Singapore
Singapore is a sovereign island city-state in Southeast Asia. It lies north of the equator, bordering the Straits of Malacca to the west, the Riau Islands to the south, and the South China Sea to the east.
Singapore is a sovereign island city-state in Southeast Asia. It lies north of the equator, bordering the Straits of Malacca to the west, the Riau Islands to the south, and the South China Sea to the east.
Overview
Official Name
Republic of Singapore
Capital
Singapore
Independence Day
9 August 1965
Population, Territory and Currency
5,703,600 (2019)
721.5 square km
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Price per meal: ~$6-10
Demographics
83.6 Life expectancy
Source: World Health Organisation (2019)
61.4% Of the population are citizens
Source: Singapore Statistic (2019)
48.9% Of the population are male
Source: World Bank (2019)
18.3% Are youths aged 15-24
Source: United Nations (2019)
The Flag
The Singapore flag consists of 2 equal horizontal sections, red above white. A crescent moon occupies the upper left section, and next to it are 5 stars arranged in a circle. The red stands for universal brotherhood and equality of man. White symbolises everlasting purity and virtue. The crescent moon represents a young nation on the ascendant, and the stars each depict the country’s ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice and equality.
Key Historical Events
1818
Stamford Raffles establishes trading post on Singapore.
1826
British colonial rule as British colony of Straits Settlement.
1942-45
Japanese Occupation.
1963
Joins Federation of Malaya.
1965
Independence. Member of the United Nations.
Economic Profile
Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy. Together with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, they make up the Four Asian Tigers. The Singapore economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative and business-friendly economy in the world, with the highest trade-to-GDP ratio at 407.9%.
Industry
Investment
Singapore attracts a lot of foreign direct investment due to its location, corruption-free environment, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advances infrastructure.
Financial Services
Enjoying stable growth, Singapore is a regional hub of choice for many global financial services firms, facilitating the transfer of knowledge, technology and skills.
Manufacturing
The manufacturing sector contributes 20-25% of the annual GDP. Key clusters include electronics, chemicals, biomedical sciences, logistics and transport engineering.
Places of Interest
Gardens By The Bay
City in a Garden
Built with the aim of raising the quality of life by enhancing greenery and flora, the nature park consists of 3 waterfront gardens, one of which houses the Flower Dome, the largest glass greenhouse in the world.
Sentosa
Island on Southern Coast
Separated from the main island of Singapore, it is a popular resort with 20mil visitors per year. Attractions include a 2km sheltered beach, Madame Tussauds, cable car, golf courses, Universal Studios theme park, hotels, and a casino.
Local Food
Chicken Rice
Considered one of Singapore’s national dishes, it consists of poached chicken and rice, served with cucumber and chilli sauce.
Chili Crab
Despite its name, chilli crab is not a very spicy dish. Mud crabs are stir fried in a semi-thick, sweet and savoury tomato and chilli based sauce.
Laksa
This dish consists of thick wheat noodles with chicken/prawn/fish served in a spicy soup based on curry coconut milk.
