large numbers of immigrants have kept Singapore's population from declining.[86]

According to latest 2010 statistics, Singapore’s resident total fertility rate (TFR) reached a level of 1.22 in 2009. The Chinese TFR was (1.08), followed by Indians (1.14) and Malays (1.82). Malay fertility-rate is ~70% higher than Chinese and Indians.[87]

Religion

Main article: Religion in Singapore
Religion in Singapore
religion percent
Buddhism
  
 42.5%
Islam
  
 14.9%
No religion
  
 14.8%
Christianity
  
 14.6%
Taoism
  
 8.5%
Hinduism
  
 4%
Others
  
 0.6%


Buddhism is the dominant religion in Singapore, with 42.5% [88] of the resident population declaring themselves as adherents at the most recent census. One will be able to find monasteries and Dharma centres from all three major traditions of Buddhism in Singapore: Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and are of the Mahayana tradition. 42.5% of the population of Singapore is Buddhist.[89]

Chinese Mahayana is the most predominant form of Buddhism in Singapore with missionaries from Taiwan and China for several decades. However, Thailand's Theravada Buddhism has seen growing popularity amongst the people (not confining to the Chinese) in the past decade. Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organization, is practised by many people, in Singapore, but by mostly those of Chinese descent. Tibetan Buddhism is also making a slow inroad into the country in recent years.[90]

Education

Main article: Education in Singapore
The Administrative Building of Nanyang Technological University, one of five public universities in Singapore

English is the medium of instruction in all Singaporean schools.

Students attend primary school at age seven and it lasts for six years, at the end of which they sit for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). There are four subjects in primary school - English, Mathematics, Science and Mother Tongue language. All subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "Mother Tongue language" which is taught and examined in either Malay, Mandarin (Chinese) or Tamil. While "Mother Tongue" generally refers to the first language internationally, in Singapore's education system, it is used to refer to the second or extra language as English is the first language. Public primary schools do not charge school fees, however, there might be nominal miscellaneous fees.[91]

After primary school, students typically attend secondary school for four to five years. There is a myriad of subjects offered in secondary schools, including English, mother tongue language, geography, history, elementary mathematics, advanced mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, French, and Japanese.

The average student studies seven to eight subjects but it is relatively common for students to take more than eight subjects. Once again, all subjects in secondary school are taught and examined in English except for the "Mother Tongue language" which is taught and examined in either Malay, Mandarin or Tamil. At the end of secondary school, students sit for the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level examination and their results determine the kind of post-secondary education routes they can pursue.[92] School fees in most public secondary schools are nominal, they come up to around 5 SGD after subsidies.[93] However, there are independent secondary schools that charge up to a few hundred dollars in school fees each month.

Not all students enrol into secondary schools. There are many who attend vocational education institutes such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) where they graduate with a vocational certificate. Others attend the Singapore Sports School or a school with Integrated Programme where they bypass the Singapore-Cambridge GCE 'O' Level altogether.

After the O levels examinations, at around sixteen years of age, students normally enrol into a Junior College, Centralised Institute or Polytechnic. Programmes in Junior Colleges and Centralised Institutes lead to the GCE A levels examinations after two or three years.

There are five polytechnics in Singapore. Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic. Unlike similarly named institutions in many other countries, polytechnics in Singapore do not award degrees. Students in polytechnics graduate with a diploma at the end of three years.

There are five public universities in Singapore - National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Technology and Design and the Singapore Institute of Technology. The government has been building more public universities in the past few decades as it hopes to provide higher education for 30% of each cohort.[94][95] Courses in polytechnics and universities are conducted entirely in English.

A plethora of foreign universities also have campuses in Singapore. They include INSEAD, Chicago Business School, New York University, University of Las Vegas, Technische Universität München, ESSEC and many more.[95]

Languages

Main article: Languages of Singapore
See also: Singapore English and Singlish

The Singapore government recognises four official languages: English, Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), and Tamil.[96]

English is the most dominant language in Singapore,[1][2] unlike neighbouring countries Malaysia and Indonesia, where Malay is the dominant language.[97] The forms of English spoken in Singapore range from Standard English to an English-based creole known as Singlish. Amongst Singaporeans, English has the largest number of speakers. This is followed by Mandarin Chinese, Malay and Tamil.[3] The spelling and vocabulary used are primarily those of British English,[98] with a few exceptions, such as the common use of the American "pants" for the British "trousers".[99] The use of English became widespread in Singapore after 1965 when it was implemented as a first language medium in the education system.[100] At school, children are required to learn English and one of the three other official languages as a mother tongue.[101]

Malay is the national language for symbolic and historical reasons,[4] and is generally spoken by Singapore's Malay community. The Malay language is used in the national anthem "Majulah Singapura"[102] and printing of coins. However, around 85% of Singaporeans do not speak Malay.[3]

Mandarin Chinese is also spoken widely in Singapore. Mandarin has spread largely as a result of government-sponsored public campaigns and efforts to support its adoption and use over other Chinese languages.[103]

Tamil is spoken by about 60% of Singapore's Indian community or 5% of all Singaporeans. Indian languages such as Malayalam, Telugu and Hindi are also spoken by a small group of Singaporean Indians in Singapore.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Singapore

Due to its diverse population and immigrant background, Singaporean culture has often been described as a mix of cultures – British, Malay, Chinese, Indian and Peranakan. Foreigners also make up 42% of the population in Singapore[15][16] and they play an important role in influencing Singaporean culture.

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Singapore

Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country’s national pastime.[104] Singaporean cuisine is an example of the country's diversity and cultural diffusion; with significant influences from British, Chinese, Indian, Malay, Tamil cuisine, and Indonesian cuisine. Typical Singaporean food includes the satay, nasi lemak, chilli crab and Hainanese chicken rice.[citation needed]

Media

Main article: Media of Singapore
The Straits Times, the most circulated newspaper in the country

MediaCorp, the state-owned media corporation, operates all seven free-to-air terrestrial local television channels, as well as 14 radio channels. Radio and television stations are all government-owned entities. The radio stations are itself mainly operated by MediaCorp with the exception of four stations, which are operated by SAFRA Radio and SPH UnionWorks respectively. The Cable and IPTV Pay-TV Service are owned by StarHub and SingTel. Private ownership of satellite dish receivers capable of viewing uncensored televised content from abroad is illegal.

The print media of Singapore includes a total of 16 newspapers in active circulation, and several magazines. Daily newspapers are published in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil, with the print media being dominated by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), the government-linked publisher of the flagship English language daily, The Straits Times. SPH publishes almost all daily newspapers, including a free bilingual daily, My Paper – which claims to be the world's first, with equal coverage in both English and Chinese Most of these papers have parallel online versions, including The Straits Times, the Business Times, and Today - a free English-language tabloid published by MediaCorp.

The Arts

Since the 1990s, the government has been striving to promote Singapore as a centre for arts and culture, in particular the performing arts, and to transform the country into a cosmopolitan 'gateway between the East and West'.[105] The highlight of these efforts was the construction of Esplanade, a top-class centre for performing arts that opened on 12 October 2002.[106] Also, the Singapore Arts Festival is an annual event organised by the National Arts Council. The stand-up comedy scene has also been growing, including a weekly open mic.[107] Singapore hosted the 2009 Genee International Ballet Competition, a prestigious classical ballet competition promoted by the Royal Academy of Dance, an international dance examination board based in London, UK.[108]

Sport and recreation

Main article: Sport in Singapore

Favourite Singaporean sports include outdoor sports such as football, basketball, cricket, swimming, sailing and various indoor sports such as table tennis and badminton.

Most Singaporeans live in public residential areas with amenities such as public swimming pools, outdoor basketball courts and indoor sport complexes nearby. As might be expected on an island, water sports are popular, including sailing, kayaking and water skiing. Scuba diving is another recreation, particularly around the southern island of Pulau Hantu which is known for its rich coral reefs.

Closing ceremony for the use of the National Stadium
National Stadium of Singapore

Singaporean sportsmen have performed in regional as well as international competitions in sports such as table tennis, badminton, bowling, sailing, silat, swimming and water polo. Athletes such as Fandi Ahmad, Ang Peng Siong, Li Jiawei and Ronald Susilo have become household names in the country.

Singapore has its own football (soccer) league, the S-League, formed in 1996, currently comprising 12 clubs with 3 foreign teams.

The Singapore Slingers joined the Australian National Basketball League in 2006, which they left in 2008. They are one of the inaugural teams that began competition in the ASEAN Basketball League in October 2009.

Beginning in 2008, Singapore started hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship. The race was staged at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in the Marina Bay area and became the first night race on the F1 circuit[109] and the first street circuit in Asia.[110]

On 21 February 2008 the International Olympic Committee announced[111] that Singapore won the bid to host the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. Singapore beat Moscow in the final by 53 votes to 44.[112]

It was announced on 15 September 2010, by MCYS minister Mr Teo Ser Luck, that Singapore will start off the Singapore Biennale Games initiative to keep up the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010 Legacy, to be held every 2 years, starting from year 2011.

Transport

Main article: Transport in Singapore

Ports and aviation

The Port of Singapore with Sentosa island in the background

Singapore is a major international transportation hub in Asia, positioned on many sea and air trade routes.

The Port of Singapore, managed by port operators PSA International and Jurong Port, was the world's second busiest port in 2005 in terms of shipping tonnage handled, at 1.15 billion gross tons, and in terms of containerised traffic, at 23.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). It is also the world's second busiest in terms of cargo tonnage, coming behind Shanghai with 423 million tons handled. In addition, the Port is the world's busiest for transshipment traffic and the world's biggest ship refuelling centre.[113]

A C751B train at Eunos MRT Station on the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, one of three heavy rail passenger transport lines in Singapore

Singapore is an aviation hub for the Southeast Asian region and a stopover on the Kangaroo route between Australasia and Europe. Singapore Changi Airport has a network of 80 airlines connecting Singapore to 200 cities in 68 countries. It has been rated as one of the best international airports by international travel magazines, including being rated as the world's best airport for the first time in 2006 by Skytrax.[114]

The airport currently has three passenger terminals. There is also a budget terminal, which serves budget carrier Tiger Airways and Cebu Pacific. The national carrier is Singapore Airlines (SIA), the most awarded airline in the world. Singapore Changi Airport was privatized in the year 2009 and is now wholly owned by Changi Airport Group.

Domestic

The domestic transport infrastructure has a well-connected island-wide road transport system which includes a network of expressways. The public road system is served by the nation's bus service and a number of licensed taxi-operating companies. The public bus transport has been the subject of criticism by Singaporeans[citation needed], the majority of whom are dependent on it for their daily commuting.

Since 1987, the heavy rail passenger Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) metro system has been in operation. The MRT system has been further augmented by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) light rail system, and increases accessibility to housing estates. Established in 2001, the EZ-Link system allows contactless smartcards to serve as stored value tickets for use in the public transport systems in Singapore.

See also

Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore portal

References

Notes
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