Singapore—Profile

(2001 est. pop. 4.3 million). The republic of Singapore, at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, is strategically located at the convergence of the world's major sea-lanes. The Chinese-dominated multiethnic country is politically stable and is a world-class business center, but it still faces the task of allaying minority groups and coping with recurring economic crises.

Dominating the Straits of Malacca, the republic of Singapore consists of the island of Singapore and sixty adjacent islets, altogether having an area of about 648 square kilometers. The country lies between the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, with the Singapore Strait separating it from Indonesia to the south and the Johore Strait separating it from Malaysia to the north. The terrain is mostly lowland; the highest point of elevation is 177 meters at Bukit Timah. Keppel Harbor is the port, and Singapore City the capital and chief port. Singapore has a tropical climate with a humidity of 80 percent and average temperatures of 26°C, with rainfall throughout the year. Because most of Singapore island is urbanized, there is no difference between the countryside and Singapore City. Except for some secondary rainforest and mangrove swamp, the island has little vegetation. Current environmental problems are caused by industrial pollution, forest fires in Indonesia, a scarcity of freshwater, and limited land resources.

Singapore, with about 5,855 people per square kilometer, is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The Chinese constitute the largest ethnic group, with about 77 percent of the population; Malays represent around 14 percent, Indians 8 percent, and others 1 percent. The largest age group is that of people fifteen to sixty-four, who are 71 percent of the population, with those below fifteen years making up 22 percent. The population growth rate is around 3.5 percent according to 2001 estimates.

Free-trade opportunities meant an influx of immigrants into Singapore, and by the beginning of the twentieth century, Singapore had become a cosmopolitan country with Chinese, Peninsular Malays, Sumatrans, Javanese, Bugis, Boyanese, South Asians, Arabs, Jews, Eurasians, and Europeans. Transport and communication rapidly developed to cope with the increasing number of commercial enterprises. The well-organized Chinese immigration from the mid-nineteenth century resulted in this group's dominance in commercial life. The Malays and Indonesians from neighboring islandswere early immigrants who engaged in agriculture. South Indians constitute about 80 percent of the South Asian people in Singapore; others include descendants of the indentured laborers that the British brought from South Asia. Many European professionals, including the British, have also become citizens of Singapore, but the Portuguese form the bulk of Eurasians. Arabs, who came as traders, settled after marrying Malays. The arrival of foreign workers, professionals, and students in large numbers has resulted in an increasing growth rate for foreigners compared with citizens of Singapore.

Singapore's standard of living is the second highest in Asia after Japan; the per capita gross national product (GNP) is $26,500. With a developed free-market economy, a favorable business environment, and the fifth-highest per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, Singapore is economically stable in spite of the recurring global crises.

The country does not depend on agriculture and raw material production. Manufacturing accounts for 24 percent of real GDP. The workforce is employed mainly in financial-related services (38 percent), manufacturing (22 percent), commerce (21 percent), and construction (7 percent). In 1960 a slum-clearance program was instituted, and 86 percent of the population live in public apartments constructed by the Housing and Development Board. Living conditions are good, with a life expectancy of 77.2 years for males and 83.4 for females, an infant mortality rate of 3.6 per 1,000, and 13 doctors per 10,000 people. The crime rate is low, with 1,005 cases per 100,000 population. Family planning and a strict immigration policy are intendedto reduce population growth. The Central Provident Fund, to which both employers and employees contribute, is the country's central welfare institution. Singapore also has one of the world's highest literacy rates (93.5 percent) and has four official languages: Mandarin Chinese, Malay (national), Tamil, and English.

Downtown Singapore as seen from Mount Faber in February 1996. (KEVIN R. MORRIS/CORBIS)

The pluralistic society of Singapore reflects a multifaceted culture, a meeting ground for diverse cultural influences, with both traditional and contemporary aspects. The government has emphasized the unique identity of being a Singaporean with Asian values and Asian heritage. Although the core national value system is Confucian, there are many other traditions. The major religions of the nation are Buddhism (54 percent), Islam (15 percent), Christianity (13 percent), and Hinduism (about 3 percent). The Chinese are predominantly Buddhists, generally Mahayana, and Taoists, who follow the teachings of Confucius and Lao Zi and practice ancestor worship. Some Chinese temples, such as Thian Hock Keng, Siong Lim, and Hong San See, are national monuments. The Malays are generally Muslims, and there is a sizable proportion of South Asian Muslims. The supreme Islamic religious body among Singapore's Muslims is the Majlis Ugama Islam Singapura (Islamic Religious Council of Singapore). Sri Mariamman Temple and Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, built in South Indian style, are famous Hindu monuments of Singapore. There are thirty Catholic churches and seven Gurdwaras (Sikh temples) in Singapore. All the major festivals of all these religions are celebrated throughout the year. A national holiday is Independence Day, 9 August.

Chinese opera, Chinese dance, and Malay and Indian dances are popular. The Singapore Lyric Theater presents poplar music shows and operas. The Singapore Dance Theater, a professional ballet company, is noted for dance forms that fuse Eastern and Western styles. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra highlights European classical composers. The Singapore theater has been experimenting with new trends since 1988 and has produced plays of artistic excellence. The Chinese Theater Circle, Theater works, Teater Kami, and Agni Koothu are some of the major theater groups.

With features such as a disciplined workforce, high productivity, modern amenities, and strong foreign investment, Singapore's future looks bright. However, there are some discordant notes. The government's emphasis on the unique Singaporean identity and Confucian values creates suspicion and mistrust among non-Chinese groups. In addition to emphasizing the Chinese identity of Singapore, the government is bent on cementing its power through rigid control of society. As the nation moves toward a first-world economy, some experts on Singapore think that the emphasis instead should be on human development and political liberalization.

Patit Paban Mishra

Huff, W. G. (1994) The Economic Growth of Singapore. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press.

Lee, Kuan Yew. (1998) The Singapore Story. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Turnbull, Constance M. (1989) A History of Singapore, 1819–1988. Singapore: Oxford University Press.