SINGAPORE

Located in Southeast Asia, the Republic of Singapore is a city-state linked to the Malaysian mainland by a 2/3 mile (1.1 kilometers) long causeway that carries a road and railway. Known as the Lion City, Singapore is a modern metropolis with one of the world's busiest ports. At the same time, the small tropical island has retained many elements of its colonial past. The multiethnic nature of the population provides a rich and varied cultural, religious, and linguistic heritage.

Land and Climate

Singapore is separated from the mainland of Malaysia by the Johore Strait to the north. Across the Strait of Malacca and the Singapore Strait to the west and south of the island lies Indonesia.
The total land area is about 239 square miles (618 square kilometers), which includes some 57 nearby islets. The island is 26 miles (42 kilometers) at its broadest point from east to west and 14 miles (23 kilometers) from north to south. Originally consisting of swamps and primary jungle vegetation, Singapore's terrain is largely flat and low-lying with numerous undulating hills. Bukit Timah, the highest point, is only 531 feet (162 meters) above sea level.
Situated just 85 miles (137 kilometers) north of the equator, Singapore has a tropical climate characterized by high temperatures and humidity. Both annual and daily temperature variations are slight, and the average maximum temperature is 88 F (31 C). The island, which has no pronounced wet or dry season, receives an average of 100 inches (254 centimeters) of precipitation annually. During periods of heavy rain, flooding is common in low-lying areas.
The island lies in the path of two monsoonal wind patterns that alternate in the major seasons. The northeast monsoon dominates the weather pattern from November to March and the southeast monsoon from June through September.
The republic is basically one large metropolitan area with outlying population nodes. The main urban center is located on the south coast, where much of the urban sprawl is on land reclaimed from the sea and low-lying areas. By 1985 land reclamation had increased the original size of the island by 5 percent.

People and Culture

The population of Singapore was estimated in 1989 to be 2.7 million. At the present rate of annual growth, 1.1 percent, it should reach 3 million by the year 2000. With a population density of about 11,300 per square mile (4,370 per square kilometer), the island is one of the most crowded nations in the world.
Singapore was the first Asian country to control its population growth. Official family-planning programs are administered by a government agency with some 40 clinics. The program has been so successful that there is now concern over the prospects and impact of a shrinking population. The labor force may become inadequate. The infant mortality rate is only seven per 1,000, among the lowest in the world.
Singapore has three main ethnic groups Chinese, Malay, and Indian. The Chinese make up 76 percent of the population and the Malays and Indians account for 15 and 6 percent respectively. The majority of the Chinese belong to the Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese groups. The Malays come from both Malaysia and Indonesia, while the Indian component includes Tamils, Malayalis, Punjabis, Pakistanis, and Sri Lankans. Race relations are harmonious.
The official languages are Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), Tamil, and English. The government stresses the need for bilingualism and especially encourages the use of Mandarin, though Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hainanese, Hakka, and Foochow remain major dialects. Malay is the national language, and English is the language of administration.
Singapore is a secular state. Most Chinese are Taoists and Buddhists, with a growing number of Christians. Indians are largely Hindus, while the Malays, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis are Muslims. Religion is not a major force in national life.

Food

One of the outstanding offerings of Singapore is the array of local and international cuisine. Although the basic staple in the diet continues to be rice, the diverse ethnic community provides a mixture of Asian and Western fare that can be found in settings ranging from hawker stalls to international-class hotels.
The Chinese have produced one of the world's greatest and most varied cuisines, and much of it can be sampled in Singapore. The Indian community has also made a significant contribution to the culinary tradition. Originally immigrating to Singapore from southern India, the Indians brought with them a style of cooking characterized by the use of spices. The Malay and Indonesian elements add additional dimensions to the cuisine. Local food is a mixture of several influences, among which are Malayan and Nonya. Coconut and spices are used in many of the foods but in different combinations.
Nonya cuisine was developed by descendants of the Chinese called Peranakans, whose families many of Malay descent have lived in the area for generations. The Peranakans incorporated Malay food, clothing, and culture into their life-styles while retaining many Chinese traditions. As a result the food is an interesting blend of Malayan/Indonesian and Chinese. During the 1980s the government of Singapore actively encouraged the preservation of the Peranakan culture. This resulted in a permanent exhibit at the National Museum and the restoration of numerous Peranakan houses.

Education and Housing

The national literacy rate is very high nearly 87 percent: 92.5 percent for males and 79.3 percent for females. Primary education is free, and the schooling period extends over 12 years. Private schools account for more than one third of primary enrollment. The language of instruction at the primary level is English or any of the three vernaculars: Chinese, Tamil, and Malay. English is the language of instruction in secondary and post-secondary education.
Higher education is provided by the National University of Singapore (NUS), which was established in 1980 through the merger of the University of Singapore and Nanyang University. Nanyang Technological Institute was established in 1981 to conduct practical engineering courses at the university level. There are also several polytechnic schools, of which Singapore Polytechnic and Ngee Ann Polytechnic are prominent. The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies was established in 1968 and is now located on the edge of the NUS campus.
In the mid-1980s the country had seven newspapers three Chinese, two English, one Malay, and one Tamil. The oldest and most widely circulated daily is The Straits Times. Singapore also has an active book-publishing industry.
The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is the sole public-housing authority in Singapore. A specific objective is to create integrated, self-contained communities of mixed income levels in new towns and housing estates away from the city center. Another is to locate housing and work places within short distances of one another. About 2.1 million people, or 81 percent of the population, are now housed in HDB apartments. Bukit Batok, Yishun, Jurong, Tampines, and Woodlands are among the larger new towns.

Economy

Singapore is classified as an upper-middle-income country by the World Bank. The gross national product per capita in 1985 was 7,420 dollars apart from Brunei, the highest in Southeast Asia. The country is one of the newly industrializing Asian countries along with Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.
Among the objectives are diversification and the upgrading of industry while developing the island into a center of regional services and international finance. Skill-intensive and high-tech industries are encouraged, as are research and development activities in a so-called second industrial revolution. Economic prosperity began in the 1960s, when the government decided to de-emphasize transshipment trade and emphasize industrialization.
Manufacturing generates some 25 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). From 1965 to 1980 this sector grew at an annual rate of 13.3 percent. Major activities are petroleum refining, machinery and appliances (which includes the large electronics industry), metal engineering, and precision equipment. Most of the heavy industries are located in Jurong, an industrial estate established in 1968 in the western part of the island. Such incentives as tax exemptions and labor-training programs are used to lure industry.
Agriculture employs less than 1 percent of the labor force, and its contribution to the GDP is merely 1 percent. Given the limited land area for agriculture, cultivation is especially intensive. The nation is not self-sufficient in food. Both rice and vegetables, as well as meat, must be imported. Two major agricultural exports are orchids and aquarium fish species. Poultry farming is the largest agricultural activity.
Energy accounts for 40 percent of all imports. The nation does not produce any form of mineral energy. The petroleum-refining capacity is estimated at 1.1 million barrels per day. There is no significant mining activity.
Machinery and transportation equipment, crude petroleum, food, and chemicals account for the major imports. Major exports are petroleum products, machinery, and manufactured goods. Major import sources are Japan, the United States, Malaysia, and China, while exports go primarily to the United States, Malaysia, Japan, and Hong Kong. Transshipment trade accounts for 40 percent of the total.
Located at a major focal point of international shipping and air routes, Singapore has long been a major center of transport and communications. With one of the world's largest ports, Singapore handled 112 million tons of cargo in 1984. The Port of Singapore Authority operates five gateways with more than 7 1/2 miles (12 kilometers) of berthing facilities. The container-handling facilities are among the most extensive and modern in the world.
Singapore excels in air transport. The national carrier, Singapore Airlines, has an international reputation for excellence and operates a modern fleet of more than 30 aircraft on routes serving more than 30 countries. Singapore Changi Airport, the international air facility, is one of the most modern in Southeast Asia. A total of 9.45 million passengers were processed in 1984.
High-quality public transport consists of buses, taxis, and a mass-rapid-transit (MRT) system that began operation in 1987. The MRT route links major population centers in housing estates with industrial estates and the central business district.
Tourism has been actively encouraged and forms a significant part of revenues. Major attractions include botanical and zoological gardens, Jurong Bird Park, and recreational facilities on Sentosa Island.

History and Government

The original seaport of Singapore was known as Temasek. It was founded in 1297 as one of the three kingdoms of Srivijaya, a trading empire based in Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles, who was looking for a new British commercial post in East Asia (see Raffles). He established a base on behalf of the British East India Company, and Singapore soon joined with the Malayan states of Penang and Malacca to form the Straits Settlements. In 1867 these settlements became a crown colony directly under the British Colonial Office. Singapore's prosperity and progress increased as trade between Europe and East Asia expanded after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the advent of steamships.
The Japanese occupied Singapore during World War II. Singapore became a separate crown colony in 1946, and the people soon began to voice an interest in greater involvement in government. Elections for seats in the Legislative Council were held in 1948 a first step toward self-government. A new constitution was introduced in June 1959.
In 1961 Tunku Abdul Rahman, prime minister of Malaya, suggested a Federation of Malaysia to include the State of Singapore, the Federation of Malaya, and the colonies of North Borneo (renamed Sabah) and Sarawak. Despite strong opposition from Indonesia, Malaysia was proclaimed on Sept. 16, 1963. Political and economic differences between the Malaysian and Singapore governments led to the separation of Singapore from the federation in August 1965. Singapore was admitted to the United Nations as a sovereign state, and it became a republic on Dec. 22, 1965.
In form the government established by the constitution was a unicameral parliament. The president, a ceremonial office, was elected by Parliament. The prime minister is the leader of the majority party. Elections are held within three months of the dissolution of Parliament, which sits for a maximum of five years. Suffrage is universal over 21 years of age.
Prime minister Lee Kuan Yew fashioned a bureaucratic state based on an efficient and stable government, economic prosperity, and a new national image. Strong control is exerted over the mass media, labor unions, schools and colleges, defense, and police. Within this administrative state civil servants are a significant segment of society. Recruitment into the civil service is through competitive examination.
Politics are dominated by the People's Action party, founded by Lee in the early 1950s. When he stepped down in November 1990 after 31 years in office, his designated successor was Goh Chok Tong. The presidency, meanwhile, was constitutionally changed to a popularly elected office. Singapore is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian nations.
Singapore's foreign policy is closely geared to economic policies and is aimed at ensuring a steady flow of technology and investments from abroad. Diplomatic relations thus reflect trade relations. Only in the case of China did ideology intervene. Although trade relations between the two countries were strong, diplomatic relations were not established until 1990.

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