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Republic of Singapore COUNTRY DESCRIPTION  Singapore is a small, stable, highly developed country with an
elected parliamentary system of government. Tourist facilities are
modern and widely available. Singapore's resident population of over
4.2 million inhabitants is comprised of 77% Chinese, 14% Malay, 8%
Indian and 1% others. English is widely spoken. Criminal penalties
are strict and law enforcement rigorous; see sections on “Entry/Exit
Requirements,” “Special Circumstances,” and “Criminal Penalties,”
below, for further details.PEOPLE Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The annual growth rate for 2004 was 1.3%, including resident foreigners. Singapore has a varied linguistic, cultural, and religious heritage. Malay is the national language, but Chinese, English, and Tamil also are official languages. English is the language of administration and also is widely used in the professions, businesses, and schools.  The government has mandated that English be the primary language
used at all levels of the school systems, and it aims to provide at
least 10 years of education for every child. In 2005, primary and
secondary school students totaled about 532,225, or 12.2% of the
entire population. In 2005, enrollment at the universities was
43,663 (first degree full-time/part-time) and 58,880 at the
polytechnics. The Institute of Technical Education for basic
technical and commerce skills has almost 21,600 students. The
country's literacy rate is 95.4%. Singapore generally allows religious freedom, although religious groups are subject to government scrutiny, and some religious sects are restricted or banned. Almost all Malays are Muslim; other Singaporeans are Taoists, Buddhists, Confucianists, Christians, Hindus, or Sikhs. ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS A valid passport is required. U.S. citizens do not need a visa if their visit is for business or a social visit and their stay is for 90 days or less. Travelers to the region should note that Singapore and some neighboring countries, do not allow Americans to enter under any circumstances with fewer than six months of validity remaining on their passport. Female U.S. citizens who are pregnant when they apply to enter Singapore for a social visit are no longer required to make prior application through the nearest Singapore overseas mission or to provide documentation from a U.S. embassy concerning the nationality the child will acquire at birth. Specific information about entry requirements for Singapore may be obtained from the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore at 3501 International Place, NW, Washington, DC 20008, tel. (202) 537-3100. Visit the Embassy of Singapore’s web site at http://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/ for the most current visa information. QUICK FACTS Geography Area: 685 sq. km. (264 sq. mi.). Cities: Capital--Singapore (country is a city-state). Terrain: Lowland. Climate: Tropical. People Population (2006): 4.48 million (including permanent residents, foreign workers). Annual growth rate: 3.3% (total); 1.8% (residents). Ethnic groups: Chinese 75.2%, Malays 13.6%, Indians 8.8%. Religions: Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu. Languages: English, Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, Malay, Tamil. Education: Years compulsory--six. Attendance--94%. Literacy--95.4%. Health (2006): Infant mortality rate--2.5/1,000. Life expectancy--78.0 yrs. male, 81.8 yrs. female. Work force (2006, 2.5 million): Manufacturing--20.7%; services--68.4%. Government Type: Parliamentary republic. Constitution: June 3, 1959 (amended 1965 and 1991). Independence: August 9, 1965. Branches: Executive--president (chief of state, 6-yr. term); prime minister (head of government). Legislative--unicameral 84-member Parliament (maximum 5-yr. term). Judicial--High Court, Court of Appeal, subordinate courts. Political parties: People's Action Party (PAP), Workers' Party (WP), Singapore's Peoples Party (SPP), Singapore Democratic Party (SDP), Singapore Democratic Alliance. Suffrage: Universal and compulsory at 21. Central government budget (FY 2007): $21.6 billion. Defense (FY 2007): 5.0% of gross domestic product. National holiday: August 9. Economy GDP (2006 real, 2000 prices): $137.5 billion. Annual real growth rate: 8.8% (2004), 6.6% (2005), 7.9% (2006). Per capita GNP (2006--purchasing power parity): $29,454. Natural resources: None. Agriculture (under 0.5% of GDP): Products--poultry, orchids, vegetables, fruits, ornamental fish. Manufacturing (26.9% of real GDP): Types--electronic and electrical products and components, petroleum products, machinery and metal products, chemical and pharmaceutical products, transport equipment (mainly aircraft repairs/maintenance, shipbuilding/repair and oil rigs), food and beverages, printing and publishing, textiles and garments, plastic products/modules, instrumentation equipment. Trade (2006): Exports--$271 billion: petroleum products, food/beverages, chemicals, textile/garments, electronic components, telecommunication apparatus, transport equipment. Major markets--Malaysia (13.1%), U.S. (9.9%), EU-15 (10.4%), Hong Kong (10%), Japan (5.5%), and China (9.7%). Imports--$238.5 billion: aircraft, crude oil and petroleum products, electronic components, radio and television receivers/parts, motor vehicles, chemicals, food/beverages, iron/steel, textile yarns/fabrics. Major suppliers--Malaysia (13.1%), U.S. (12.5%), Japan (8.3%), EU-15 (10.9%), and China (11.4%). USEFUL LINKS U.S. Government
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