Singapore

Republic of Singapore Malay: Republik Singapura Mandarin: 新加坡共和国 Xīnjiāpō Gònghéguó Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரசு Ciṅkappūr Kuṭiyaracu
Flag Coat of arms
Motto:Majulah Singapura(Malay) "Onward Singapore"
Anthem:Majulah Singapura(Malay) "Onward Singapore"
Capital	Singapore(city-state)[a] 1°17′N103°50′E / 1.283°N 103.833°E /1.283; 103.833
Largestplanning areaby population	Bedok[1]
Official languages	English Malay Mandarin Tamil
National language	Malay
Ethnic groups (2023) [b]	62.0%Singaporean 9.1%Permanent resident 71.1% Citizen/resident 74.3%Chinese 13.5%Malay 9.0%Indian 3.2%Other 28.9%Non-citizen/resident
Religion (2020) [c]	31.1%Buddhism 20.0%no religion 18.9%Christianity 15.6%Islam 8.8%Taoism 5.0%Hinduism 0.6%other
Demonym(s)	Singaporean
Government	Unitaryparliamentary republic
• President	Tharman Shanmugaratnam
• Prime Minister	Lawrence Wong
• Speaker of Parliament	Seah Kian Peng
• Chief Justice	Sundaresh Menon
Legislature	Parliament
Independence from the United Kingdomand Malaysia
• Self-governance	3 June 1959
• Malaysia Agreement	16 September 1963
• Proclamation of Singapore	9 August 1965
Area
• Total	735.6 km2(284.0 sq mi)[4](176th)
Population
• 2023 estimate	5,917,600[d](113th)
• Density	7,804/km2(20,212.3/sq mi) (2nd)
GDP(PPP)	2024 estimate
• Total	$794.179 billion[6](38th)
• Per capita	$133,737[6](3rd)
GDP(nominal)	2024 estimate
• Total	$525.228 billion[6](32nd)
• Per capita	$91,100[6](5th)
Gini(2023)	43.3[7] medium inequality
HDI(2022)	0.949[8] very high(9th)
Currency	Singapore dollar(S$) (SGD)
Time zone	UTC+8(Singapore Standard Time)
Drives on	left
Calling code	+65
ISO 3166 code	SG
Internet TLD	.sg

Singapore,^[e]officially theRepublic of Singapore, is anisland countryandcity-stateinmaritime Southeast Asia. It is about onedegree of latitude(137 kilometres or 85 miles) north of theequator, off the southern tip of theMalay Peninsula, bordering theStrait of Malaccato the west, theSingapore Straitto the south along with theRiau IslandsinIndonesia, theSouth China Seato the east, and theStraits of Johoralong with theState of JohorinMalaysiato the north.

The country's territory comprises onemain island,63 satellite islands and islets, andone outlying islet; the combined area of these has increased by approximately 25% since the country's independence as a result of extensiveland reclamationprojects. It has thethird highest population density of any country in the world, although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result ofurban planning. With a multicultural population and in recognition of the cultural identities of the major ethnic groups within the nation, Singapore has fourofficial languages:English,Malay,Mandarin, andTamil. English is thecommon language, with exclusive use in numerouspublic services.Multi-racialismis enshrined in the constitution and continues to shapenational policiesin education, housing, and politics.

Singapore'shistorydates back at least eight hundred years, having been a maritimeemporiumknown asTemasekand subsequently a major constituent part of several successivethalassocraticempires. Its contemporary era began in 1819, whenStamford Rafflesestablished Singapore as anentrepôttrading post of theBritish Empire. In 1867, Singapore came under the direct control of Britain as part of theStraits Settlements. DuringWorld War II, Singapore wasoccupied by Japanin 1942 and returned to British control as a separateCrown colonyfollowingJapan's surrenderin 1945. Singapore gainedself-governancein 1959 and, in 1963, became part of the new federation ofMalaysia, alongsideMalaya,North Borneo, andSarawak.Ideological differencesled to Singapore's expulsion from the federation two years later; Singapore became an independentsovereign countryin 1965.

After early years ofturbulenceand despite lacking natural resources and ahinterland, the nation rapidly developed to become one of theFour Asian Tigers. With its growth based oninternational tradeandeconomic globalisation, it integrated itself with theworld economythroughfree tradewith minimaltrade barriersandtariffs,export-oriented industrialisation, and the large accumulation ofreceived foreign direct investments,foreign exchange reserves, andassets held by sovereign wealth funds. As a highlydeveloped country, it has one of thehighest GDP per capita (PPP)in the world. It is also identified as atax haven. Singapore is the only country in Asia with a AAAsovereign credit ratingfromall major rating agencies. It is a majoraviation,financial, andmaritime shippinghub and has consistently been ranked as one of themost expensive citiesto live in forexpatriatesandforeign workers. Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators:education,healthcare,quality of life,personal safety,infrastructure, andhousing, with ahome-ownership rateof 88 percent.Singaporeansenjoy one of thelongest life expectancies,fastest Internet connection speeds,lowest infant mortality rates, andlowest levels of corruptionin the world.

Singapore is aparliamentary republicin theWestminster traditionofunicameralparliamentary government, and its legal system is based oncommon law. While the country isde jureamulti-party democracywithfree elections, thegovernmentunder thePeople's Action Party(PAP) wields widespread control andpolitical dominance. The PAP has governed the country continuously since full internalself-governmentwas achieved in 1959, and holds asupermajorityinParliament. One of the five founding members ofASEAN, Singapore is also the headquarters of theAsia-Pacific Economic CooperationSecretariat, thePacific Economic Cooperation CouncilSecretariat, and is the host city of manyinternational conferences and events. Singapore is also a member of theUnited Nations, theWorld Trade Organization, theEast Asia Summit, theNon-Aligned Movement, and theCommonwealth of Nations.

TheEnglishname of "Singapore" is ananglicisationof the nativeMalayname for the country,Singapura(pronounced[siŋapura]), which was in turn derived from theSanskritword for 'lion city' (Sanskrit:सिंहपुर;romanised:Siṃhapura;Brahmi:; literally "lion city";siṃhameans 'lion',purameans 'city' or 'fortress').^[9]Pulau Ujongwas one of the earliest references to Singapore Island, which corresponds to a Chinese account from the third century referred to a place asPú Luó Zhōng(Chinese:蒲羅中), a transcription of theMalayname for 'island at the end ofa peninsula'.^[10]Early references to the nameTemasek(or Tumasik) are found in theNagarakretagama, aJavaneseeulogywritten in 1365, and aVietnamesesource from the same time period. The name possibly meansSea Town, being derived from theMalaytasek, meaning 'sea' or 'lake'.^[11]TheChinesetravellerWang Dayuanvisited a place around 1330 namedDanmaxi(Chinese:淡馬錫;pinyin:Dànmǎxí;Wade–Giles:Tan Ma Hsi) orTam ma siak, depending on pronunciation; this may be a transcription ofTemasek, alternatively, it may be a combination of theMalayTanahmeaning 'land' andChineseximeaning 'tin', which was traded on the island.^[12][11]

Variations of the nameSiṃhapurawere used for a number of cities throughout the region prior to the establishment of theKingdom of Singapura. InHindu–Buddhist culture, lions were associated with power and protection, which may explain the attraction of such a name.^[13][14]The nameSingapurasupplantedTemaseksometime before the 15th century, after the establishment of theKingdom of Singapuraon the island by a fleeing SumatranRaja(prince) fromPalembang. However, the precise time and reason for the name change is unknown. The semi-historicalMalay Annalsstate thatTemasekwas christenedSingapurabySang Nila Utama, a 13th-century SumatranRajafromPalembang.The Annalsstate thatSang Nila Utamaencountered a strange beast on the island that he took to be a lion. Seeing this as an omen, he established the town ofSingapurawhere he encountered the beast.^{[15]: 37, 88–92 [16]: 30–31}The second hypothesis, drawn fromPortuguese sources, postulates that this mythical story is based on the real lifeParameswaraofPalembang.Parameswaradeclared independence fromMajapahitand mounted a Lion Throne. After then being driven into exile by theJavanese, he usurped control overTemasek. He may have rechristened the area asSingapura, recalling the throne he had been driven from.^[17]

UnderJapanese occupation, Singapore was renamedSyonan-to(Japanese:昭南,Hepburn:Shōnan), meaning 'light of the south'.^[18][19]Singapore is sometimes referred to by the nickname the "Garden City", in reference to its parks and tree-lined streets.^[20]Another informal name, the "Little Red Dot", was adopted after an article in theAsian Wall Street Journalof 4 August 1998 said thatIndonesianPresidentB. J. Habibiereferred to Singapore as a red dot on a map.^{[21][22][23][24]}

In 1299, according to theMalay Annals, theKingdom of Singapurawas founded on the island bySang Nila Utama.^[25]Although the historicity of the accounts as given in theMalay Annalsis the subject of academic debates,^[26]it is nevertheless known from various documents that Singapore in the 14th century, then known asTemasek, was a trading port under the influence of both theMajapahitEmpire and theSiamesekingdoms,^[27]and was a part of theIndosphere.^{[28][29][30][31][32]}These Indianised kingdoms were characterised by surprising resilience, political integrity and administrative stability.^[33]Historical sources also indicate that around the end of the 14th century, its rulerParameswarawas attacked by either theMajapahitor the Siamese, forcing him to move toMalaccawhere he founded theSultanate of Malacca.^[34]Archaeological evidence suggests that the main settlement onFort Canning Hillwas abandoned around this time, although a small trading settlement continued in Singapore for some time afterwards.^[17]In 1613,Portugueseraiders burned down the settlement, and the island faded into obscurity for the next two centuries.^[35]By then, Singapore was nominally part of theJohor Sultanate.^[36]The wider maritime region and much trade was under Dutch control for the following period after the 1641Dutch conquest of Malacca.^[37]

The British governorStamford Rafflesarrived in Singapore on 28 January 1819 and soon recognised the island as a natural choice for the new port.^[40]The island was then nominally ruled byTengku Abdul Rahman, theSultan of Johor, who was controlled by theDutchand theBugis.^[41]However, theSultanatewas weakened by factional division:Abdul Rahman, theTemenggong of Johorto Tengku Abdul Rahman, as well as his officials, were loyal to the Sultan's elder brotherTengku Long, who was living inexileinPenyengat Island,Riau Islands. With the Temenggong's help, Raffles managed to smuggle Tengku Long back into Singapore. Raffles offered to recognise Tengku Long as the rightful Sultan of Johor, under the title ofSultan Hussein, as well as provide him with a yearly payment of $5000 and another $3000 to the Temenggong; in return, Sultan Hussein would grant the British the right to establish a trading post on Singapore.^[42]TheTreaty of Singaporewas signed on 6 February 1819.^[43][44]

In 1824, a further treaty with the Sultan led to the entire island becoming a part of theBritish Empire.^[45]In 1826, Singapore became part of theStraits Settlements, then under the jurisdiction ofBritish India. Singapore became the regional capital in 1836.^[46]Prior to Raffles' arrival, there were only about a thousand people living on the island, mostly indigenousMalaysalong with a handful ofChinese.^[47]By 1860 the population had swelled to over 80,000, more than half beingChinese.^[45]Many of these early immigrants came to work on the pepper andgambierplantations.^[48]In 1867, the Straits Settlements were separated fromBritish India, coming under the direct control ofBritain.^[49]Later, in the 1890s, when the rubber industry became established inMalayaand Singapore,^[50]the island became a global centre for rubber sorting and export.^[45]

Singapore was not greatly affected by theFirst World War(1914–18), as the conflict did not spread toSoutheast Asia. The only significant event during the war was the1915 Singapore MutinybyMuslimsepoysfrom British India, who were garrisoned in Singapore.^[51]After hearing rumours that they were to be sent to fight theOttoman Empire, a Muslim state, the soldiers rebelled, killing their officers and several British civilians before the mutiny was suppressed by non-Muslim troops arriving fromJohoreandBurma.^[52]

AfterWorld War I, the British built the largeSingapore Naval Baseas part of the defensiveSingapore strategy.^[53]Originally announced in 1921, the construction of the base proceeded at a slow pace until theJapanese invasion of Manchuriain 1931. Costing $60 million and not fully completed in 1938, it was nonetheless the largestdry dockin the world, the third-largestfloating dock, and had enough fuel tanks to support the entire British navy for six months.^[53][54][55]The base was defended by heavy 15-inch (380 mm) naval guns stationed atFort Siloso,Fort Canningand Labrador, as well as aRoyal Air Forceairfield atTengah Air Base.Winston Churchilltouted it as the "Gibraltarof the East", and military discussions often referred to the base as simply "East of Suez". However, theBritish Home Fleetwas stationed in Europe, and the British could not afford to build a second fleet to protect their interests in Asia. The plan was for the Home Fleet to sail quickly to Singapore in the event of an emergency. As a consequence, afterWorld War IIbroke out in 1939, the fleet was fully occupied with defending Britain, leaving Singapore vulnerable toJapanese invasion.^[56][57]

During thePacific War, the Japaneseinvasion of Malayaculminated in theBattle of Singapore. When the British force of 60,000 troops surrendered on 15 February 1942, British prime minister Winston Churchill called the defeat "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history".^[58]British and Empire losses during the fighting for Singapore were heavy, with a total of nearly 85,000 personnel captured.^[59]About 5,000 were killed or wounded,^[60]of whichAustraliansmade up the majority.^[61][62][63]Japanese casualties during the fighting in Singapore amounted to 1,714 killed and 3,378 wounded.^[59][f]The occupation was to become a major turning point in the histories of several nations, including those ofJapan,Britain, and Singapore. Japanese newspapers triumphantly declared the victory as deciding the general situation of the war.^[64][65]Between 5,000 and 25,000 ethnic Chinese people were killed in the subsequentSook Ching massacre.^[66]British forces hadplanned to liberate Singaporein 1945/1946; however, the war ended before these operations could be carried out.^[67][68]

After theJapanese surrenderto theAllieson 15 August 1945, Singapore fell into a brief state of violence and disorder; looting and revenge-killing were widespread. British, Australian, and Indian troops led by LordLouis Mountbattenreturned to Singaporeto receive the formal surrender of Japanese forces in the region from GeneralSeishirō Itagakion behalf of GeneralHisaichi Terauchion 12 September 1945.^[67][68]Meanwhile,Tomoyuki Yamashitawas tried by a US military commission for war crimes, but not for crimes committed by his troops in Malaya or Singapore. He was convicted and hanged in thePhilippineson 23 February 1946.^[69][70]

Much of the infrastructure in Singapore had been destroyed during the war, including those needed to supply utilities. A shortage of food led to malnutrition, disease, and rampant crime and violence. A series of strikes in 1947 caused massive stoppages in public transport and other services. However, by late 1947 the economy began to recover, facilitated by a growing international demand for tin and rubber.^[71]The failure of Britain to successfully defend its colony against the Japanese changed its image in the eyes of Singaporeans.British Military Administrationended on 1 April 1946, and Singapore became a separateCrown Colony.^[71]In July 1947, separate Executive and Legislative Councils were established and the election of six members of the Legislative Council was scheduled for the following year.^[72]

During the 1950s,Chinese communists, with strong ties to the trade unions and Chinese schools, waged aguerrilla waragainst the government, leading to theMalayan Emergency. The1954 National Service riots,Hock Lee bus riots, andChinese middle schools riotsin Singapore were all linked to these events.^[73]David Marshall, pro-independence leader of theLabour Front, won Singapore's first general election in 1955.^[74]He led a delegation toLondon, and Britain rejected his demand for complete self-rule. He resigned and was replaced byLim Yew Hockin 1956, and after further negotiations Britain agreed to grant Singapore full internalself-governmentfor all matters except defence and foreign affairs on 3 June 1959.^[75]Days before, in the30 May 1959 election, thePeople's Action Party(PAP) won a landslide victory.^[76]GovernorSirWilliam Allmond Codrington Goodeserved as the firstYang di-Pertuan Negara(Head of State).^[77]

PAP leaders believed that Singapore's future lay with Malaya, due to strong ties between the two. It was thought that reuniting with Malaya would benefit the economy by creating a common market, alleviating ongoing unemployment woes in Singapore. However, a sizeable left-wing faction of the PAP was strongly opposed to the merger, fearing a loss of influence, and hence formed theBarisan Sosialis, after being kicked out from the PAP.^[78][79]The ruling party of Malaya,United Malays National Organisation(UMNO), was staunchly anti-communist, and it was suspected UMNO would support the non-communist factions of PAP. UMNO, initially sceptical of the idea of a merger due to distrust of the PAP government and concern that the large ethnic Chinese population in Singapore would alter the racial balance in Malaya on which their political power base depended, became supportive of the idea of the merger due to joint fear of a communist takeover.^[80]

On 27 May 1961, Malaya's prime minister,Tunku Abdul Rahman, made a surprise proposal for a new Federation calledMalaysia, which would unite the current and former British possessions in the region: theFederation of Malaya, Singapore,Brunei,North Borneo, andSarawak.^[80][81]UMNO leaders believed that the additional Malay population in the Bornean territories would balance Singapore's Chinese population.^[75]The British government, for its part, believed that the merger would prevent Singapore from becoming a haven for communism.^[82]To obtain a mandate for a merger, the PAP held areferendum on the merger. This referendum included a choice of different terms for a merger with Malaysia and had no option for avoiding merger altogether.^[83][84]On 16 September 1963, Singapore joined with Malaya, the North Borneo, and Sarawak to form the new Federation of Malaysia under the terms of theMalaysia Agreement.^[85]Under this Agreement, Singapore had a relatively high level of autonomy compared to the other states of Malaysia.^[86]

Indonesiaopposed the formation of Malaysia due to its own claims over Borneo and launchedKonfrontasi("Confrontation" in Indonesian) in response to the formation of Malaysia.^[87]On 10 March 1965,a bomb planted by Indonesian saboteurson a mezzanine floor ofMacDonald Houseexploded, killing three people and injuring 33 others. It was the deadliest of at least 42 bomb incidents which occurred during the confrontation.^[88]Two members of theIndonesian Marine Corps,Osman bin Haji Mohamed AliandHarun bin Said, were eventually convicted and executed for the crime.^[89]The explosion caused US$250,000 (equivalent toUS$2,417,107 in 2023) in damages to MacDonald House.^[90][91]

Even after the merger, theSingaporean government and the Malaysian central government disagreedon many political and economic issues.^[92]Despite an agreement to establish a common market, Singapore continued to face restrictions when trading with the rest of Malaysia. In retaliation, Singapore did not extend toSabahandSarawakthe full extent of the loans agreed to for economic development of the two eastern states. Talks soon broke down, and abusive speeches and writing became rife on both sides. This led to communal strife in Singapore, culminating in the1964 race riots.^[93]On 7 August 1965, Malaysian prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman, seeing no alternative to avoid further bloodshed (and with the help of secret negotiations by PAP leaders, as revealed in 2015)^[94]advised theParliament of Malaysiathat it should vote to expel Singapore from Malaysia.^[92]On 9 August 1965,the Malaysian Parliamentvoted 126 to 0 to move a bill to amend the constitution, expelling Singapore from Malaysia, which left Singapore as a newly independent country.^{[75][95][96][97][98][94]}

After being expelled from Malaysia, Singapore became independent as the Republic of Singapore on 9 August 1965,^[99][100]withLee Kuan YewandYusof bin Ishakas the first prime minister and president respectively.^[101][102]In 1967, the country co-founded theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN).^[103]Race riotsbroke out once morein 1969.^[104]Lee Kuan Yew's emphasis on rapid economic growth, support for business entrepreneurship, and limitations on internal democracy shaped Singapore's policies for the next half-century.^[105][106]Economic growth continued throughout the 1980s, with the unemployment rate falling to 3% and real GDP growth averaging at about 8% up until 1999. During the 1980s, Singapore began to shift towards high-tech industries, such as thewafer fabricationsector, in order to remain competitive as neighbouring countries began manufacturing with cheaper labour.Singapore Changi Airportwas opened in 1981 andSingapore Airlineswas formed.^[107]ThePort of Singaporebecame one of the world's busiest ports and the service and tourism industries also grew immensely during this period.^[108][109]

The PAP has remained in power since independence. Some activists and opposition politicians see the government's strict regulation of political and media activities as an infringement on political rights.^[110]In response, Singapore has seen several significant political changes, such as the introduction of the non-constituency members of parliament in 1984 to allow up to three losing candidates from opposition parties to be appointed as MPs. Group representation constituencies (GRCs) were introduced in 1988 to create multi-seat electoral divisions, intended to ensure minority representation in parliament.^[111]Nominated members of parliament were introduced in 1990 to allow non-elected non-partisan MPs.^[112]Theconstitutionwas amended in 1991 to provide for anelected presidentwho has veto power in the use ofpast reservesand appointments to certain public offices.^[113]

In 1990,Goh Chok Tongsucceeded Lee and became Singapore's second prime minister.^[114]During Goh's tenure, the country went through the1997 Asian financial crisisand the 2003SARSoutbreak.^[115][116]In 2004,Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son ofLee Kuan Yew, became the country's third prime minister.^[116]Lee Hsien Loong's tenure included the2008 global financial crisis, the resolution of adispute over land ownershipatTanjong Pagar railway stationbetween Singapore and Malaysia, the introduction of the twointegrated resorts(IRs), located at theMarina Bay SandsandResorts World Sentosa, and theCOVID-19 pandemic.^[117]The PAP suffered itsworst ever electoral resultsin 2011, winning just 60% of votes, amidst debate over issues including the influx of foreign workers and the high cost of living.^[118]On 23 March 2015, Lee Kuan Yewdied, and a one-week period of public mourning was observed nationwide.^[106]Subsequently, the PAP regained its dominance in Parliament through theSeptember general election, receiving 69.9% of the popular vote,^[119]although this remained lower than the 2001 tally of 75.3%^[120]and the 1968 tally of 86.7%.^[121]The2020 electionheld in July saw the PAP drop to 61% of the vote, while theWorkers' Partytook 10 of the 93 seats, the highest number ever won by another party.^[122]On 15 May 2024,Lawrence Wongbecame Singapore's fourth Prime Minister; he is the first prime minister born after independence.^[123]

Singapore is aparliamentaryrepublic based on theWestminster system. TheConstitution of Singaporeis the supreme law of the country, establishing the structure and responsibility of governance. ThePresidentis thehead of state.^[124][125]The governance of Singapore isseparatedinto three branches:

• Executive: The executive consists of the cabinet, led by theprime minister, and theAttorney General's Chambersled by theAttorney-General.^[126]The cabinet is collectively responsible for all government policies and the day-to-day administration of the affairs of state. It is typically composed of members of the Singapore Parliament. The prime minister is appointed by the President, and the ministers in the cabinet and the attorney-general are appointed by the president, acting on theadvice and consentof the prime minister. The prime minister is the effective head of the executive branch of government.^[127][124]
• Legislature: The Singapore Parliament isunicameraland, together with the president, comprises the legislature.^[128]Members of Parliament (MP) consist of elected, non-constituency, and nominated members. The majority of MPs are elected into parliament at a general election. The Singapore Parliament is collectively responsible for enacting the laws governing the state.^[124]The president holds limiteddiscretionary powersof oversight over the government. The president's veto powers are further subject to parliamentary overruling.^[129][130]
• Judiciary: The judiciary's function is to independently administer justice and is headed by the Chief Justice. The judges and judicial commissioners are appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister.^[131]TheSupreme CourtandState Courtsadjudicates in civil disputes between persons, convicts or acquits accused persons in criminal prosecutions, andinterprets lawsto decide on its constitutionality. Any law or provision of a law found to be unconstitutional can be struck down by the Supreme Court.^[132]

The president is directly elected by popular vote for a renewable six-year term. Requirements for this position, which were enacted by the PAP government, are extremely stringent, such that only a handful of people qualify for the candidacy.^[133][134]These qualifications include that a candidate needs to be a person at least 45 years of age who is no longer a member of a political party, to either have heldpublic officefor at least 3 years in a number of specific public service leadership roles, or to have 3 years experience as chief executive of a fully profitableprivate sectorcompany with at least S$500 million inshareholders' equity, be a resident in Singapore for at least 10 years, not have a criminal record, and more.^{[135][134][136]}Candidates must also "satisfy" thePresidential Elections Committee(PEC) that he or she is a person of integrity, good character and reputation.^{[citation needed]}

From 2017, the Constitution requires that presidential elections be "reserved" for a racial community if no one from that ethnic group has been elected to the presidency in the five most recent terms.^[137]Only members of that community may qualify as candidates in a reserved presidential election.^[138]In the2017 presidential election, this combination of stringent requirements and a reserved election that required the candidate to be of the 13%Malay ethnic groupled to the PEC approving a single candidate for the presidency;^[139]Halimah Yacob, considered part of the Malay community, won in an uncontested election. She also became Singapore's first female president.

Members of Parliament (MPs) are elected at least every five years (or sooner with asnap election). The 14th andcurrent Parliamenthas 103 members; 93 were directly elected from the31 constituencies, nine are nonpartisannominated membersappointed by the president, and three arenon-constituency membersfrom opposition parties who were not elected in the last general election but appointed to the legislature to increase opposition party representation. Ingroup representation constituencies(GRCs), political parties assemble teams of candidates to contest elections. At least one MP in a GRC must be of an ethnic minority background. All elections are held usingfirst-past-the-post voting.^[140]MPs host weeklypolitical surgeries, called "Meet-the-People Sessions", where they help constituents resolve personal issues which can be related to housing, financial assistance, and immigration.^[141]

ThePeople's Action Partyoccupies a dominant position in Singaporean politics, having won large parliamentary majorities in every election sinceself-governancewas granted in 1959. The PAP, self-described as pragmatic, have a syncretic ideology combiningfree-market principles,civil nationalism, andwelfarism.^{[142][143][144]}Despite promulgating restrictions on civil liberties, Singapore under the PAP has seen consistent economic growth and political stability.^[145]The most represented and popular opposition party is the centre-leftWorkers' Party, which holds 8 seats in Parliament.^[122]

The long-standing hegemony of the People's Action Party has led to Singapore being described by academics as anilliberal democracy,^{[146][147][148][149]}or asoft-authoritarianstate in which the PAP faces little to no feasible political competition to its rule of the country.^{[150][151][152][153]}The multi-party democratic process of Singapore has been described as "minimal" in comparison to the state's focus on economic development and social order.^[154]According to Gordon P. Means, professor emeritus of political science atMcMaster University, Singapore reinvented the "benevolent" yet "highly authoritarian" colonial system of governance inherited from Britain rather than forging a full democracy. A conservative ideology of "Asian values" evolved to replace British rule, based on "communal loyalty, distrust of government, and avoidance of individual or collective responsibility for wider public interests", with less regard forhuman rightsin the nascent Western sense.^[155]The fact that "neither the public nor elites had experience with democracy" helped create Singapore's political culture, as dominated by status-focused hierarchies committed to economic development.^[151]The legacy of Asian values and the limited political culture within Singapore has led to the country being described as "classic illustration of soft authoritarianism",^[154]and "profoundly illiberal".^[156]

The judicial system is based onEnglish common law, continuing the legal tradition established duringBritish ruleand with substantial local differences.Criminal lawis based on theIndian Penal Codeoriginally intended forBritish India, and was at the time as a crown colony also adopted by the British colonial authorities in Singapore and remains the basis of the criminal code in the country with a few exceptions, amendments and repeals since it came into force.^[157]Trial by jurywas abolished in 1970.^[158]Singapore is known for its strict laws and conservative stances on crime; bothcorporal punishment(bycaning)^[159][160]andcapital punishment(byhanging) are retained and commonly used as legal penalties.^[161]

The right to freedom of speech and association is guaranteed byArticle 14(1) of the Constitution of Singapore, although there are provisions in the subsequent subsection that regulate them.^[162]The government has restrictedfreedom of speechandfreedom of the pressas well as someciviland political rights.^[163]In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129th out of 180 nations byReporters Without Borderson the globalPress Freedom Index.^[164]Freedom Houseranks Singapore as "partly free" in itsFreedom in the Worldreport,^[165][145]and theEconomist Intelligence Unitranks Singapore as a "flawed democracy", the second freest rank of four, in its "Democracy Index".^[166][167]All public gatherings of five or more people require police permits, and protests may legally be held only at theSpeakers' Corner.^[168]

In theCorruption Perceptions Index, which ranks countries by "perceived levels of public sector corruption", Singapore has consistently ranked as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, in spite of being illiberal.^[169]Singapore's unique combination of a strong,soft authoritariangovernment with an emphasis onmeritocracyis known as the "Singapore model", and is regarded as a key factor behind Singapore's political stability, economic growth, and harmonious social order.^{[170][171][172][173]}In 2021, theWorld Justice Project's Rule of Law Index ranked Singapore as 17th overall among the world's 193 countries for adherence to therule of law. Singapore ranked high on the factors of order and security (#3), absence of corruption (#3), regulatory enforcement (#4), civil justice (#8), and criminal justice (#7), and ranked significantly lower on factors ofopen government(#34), constraints on government powers (#32), andfundamental rights(#38).^[174]

Singapore's stated foreign policy priority is maintaining security inSoutheast Asiaand surrounding territories. An underlying principle is political and economic stability in the region.^[175]It has diplomatic relations with more than 180 sovereign states.^[176]

As one of the five founding members ofASEAN,^[177]Singapore is a strong supporter of theASEAN Free Trade Area(AFTA) and the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA); it is also the host of the APEC Secretariat.^[178]Singapore is also a founding member ofThe Forum of Small States (FOSS), a voluntary and informal grouping at the UN.^[179]

Singapore maintains membership in other regional organisations, such asAsia–Europe Meeting, theForum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation, theIndian Ocean Rim Association, and theEast Asia Summit.^[175]It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement,^[180]theUnited Nationsand theCommonwealth.^[181][182]While Singapore is not a formal member of theG20, it has been invited to participate in G20 processes in most years since 2010.^[183]Singapore is also the location of thePacific Economic Cooperation Council(PECC) Secretariat.^[184]

In general, bilateral relations with other ASEAN members are strong; however, disagreements have arisen,^[185]and relations with neighbouringMalaysiaandIndonesiahave sometimes been strained.^[186]Malaysia and Singapore have clashed over the delivery offresh waterto Singapore,^[187]and access by theSingapore Armed Forcesto Malaysian airspace.^[186]Border issues exist with Malaysia and Indonesia, and both have banned the sale of marine sand to Singapore over disputes about Singapore's land reclamation.^[188]Some previous disputes, such as thePedra Branca dispute, have been resolved by theInternational Court of Justice.^[189]Piracy in theStrait of Malaccahas been a cause of concern for all three countries.^[187]Close economic ties exist withBrunei, and the two share a pegged currency value, through a Currency Interchangeability Agreement between the two countries which makes bothBrunei dollarandSingapore dollarbanknotes and coins legal tender in either country.^[190][191]

The firstdiplomatic contact with Chinawas made in the 1970s, with full diplomatic relations established in the 1990s. China has been Singapore's largest trading partner since 2013, after surpassing Malaysia.^{[192][193][194][195][196]}Singapore and theUnited Statesshare a long-standing close relationship, in particular in defence, the economy, health, and education. Singapore has also increased co-operation with ASEAN members and China to strengthen regional security and fight terrorism, and participated in ASEAN's first joint maritime exercise with China in 2018.^[197]It has also given support to the US-led coalition to fight terrorism, with bilateral co-operation in counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation initiatives, and joint military exercises.^[185]

As Singapore has diplomatic relations with both the United States andNorth Korea, and was one of the few countries that have relationships with both countries,^[198]in June 2018, it hosteda historic summitbetween US PresidentDonald TrumpandNorth Korean leaderKim Jong-un, the first-ever meeting between the sitting leaders of the two nations.^[199][200]It also hosted theMa–Xi meetingin 2015, the first meeting between the political leaders of the two sides of theTaiwan Straitsince the end of theChinese Civil Warin 1950.^{[201][202][203]}

The Singaporean military, arguably the most technologically advanced in Southeast Asia,^[204]consists of theArmy, theNavy, theAir Forceand theDigital and Intelligence Service. It is seen as the guarantor of the country's independence,^[205]translating into Singapore culture, involving all citizens in the country's defence.^[206]The government spends 4.9% of the country's GDP on the military—high by regional standards^[204]—and one out of every four dollars of government spending is spent on defence.^[207]

After its independence, Singapore had only twoinfantryregiments commanded by British officers. Considered too small to provide effective security for the new country, the development of its military forces became a priority.^[208]In addition, in October 1971, Britain pulled its military out of Singapore, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence.^[209]A great deal of initial support came fromIsrael,^[208]a country unrecognised by Singapore's neighbouringMuslim-majoritynations of Malaysia and Indonesia.^{[210][211][212]}TheIsrael Defense Forces(IDF) commanders were tasked by the Singapore Government to create theSingapore Armed Forces(SAF) from scratch, and Israeli instructors were brought in to train Singaporean soldiers. Military courses were conducted according to the IDF's format, and Singapore adopted a system of conscription and reserve service based on theIsraeli model.^[208]Singapore still maintains strong security ties with Israel and is one of the biggest buyers of Israeli arms and weapons systems,^[213]with one recent example being theMATADORanti-tank weapon.^[214]

The SAF is being developed to respond to a wide range of issues in both conventional and unconventional warfare. TheDefence Science and Technology Agency(DSTA) is responsible for procuring resources for the military.^[215]The geographic restrictions of Singapore mean that the SAF must plan to fully repulse an attack, as they cannot fall back and re-group. The small size of the population has also affected the way the SAF has been designed, with a small active force and a large number of reserves.^[206]

Singapore hasconscriptionfor all able-bodied males at age 18, except those with a criminal record or who can prove that their loss would bring hardship to their families. Males who have yet to complete pre-university education, are awarded thePublic Service Commission(PSC) scholarship, or are pursuing a local medical degree can opt to defer their draft.^[216][217]Though not required to perform military service, the number of women in the SAF has been increasing: since 1989 they have been allowed to fill military vocations formerly reserved for men. Before induction into a specific branch of the armed forces, recruits undergo at least nine weeks of basic military training.^[218]

Because of the scarcity of open land on the main island, training involving activities such as live firing andamphibious warfareare often carried out on smaller islands, typically barred to civilian access. However, large-scale drills, considered too dangerous to be performed in the country, have been performed in other countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand and the United States. In general, military exercises are held with foreign forces once or twice per week.^[206]Due to airspace and land constraints, theRepublic of Singapore Air Force(RSAF) maintains a number of overseas bases inAustralia, theUnited States, andFrance. The RSAF's 130 Squadron is based inRAAF Base Pearce,Western Australia,^[219]and its126 Squadronis based in theOakey Army Aviation Centre,Queensland.^[220]The RSAF has one squadron—the 150 Squadron—based inCazaux Air Basein southern France.^[221]The RSAF's overseas detachments in the United States are:Luke Air Force BaseinArizona,Maranain Arizona,Mountain Home Air Force BaseinIdaho, andAndersen Air Force BaseinGuam.^{[222][223][224]}

The SAF has sent forces to assist in operations outside the country, in areas such asIraq,^[225]andAfghanistan,^[226][227]in both military and civilian roles. In the region, they have helped to stabiliseEast Timorand have provided aid toAcehin Indonesia following the2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami.^{[citation needed]}Since 2009, theRepublic of Singapore Navy(RSN) has deployed ships to theGulf of Adento aid in counteringpiracyefforts as part ofTask Force 151.^[228]The SAF also helped in relief efforts duringHurricane Katrina,^[229]andTyphoon Haiyan.^[230]Singapore is part of theFive Power Defence Arrangements(FPDA), a military alliance with Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.^[206]According to the 2024Global Peace Index, Singapore is the 5th most peaceful country in the world.^[231]

Capital punishmentis a legal and enforced penalty in Singapore. The country isone of fourin thedeveloped worldto retain the death penalty, along with theUnited States,JapanandTaiwan. Particularly, itsuse against drug traffickinghas been a source of contention with variousnon-governmental organisations,^[who?]regarded by some as avictimless crime.^{[citation needed]}The government has responded that it has "no doubts" that it is the right policy and that there is "clear evidence" ofserious deterrence, and that the law should be looked at upon in the wider context of "saving lives", particularly citizens.^[232]In 2004,Amnesty Internationalclaimed that some legal provisions of the Singapore system for the death penalty conflict with "the right to bepresumed innocentuntil proven guilty".^[233]The government has disputed Amnesty's claims, stating that their "position on abolition of the death penalty is by no means uncontested internationally" and that the report contains "grave errors of facts and misrepresentations".^[234]

From 1938 to 2023, sexual relations between men were technically illegal underSection 377A of the Penal Code, first introduced during British colonial rule.^[235]During the last few decades, this law was mostly unenforced and pressure to repeal it increased as homosexuality became more accepted by Singaporean society.^[236]Meanwhile, sexual relations between women had always been legal.^[237]In 2022, Prime MinisterLee Hsien Loongannounced that Singapore would repeal 377A, effectively decriminalising homosexual behaviour. Nevertheless, he added that the repeal will not affect the recognition of "traditional familial and societal norms," including how marriage is defined, leaving the legal status ofsame-sex marriageunchanged for the time, although the possibility ofcivil unionswas not officially ruled out.^[238]Lee described this as a compromise between theconservative(and often religious) andprogressiveelements of Singaporean society to prevent further political fracturing.^[239]The law was officially repealed on 3 January 2023.^[240]

Pink Dot SG, an event held in support of theLGBTcommunity, has drawn thousands of people annually since 2009 with increasing attendance.^[241]According to a survey conducted by theInstitute of Policy Studiesin 2019, Singaporean society has become moreliberalon LGBT rights. In the survey, more than 20% of people said that sexual relations between adults of the same sex were not wrong at all or not wrong most of the time, up from 10% in 2013. The survey found that 27% felt the same way about same-sex marriage (an increase from 15% in 2013) and 30% did so about same-sex couples adopting a child (an increase from 24% in 2013).^[242][243]In 2021, six Singaporeans protested for improvedtransprotections in the educational system outside theMinistry of Educationheadquarters atBuona Vista.^[244]

Pimpsoftentrafficwomen from neighbouring countries such asChina,MalaysiaandVietnamat theirbrothelsas well as rentedapartmentsandhostelsfor higher profit margins when they get a cut from customers.^[245][246]In response, amendments were made to theWomen's Charterby the government in 2019 to legislate more serious punishments for traffickers, including imprisonment of up to seven years and a fine of S$100,000.^[247]

Singapore has a highly developedmarket economy, based historically on extendedentrepôttrade. Along withHong Kong,South Korea, andTaiwan, Singapore is one of theFour Asian Tigers, and has surpassed its peers in terms ofGross Domestic Product(GDP) per capita. Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population.^[248]

The Singaporean economy is regarded as free,^[249]innovative,^[250]dynamic^[251]and business-friendly.^[252]For several years, Singapore has been one of the few^[253]countries with aAAA credit ratingfrom thebig three, and the only Asian country to achieve this rating.^[254]Singapore attracts a large amount of foreign investment as a result of its location, skilled workforce, low tax rates, advanced infrastructure and zero-tolerance against corruption.^[255]It was the world's 4th most competitive economy in 2023, according to theInternational Institute for Management Development's World Competitiveness Ranking of 64 countries,^[256]with thehighest GDP (PPP) per capita.^{[257][258][259]}Roughly 44 percent of the Singaporean workforce is made up of non-Singaporeans.^[260]Despite market freedom, Singapore's government operations have a significant stake in the economy, contributing 22% of the GDP.^[261]The city is a popular location for conferences and events.^[262]

The currency of Singapore is theSingapore dollar(SGD or S$), issued by theMonetary Authority of Singapore(MAS).^[263]It has been interchangeable with theBrunei dollaratpar valuesince 1967.^[264]MAS manages itsmonetary policyby allowing the Singapore dollarexchange rateto rise or fall within an undisclosed trading band. This is different from mostcentral banks, which useinterest ratesto manage policy.^[265]Singapore has the world's eleventhlargest foreign reserves,^[266]and one of the highestnet international investment position per capita.^[267][268]

Singapore has been identified as atax haven^[269]for the wealthy due to its low tax rates on personal income and tax exemptions on foreign-based income and capital gains. Individuals such as Australian millionaire retailerBrett Blundyand multi-billionaire Facebook co-founderEduardo Saverinare two examples of wealthy individuals who have settled in Singapore.^[270]In 2009, Singapore was removed from theOrganisation for Economic Co-operation and Development(OECD) "liste grise" of tax havens,^[271]and ranked fourth on theTax Justice Network's 2015Financial Secrecy Indexof the world's off-shore financial service providers, banking one-eighth of the world's offshore capital, while "providing numerous tax avoidance and evasion opportunities".^[272]In August 2016,The Straits Timesreported that Indonesia had decided to create tax havens on two islands near Singapore to bring Indonesian capital back into the tax base.^[273]In October 2016, the Monetary Authority of Singapore admonished and finedUBSandDBSand withdrewFalcon Private Bank's banking licence for their alleged role in the Malaysian Sovereign Fund scandal.^[274][275]

In 2016, Singapore was rated the world's most expensive city for the third consecutive year by theEconomist Intelligence Unit,^[276][277]and this remained true in 2018.^[278]The government provides numerous assistance programmes to the homeless and needy through theMinistry of Social and Family Development, so acute poverty is rare. Some of the programmes include providing financial assistance to needy households, providing free medical care at government hospitals, and paying for children's tuition.^{[279][280][281]}Other benefits include compensation for gym fees to encourage citizens to exercise,^[282]up to S$166,000 as ababy bonusfor each citizen,^[283]heavily subsidised healthcare, financial aid for the disabled, the provision of reduced-cost laptops for poor students,^[284]rebates for costs such as public transport^[285]and utility bills, and more.^[286][287]As of 2018 Singapore's ranking in theHuman Development Indexis 9th in the world, with an HDI value of 0.935.^[288]

Singapore consists of63 islands, including the main island,Pulau Ujong.^[289]There are two man-made connections toJohor,Malaysia: theJohor–Singapore Causewayin the north and theTuas Second Linkin the west.Jurong Island,Pulau Tekong,Pulau UbinandSentosaare the largest of Singapore's smaller islands. The highest natural point isBukit Timah Hillat 163.63 m (537 ft).^[290]Under British rule,Christmas Islandand theCocos Islandswere part of Singapore, and both were transferred toAustraliain 1957.^{[291][292][293]}Pedra Brancais the nation's easternmost point.^[294]

Land reclamationprojects have increased Singapore's land area from 580 km²(220 sq mi) in the 1960s to 710 km²(270 sq mi) by 2015, an increase of some 22% (130 km²).^[295]The country is projected to reclaim another 56 km²(20 sq mi).^[296]Some projects involve merging smaller islands through land reclamation to form larger, more functional and habitable islands, as has been done with Jurong Island.^[297]The type of sand used in reclamation is found in rivers and beaches, rather than deserts, and is in great demand worldwide. In 2010 Singapore imported almost 15 million tons of sand for its projects, the demand being such that Indonesia, Malaysia, andVietnamhave all restricted or barred the export of sand to Singapore in recent years. As a result, in 2016 Singapore switched to usingpoldersfor reclamation, in which an area is enclosed and then pumped dry.^[298]

Singapore's urbanisation means that it has lost 95% of its historical forests,^[299]and now over half of the naturally occurringfaunaandflorain Singapore is present in nature reserves, such as theBukit Timah Nature Reserveand theSungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, which comprise only 0.25% of Singapore's land area.^[299]In 1967, to combat this decline in natural space, the government introduced the vision of making Singapore a "garden city",^[300]aiming to improve quality of life.^[301]Since then, nearly 10% of Singapore's land has been set aside for parks andnature reserves.^[302]The government has createdplans to preserve the country's remaining wildlife.^[303]Singapore's well known gardens include theSingapore Botanic Gardens, a 165-year-old tropical garden and Singapore's firstUNESCOWorld Heritage Site.^[304]

Singapore has atropical rainforest climate(Köppen:Af) with no distinctive seasons, uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall.^[305][306]Temperatures usually range from 23 to 32 °C (73 to 90 °F). While temperature does not vary greatly throughout the year, there is a wettermonsoonseason from November to February.^[307]

From July to October, there is oftenhazecaused bybush firesin neighbouring Indonesia, usually from the island ofSumatra.^[308]Singapore follows the GMT+8 time zone, one hour ahead of the typical zone for its geographical location.^[309]This causes the sun to rise and set particularly late during February, where the sun rises at 7:15 am and sets around 7:20 pm. During July, the sun sets at around 7:15 pm. The earliest the sun rises and sets is in late October and early November when the sun rises at 6:46 am and sets at 6:50 pm.^[310]

Singapore recognises that climate change andrising sea levelsin the decades ahead will have major implications for its low-lying coastline. It estimates that the nation will need to spend $100 billion over the course of the next century to address the issue. In its 2020 budget, the government set aside an initial $5 billion towards a Coastline and Flood Protection Fund.^[311][312]Singapore is the first country in Southeast Asia to levy acarbon taxon its largest carbon-emitting corporations producing more than 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, at $5 per ton.^[313]

To reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuels, it has ramped up deployment of solar panels on rooftops and vertical surfaces of buildings, and other initiatives like building one of the world's largest floating solar farms atTengeh ReservoirinTuas.^[314]

Singapore considers water a national security issue and the government has sought to emphasise conservation.^[318]Water access is universal and of high quality, though the country is projected to face significant water-stress by 2040.^[319][320]To circumvent this, the Public Utilities Board has implemented the"four national taps"strategy – water imported from neighbouring Malaysia, urban rainwater catchments, reclaimed water (NEWater) and seawater desalination.^[321]Singapore's approach does not rely only on physical infrastructure; it also emphasises proper legislation and enforcement, water pricing, public education as well as research and development.^[322]Singapore has declared that it will be water self-sufficient by the time its 1961 long-term water supply agreement with Malaysia expires in 2061. However, according to official forecasts, water demand in Singapore is expected to double from 1.4 to 2.8 billion litres (1.4 to 2.8 million cubic metres; 370 to 740 million US gallons) per day between 2010 and 2060. The increase is expected to come primarily from non-domestic water use, which accounted for 55% of water demand in 2010 and is expected to account for 70% of demand in 2060. By that time, water demand is expected to be met by reclaimed water at the tune of 50% and by desalination accounting for 30%, compared to only 20% supplied by internal catchments.^[323][324]

Singapore is expanding its recycling system and intends to spend S$10 billion (US$7.4 billion) in water treatment infrastructure upgrades.^[325]The Ulu Pandan wastewater treatment was specially built to test advanced used-water treatment processes before full deployment and won theWater/Wastewater Project of the Year Awardat the 2018 Global Water Awards in Paris, France.^[326]Operation started in 2017 and was jointly developed by PUB and the Black & Veatch + AECOM Joint Venture.^[327]

Virtual Singapore is a3D digital replicaof Singapore, which is used by theGovernment of Singapore,Singapore Land Authority, and many more companies to plan for industrial changes. It is also used fordisaster management.^{[citation needed]}

Singapore has aroad systemcovering 3,356 kilometres (2,085 mi), which includes 161 kilometres (100 mi)of expressways.^[328][329]TheSingapore Area Licensing Scheme, implemented in 1975, became the world's firstcongestion pricingscheme, and included other complementary measures such as stringent car ownership quotas and improvements in mass transit.^[330][331]Upgraded in 1998 and renamedElectronic Road Pricing(ERP), the system introducedelectronic toll collection, electronic detection, and video surveillance technology.^[332]A satellite-based system was due to replace the physical gantries by 2020, but has been delayed until 2026 due to global shortages in the supply of semiconductors.^[333]As Singapore is a small island with a high population density, the number of private cars on the road is restricted with a pre-set car population quota, to curb pollution and congestion. Car buyers must pay for Additional Registration Fees (ARF) duties of either 100%, 140%, 180% or 220% of the vehicle's Open Market Value (OMV), and bid for a SingaporeanCertificate of Entitlement(COE) (that varies twice a month in supply based on the number of car registrations and de-registrations), which allows the car to be driven on the road for maximum period of 10 years. Car prices are generally significantly higher in Singapore than in other English-speaking countries.^[334]As with most Commonwealth countries, vehicles on the road and people walking on the streets keep to the left (left-hand traffic).^[335]

Singapore's public transport network is shaped up with trains (consisting of theMRTandLRTsystems),busesandtaxis. There are currently six MRT lines (North–South MRT line,East–West MRT line,North East MRT line,Circle MRT line,Downtown MRT lineandThomson–East Coast MRT line), three LRT lines serving the neighbourhoods ofBukit PanjangandChoa Chu Kang(Bukit Panjang LRT line),Sengkang(Sengkang LRT line) andPunggol(Punggol LRT line),^[336]covering around 241 km (150 mi) in total, and more than 300 bus routes in operation.^[337]Taxis are a popular form of transport as the fares are relatively affordable when compared to many other developed countries, whilst cars in Singapore are the most expensive to own worldwide.^[338]

TheJohor–Singapore Causeway(connecting Singapore withJohor Bahru,Malaysia) is thebusiest international land border crossingin the world, whereby approximately 350,000 travellers cross the border checkpoints of bothWoodlands CheckpointandSultan Iskandar Buildingdaily (with an annual total of 128 million travellers).^[339]

TheLand Transport Authority(LTA) is responsible for all land transport-related infrastructure and operations in Singapore.

Singapore is a major internationaltransport hubin Asia, serving some of the busiest sea and air trade routes.Changi Airportis an aviation centre for Southeast Asia and a stopover onQantas'Kangaroo Routebetween Sydney and London.^[340]There are two civilian airports in Singapore,Changi AirportandSeletar Airport.^[341][342]The Changi Airport hosts a network of over 100 airlines connecting Singapore to some 300 cities in about 70 countries and territories worldwide.^[343]It has been rated 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 bySkytrax.^[344]It also had the second- and third-busiest international air routes in the world; the Jakarta-Singapore airport pair had 4.8 million passengers carried in 2018, whilst the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur airport pair had 4.5 million passengers carried in 2018, both trailing only behind Hong Kong-Taipei (6.5 million).^{[citation needed]}

Singapore Airlines, which is theflag carrierof Singapore,^[345]has been regarded as a 5-star airline bySkytrax^[346]and been in the world top 10 list of airlines for multiple consecutive years.^[347]It held the title of the World's Best Airline bySkytraxin 2023. It won this title 12 times. Its hub,Changi Airporthad also been rated as the world's best airport from 2013 to 2020 before being superseded byHamad International AirportinDoha.^[348]It reclaimed this title in 2023^[349]before being superseded once more in 2024.^[350]

ThePort of Singapore, managed by port operatorsPSA InternationalandJurong Port, was the world's second-busiest port in 2019 in terms of shipping tonnage handled, at 2.85 billiongross tons(GT), and in terms ofcontainerisedtraffic, at 37.2 milliontwenty-foot equivalent units(TEUs).^[351]It is also the world's second-busiest, behind Shanghai, in terms of cargo tonnage with 626 million tons handled. In addition, the port is the world's busiest fortransshipmenttraffic and the world's biggest ship refuelling centre.^[352]

Singapore is the world's 3rd-largestforeign exchangecentre, 6th-largestfinancial centre,^[353]2nd-largest casino gambling market,^[354]3rd-largest oil-refining and trading centre, largest oil-rig producer and hub for ship repair services,^{[355][356][357]}and largest logistics hub.^[358]The economy is diversified, with its top contributors being financial services, manufacturing, and oil-refining. Its main exports are refined petroleum, integrated circuits, and computers,^[359]which constituted 27% of the country's GDP in 2010. Other significant sectors include electronics, chemicals, mechanical engineering, and biomedical sciences. Singapore was ranked 5th in theGlobal Innovation Indexin 2023 and 7th in 2022.^{[360][361][362][363]}In 2019, there were more than 60 semiconductor companies in Singapore, which together constituted 11% of the global market share. The semiconductor industry alone contributes around 7% of Singapore's GDP.^[364]

Singapore's largest companies are in the telecommunications, banking, transportation, and manufacturing sectors, many of which started as state-runstatutory corporationsand have since been publicly listed on theSingapore Exchange. Such companies includeSingapore Telecommunications(Singtel),Singapore Technologies Engineering,Keppel Corporation,Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation(OCBC),Development Bank of Singapore(DBS), andUnited Overseas Bank(UOB). In 2011, amidst the global financial crisis, OCBC, DBS and UOB were ranked byBloomberg Businessweekas the world's 1st, 5th, and 6th strongest banks in the world, respectively.^[365]It is home to the headquarters of 3FortuneGlobal 500companies, the highest in the region.^[366]

The nation's best known global companies includeSingapore Airlines,Changi Airport, and thePort of Singapore, all of which are among the most-awarded in their respective fields. Singapore Airlines was ranked as Asia's most-admired company, and the world's 19th most-admired company in 2015 byFortune's annual "50 most admired companies in the world" industry surveys. Other awards it has received include the US-basedTravel + Leisure's Best International Airline award, which it has won for 20 consecutive years.^[367][368]Changi Airport connects over 100 airlines to more than 300 cities. The strategic international air hub has more than 480 World's Best Airport awards as of 2015^[update], and is known as the most-awarded airport in the world.^[369]Over tenfree-trade agreementshave been signed with other countries and regions.^[185]Singapore is the second-largest foreign investor in India.^[370]It is the 14th largest exporter and the 15th largest importer in the world.^[371][372]

Tourism is a major industry and contributor to theSingaporean economy, attracting 18.5 million international tourists in 2018, more than three times Singapore's total population.^[373]Singapore is the 5th most visited city in the world, and 2nd in the Asia-Pacific.^[374]In 2019 tourism contributed directly to about 4% of Singapore's GDP,^[375]down from 2016, when tourism contributed, directly and indirectly, to around 9.9% of Singapore's GDP.^[376]Altogether, the sector generated approximately 8.6% of Singapore's employment in 2016.^[376]

In 2015,Lonely PlanetandThe New York Timeslisted Singapore as their top and 6th-best world destinations to visit, respectively.^[377]Well-known landmarks include theMerlion,^[378]theEsplanade,^[379]Marina Bay Sands,^[380]Gardens by the Bay,^[381]Jewel Changi Airport,^[382]CHIJMES,^[379]National Gallery Singapore,^[379]theSingapore Flyer,^[379]theOrchard Roadshopping belt,^[383]the resort island ofSentosa,^[384]and theSingapore Botanic Gardens, Singapore's firstUNESCO World Heritage Site,^[385]all located in southern and eastern Singapore.

TheSingapore Tourism Board(STB) is thestatutory boardunder theMinistry of Trade and Industrywhich is tasked with the promotion of the country's tourism industry. In August 2017 the STB and the Economic Development Board (EDB) unveiled a unified brand, Singapore –Passion Made Possible, to market Singapore internationally for tourism and business purposes.^[386]TheOrchard Roaddistrict, which contains multi-storey shopping centres and hotels, can be considered the centre of shopping and tourism in Singapore.^[383]Other popular tourist attractions include theSingapore Zoo,River Wonders,Bird ParadiseandNight Safari(located in Northern Singapore). The Singapore Zoo has embraced the open zoo concept whereby animals are kept in enclosures, separated from visitors by hidden dry or wet moats, instead of caging the animals, and the River Wonders has 300 species of animals, including numerous endangered species.^[387]Singapore promotes itself as amedical tourismhub, with about 200,000 foreigners seeking medical care there each year. Singapore medical services aim to serve at least one million foreign patients annually and generate US$3 billion in revenue.^[388]

As of mid-2023, the estimated population of Singapore was 5,917,600, of whom 3,610,700 (61.6%) werecitizensand the remaining 2,306,900 (38.4%) were eitherpermanent residents(522,300) orinternational students,foreign workers, ordependants(1,644,500).^[5]The overall population increased 5% from the prior year, driven largely by foreign workers.^[389]According to the country's most recent census in 2020, nearly one in four residents (citizens and permanent residents) wasforeign born; including non-residents, roughly 43% of the total population was born abroad.^[390]This proportion is largely unchanged from the 2010 census.^[391][392]

The 2020 census reported that about 74.3% of residents were of Chinese descent, 13.5% of Malay descent, 9.0% of Indian descent, and 3.2% of other descent (such asEurasian); this proportion was virtually identical to the 2010 census, with slight increases among Chinese and Malay (0.2% and 0.1% respectively) and minor decreases in Indian and others (0.2% and 0.1%).^[393][391]Prior to 2010, each person could register as a member of only one race, by default that of his or her father; therefore, mixed-race persons were solely grouped under their father's race in government censuses. From 2010 onward, people may register using a multi-racial classification, in which they may choose one primary race and one secondary race, but no more than two.^[394]

Like other developed countries in Asia, Singapore experienced a rapid decline in itstotal fertility rate(TFR) beginning in the 1980s.^[395]Since 2010, its TFR has largely plateaued at 1.1 children per woman, which is among the lowest in the world and well below the 2.1 needed to replace the population.^[396]Consequently, the median age of Singaporean residents is among the highest in the world, at 42.8 in 2022 compared to 39.6 ten years earlier.^[397]Starting in 2001, the governmentintroduced a series of programsto increase fertility, including paid maternity leave, childcare subsidies, tax relief and rebates, one-time cash gifts, and grants for companies that implement flexible work arrangements;^[398]nevertheless, live births have continued to decline, hitting a record low in 2022.^[399]Singapore's immigration policy is designed to alleviate the decline and maintain its working-age population.^{[400][401][402]}

91% of resident households (i.e. households headed by a Singapore citizen or permanent resident) own the homes they live in, and the average household size is 3.43 persons (which include dependants who are neither citizens nor permanent residents).^[403][404]However, due to scarcity of land, 78.7% of resident households live insubsidised, high-rise, public housing apartmentsdeveloped by theHousing and Development Board(HDB). Also, 75.9% of resident households live in properties that are equal to, or larger than, a four-room (i.e. three bedrooms plus one living room) HDB flat or in private housing.^[405][406]Live-in foreigndomestic workersare quite common in Singapore, with about 224,500 foreign domestic workers there, as of December 2013.^[407]

Most major religious denominations are present in Singapore, with the Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore (IRO) recognising 10 major religions in the city state.^[408]A 2014 analysis by thePew Research Centerfound Singapore to be the world's most religiously diverse nation, with no single religion claiming a majority.^[409]

Buddhismis the most widely practised religion, with 31% of residents declaring themselves adherents in the 2020 census.Christianitywas the second largest religion at 18.9%, followed byIslam(15.6%),TaoismandChinese Traditional Beliefs(8.8%) andHinduism(5.0%). One-fifth of the population had no religious affiliation. The proportion of Christians, Muslims, and the nonreligious slightly increased between 2010 and 2020, while the proportion of Buddhists and Taoists slightly decreased; Hinduism and other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population.^[410]

Singapore hosts monasteries andDharmacentres from all three major traditions of Buddhism:Theravada,Mahayana, andVajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and adhere to the Mahayana tradition,^[411]owing to decades of missionary activity from China. However,Thailand's Theravada Buddhismhas seen growing popularity among the populace (not only the Chinese) during the past decade.Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organisation, is practised by many people in Singapore, and mostly by those of Chinese descent.Tibetan Buddhismhas also made slow inroads into the country in recent years.^[412]

Singapore has four official languages:English,Malay,Mandarin, andTamil.^[413]

English is thelingua franca^{[414][415][416][417]}and the main language used in business, government, law and education.^[418][419]TheConstitution of Singaporeand all government legislation is written in English, andinterpretersare required if a language other than English is used in theSingaporean courts.^[420][421]Statutory corporationsconduct their businesses in English, while any official documents written in a non-English official language such as Malay, Mandarin, or Tamil are typically translated into English to be accepted for use.^{[422][415][423]}

Malaywas designated as a national language by the Singaporean government after independence from Britain in the 1960s to avoid friction with Singapore's Malay-speaking neighbours of Malaysia and Indonesia.^[172]It has a symbolic, rather than functional purpose.^{[413][424][425]}It is used in the national anthemMajulah Singapura,^[426]in citations ofSingaporean orders and decorationsand in military commands.^[427][428]Singaporean Malay is officially written in the Latin-basedRumi script, though some Singaporean Malays also learn the Arabic-basedJawi script.^[429]Jawi is considered an ethnic script for use on Singaporean identity cards.^[430]

Singaporeans are mostlybilingual, typically with English as their common language and theirmother-tongueas a second language taught in schools, in order to preserve each individual's ethnic identity and values. According to the 2020 census, English was the language most spoken at home, used by 48.3% of the population; Mandarin was next, spoken at home by 29.9%.^[428][431]Nearly half a million speak other ancestral Southernvarieties of Chinese, mainlyHokkien,Teochew, andCantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favour of Mandarin or just English.^[432]Singapore Chinese charactersare written usingsimplified Chinese characters.^[433]

Singaporean Englishis largely based onBritish English, owing to the country's status as a formercrown colony.^[434][435]However, forms of English spoken in Singapore range fromStandard Singapore Englishto a colloquial form known asSinglish, which is discouraged by the government as it claims it to be a substandardEnglish creolethat handicaps Singaporeans, presenting an obstacle to learning standard English and rendering the speaker incomprehensible to everyone except to another Singlish speaker.^[436]Standard Singapore English is fully understandable to allStandard Englishspeakers, while most English-speaking people do not understand Singlish. Nevertheless, Singaporeans have a strong sense of identity and connection to Singlish, whereby the existence of Singlish is recognised as a distinctive cultural marker for many Singaporeans.^[437]As such, in recent times, the government has tolerated thediglossiaof both Singlish and Standard English (only for those who are fluent in both), whilst continuously reinforcing the importance of Standard English amongst those who speak only Singlish (which is notmutually intelligiblewith the Standard English of otherEnglish-speaking countries).^[437]

Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is mostly supported by the state. All institutions, public and private, must be registered with theMinistry of Education(MOE).^[438]English is the language of instruction in all public schools,^[439]and all subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "mother tongue" language paper.^[440]While the term "mother tongue" in general refers to the first language internationally, in Singapore's education system, it is used to refer to the second language, as English is the first language.^[441][442]Students who have been abroad for a while, or who struggle with their "Mother Tongue" language, are allowed to take a simpler syllabus or drop the subject.^[443][444]

Education takes place in three stages: primary, secondary, and pre-university education, with the primary education being compulsory. Students begin with six years of primary school, which is made up of a four-year foundation course and a two-year orientation stage. The curriculum is focused on the development of English, the mother tongue,mathematics, andscience.^[445][446]Secondary school lasts from four to five years, and is divided between Express, Normal (Academic), and Normal (Technical) streams in each school, depending on a student's ability level.^[447]The basic coursework breakdown is the same as in the primary level, although classes are much more specialised.^[448]Pre-university education takes place at either the 21Junior Collegesor theMillennia Institute, over a period of two and three years respectively.^[449]As alternatives to pre-university education, however, courses are offered in other post-secondary education institutions, including the 5 polytechnics and 3 ITE colleges. Singapore has six public universities,^[450]of which theNational University of SingaporeandNanyang Technological Universityare among the top 20 universities in the world.^[451]

National examinations are standardised across all schools, with a test taken after each stage. After the first six years of education, students take thePrimary School Leaving Examination(PSLE),^[445]which determines their placement at secondary school. At the end of the secondary stage,O-LevelorN-Levelexams are taken;^[452]at the end of the following pre-university stage, theGCE A-Levelexams are taken.^[453]Some schools have a degree of freedom in their curriculum and are known as autonomous schools, forsecondary educationlevel and above.^[447]

Singapore is also an education hub, with more than 80,000 international students in 2006.^[454]5,000 Malaysian students cross theJohor–Singapore Causewaydaily to attend schools in Singapore.^[455]In 2009, 20% of all students in Singaporean universities were international students—the maximum cap allowed, a majority fromASEAN, China and India.^[456]

Singapore students have excelled in many of the world education benchmarks in maths, science and reading. In 2015, both its primary and secondary students rank first inOECD's global school performance rankings across 76 countries—described as the most comprehensive map of education standards.^[457][458]In 2016, Singapore students topped both theProgram International Student Assessment(PISA)^{[459][460][461][462]}and theTrends in International Mathematics and Science Study(TIMSS).^{[463][464][465]}In the 2016 EF English Proficiency Index taken in 72 countries, Singapore placed 6th and has been the only Asian country in the top ten.^{[466][467][468][469]}

Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare system, even though health expenditures are relatively low for developed countries.^[470]TheWorld Health Organisationranks Singapore's healthcare system as 6th overall in the world in itsWorld Health Report.^[471]Singapore has had thelowest infant mortality rates in the worldfor the past two decades.^[472]In 2019, Singaporeans had the longest life expectancy of any country at 84.8 years. Women can expect to live an average of 87.6 years with 75.8 years in good health. The averages are lower for men.^[473]Singapore is ranked 1st on theGlobal Food Security Index.^[474]

As of December 2011 and January 2013, 8,800 foreigners and 5,400 Singaporeans were respectively diagnosed with HIV,^[475]but there are fewer than 10 annual deaths from HIV per 100,000 people. Adult obesity is below 10%.^[476]There is a high level ofimmunisation.^[477]In 2013, theEconomist Intelligence Unitranked Singapore as having the best quality of life in Asia and sixth overall in the world.^[478]

The government's healthcare system is based upon the "3M" framework. This has three components: Medifund, which provides a safety net for those not able to otherwise afford healthcare;Medisave, a compulsory nationalmedical savings accountsystem covering about 85% of the population; and Medishield, a government-funded health insurance program. Public hospitals in Singapore have a considerable autonomy in their management decisions, and notionally compete for patients, but remain in government ownership.^[479]A subsidy scheme exists for those on low income.^[480]In 2008, 32% of healthcare was funded by the government. Healthcare accounts for approximately 3.5% of Singapore's GDP.^[481]

Despite its small size, Singapore has a diversity of languages, religions, and cultures.^[482]Former prime ministers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, have stated that Singapore does not fit the traditional description of a nation, calling it a society-in-transition, pointing out the fact that Singaporeans do not all speak the same language, share the same religion, or have the same customs.^[482][483]Singaporeans who speak English as their native language would likely lean towardWestern culture(along with eitherChristian cultureorsecularism),^[484]while those who speak Chinese as their native language mostly lean towardChinese culture, which has linkages withChinese folk religion,Buddhism,TaoismandConfucianism. Malay-speaking Singaporeans mostly lean towardMalay culture, which itself is closely linked toIslamic culture.^[485][486]Tamil-speaking Singaporeans mostly lean towardTamil culture, which itself is mostly linked toHindu culture. Racial and religious harmony is regarded as a crucial part of Singapore's success, and played a part in building a Singaporean identity.^[487][488]

When Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963, most Singaporean citizens were transientmigrant labourerswho had no intention of staying permanently.^[489]There was also a sizeable minority of middle-class, locally born people—known asPeranakansor Baba-Nyonya-descendants of 15th- and 16th-century Chinese immigrants. With the exception of the Peranakans who pledged their loyalties to Singapore, most of the labourers' loyalties lay with their respective homelands ofMalaya, China and India. After independence, the government began a deliberate process of crafting a uniquely Singaporean identity and culture.^[489]Singapore has a reputation as ananny state.^[490][491]The government also places a heavy emphasis onmeritocracy, where one is judged based on one's ability.^[492]

The national flower of Singapore is thehybridorchid,Vanda 'Miss Joaquim', named in memory of a Singapore-born Armenian woman, who crossbred the flower in her garden atTanjong Pagarin 1893.^[493]Singapore is known as theLion Cityand many national symbols such as thecoat of armsand thelion head symbolmake use of a lion. Major religious festivals arepublic holidays.^[494]

During the 1990s theNational Arts Councilwas created to spearhead the development of performing arts, along with visual and literary art forms.^[495]TheNational Gallery Singaporeis the nation's flagship museum with some 8,000 works from Singaporean and other Southeast Asian artists. TheSingapore Art Museumfocuses on contemporary art from a Southeast Asian perspective.^[496]TheRed DotDesign Museum celebrates exceptional art and design of objects for everyday life, hosting more than 1,000 items from 50 countries. The lotus-shapedArtScience Museumhosts touring exhibitions that combine art with the sciences. Other major museums include theAsian Civilisations Museum, thePeranakan Museum, andThe Arts House.^[497]The Esplanadeis Singapore's largest performing arts centre. In 2016 alone, it was the site of 5,900 free art and culture events.^[498][499]

Literature of Singapore, or "SingLit", consists of a collection of literary works by Singaporeans written chiefly in the country's four official languages: English, Malay, Mandarin, and Tamil. Singapore is increasingly regarded as having four sub-literatures instead of one. Many significant works have been translated and showcased in publications such as the literary journalSinga, published in the 1980s and 1990s with editors includingEdwin ThumbooandKoh Buck Song, as well as in multilingual anthologies such asRhythms: A Singaporean Millennial Anthology Of Poetry(2000), in which the poems were all translated three times each. A number of Singaporean writers such asTan Swie HianandKuo Pao Kunhave contributed work in more than one language.^[500][501]

Singapore has a diverse music culture that ranges from pop and rock, to folk and classical. Western classical music plays a significant role in the cultural life in Singapore, with theSingapore Symphony Orchestra(SSO) instituted in 1979. Other notable western orchestras in Singapore includeSingapore National Youth Orchestra^[502]and the community-basedBraddell Heights Symphony Orchestra.^[503]Many orchestras and ensembles are also found in secondary schools and junior colleges. Various communities have their own distinct ethnic musical traditions: Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Eurasians. With their traditional forms of music and various modern musical styles, the fusion of different forms account for the musical diversity in the country.^[504]The nation's lively urban musical scene has made it a centre for international performances and festivals in the region. Some of Singapore's best known pop singers includeStefanie Sun,JJ Lin,Liang Wern Fook,Taufik BatisahandDick Lee, who is famous for composingNational Daytheme songs, includingHome.^[505][506]

Singapore's diversity of cuisine is touted as a reason to visit the country, due to its combination of convenience, variety, quality, and price.^[507]Local food items generally relate to a particular ethnicity – Chinese, Malay and Indian; but the diversity of cuisine has increased further by the hybridisation of different styles (e.g., thePeranakan cuisine, a mix of Chinese and Malay cuisine). In hawker centres, cultural diffusion is exemplified by traditionally Malay hawker stalls also selling Tamil food.Hainanese chicken rice, based on the Hainanese dishWenchang chicken, is considered Singapore's national dish.^[508][509]

The city-state has a burgeoning food scene ranging from hawker centres (open-air), food courts (air-conditioned), coffee shops (open-air with up to a dozen hawker stalls), cafes, fast food, simple kitchens, casual, celebrity and high-end restaurants.^[510]Cloud kitchensand food delivery are also on the rise, with 70% of residents ordering from delivery apps at least once a month.^[511][512]Many internationalcelebrity chefrestaurants are located within theintegrated resorts.^[513]Religious dietary strictures exist (Muslims do not eat pork and Hindus do not eat beef), and there is also a significant group of vegetarians. TheSingapore Food Festivalwhich celebrates Singapore's cuisine is held annually in July.^[514]

Prior to the 1980s,street foodwas sold mainly by immigrants from China, India, and Malaysia to other immigrants seeking a familiar taste. In Singapore, street food has long been associated withhawker centreswith communal seating areas. Typically, these centres have a few dozen to hundreds of food stalls, with each specialising in one or more related dishes.^[515][510]While street food can be found in many countries, the variety and reach of centralised hawker centres that serve heritage street food in Singapore is unique.^[516]In 2018, there were 114 hawker centres spread across the city centre and heartland housing estates. They are maintained by theNational Environment Agency, which also grades each food stall for hygiene. The largest hawker centre is located on the second floor of Chinatown Complex, and contains over 200 stalls.^[516]The complex is also home to the cheapest Michelin-starred meal in the world – a plate ofsoya-saucechicken rice or noodles for S$2 (US$1.50). Two street food stalls in the city are the first in the world to be awarded a Michelin star, obtaining a single star each.^[517]

The development of private sports and recreation clubs began in the 19th century colonial Singapore, with clubs founded during this time including the Cricket Club, theSingapore Recreation Club, the Singapore Swimming Club, and the Hollandse Club.^[519]WeightlifterTan Howe Liangwas Singapore's first Olympic medalist, winning a silver at the1960 Rome Games.^[520]Singapore hosted the inaugural2010 Summer Youth Olympics, in which 3,600 athletes from 204 nations competed in 26 sports.^[521]

Indoor and water sports are some of the most popular sports in Singapore. At the2016 Rio Olympics,Joseph Schoolingwon Singapore's first Olympic gold medal, claiming the100-metre butterflyin a new Olympic record time of 50.39 seconds.^[518]Singapore sailors have had success on the international stage, with theirOptimistteam being considered among the best in the world.^[522][523]Despite its size, the country has dominated swim meets in theSoutheast Asia Games. Its men's water polo team won the SEA Games gold medal for the 27th time in 2017, continuing Singapore sport's longest winning streak.^[524]At the2024 Paris Olympics,Max Maederwon Singapore's first Olympic medal insailing, achieving bronze at theMen's Formula KiteonNational Day. At 17, he was also Singapore's youngest Olympic medalist.^[525]

Singapore's women's table tennis team were silver medalists at the2008 Beijing Olympics.^[526][527]They became world champions in 2010 when they beat China at theWorld Team Table Tennis Championshipsin Russia, breaking China's 19-year winning streak.^[528]In 2021, Singapore'sLoh Kean Yewachieved a "World Champion" status when he won a badminton gold at the2021 BWF World Championshipsmen's singles, which is one of the most prestigious badminton tournaments alongside theSummer Olympics badminton tournaments.^[529]

Singapore'sfootballleague, theSingapore Premier League, was launched in 1996 as the S.League and comprises eight clubs, including one foreign team.^[530][531]TheSingapore Slingersis one of the inaugural teams in theASEAN Basketball League, which was founded in October 2009.^[532]Kranji Racecourseis run by theSingapore Turf Cluband hosts several meetings per week, including international races—notably theSingapore Airlines International Cup.^[533]

Singapore began hosting a round of theFormula One World Championship, theSingapore Grand Prixat theMarina Bay Street Circuitin 2008. It was the inaugural F1 night race,^[534]and the first F1 street race in Asia.^[535]It is considered a signature event on the F1 calendar.^[536]ONE Championshipwas founded in Singapore, a majorMixed Martial Arts(MMA) promotion in Asia.^[537]

Companies linked to the government control much of the domestic media in Singapore.^[538]MediaCorpoperates mostfree-to-air television channelsandfree-to-air radio stationsin Singapore. There are a total of six free-to-air TV channels offered by MediaCorp.^[539]StarHub TVandSingtel TValso offerIPTVwith channels from all around the world.^[540][541]SPH Media Trust, a body with close links to the government, controls most of the newspaper industry in Singapore.^[542]

Singapore's media industry has sometimes been criticised for being overly regulated and lacking in freedom by human rights groups such asFreedom House.^[538]Self-censorship among journalists is said to be common.^[542]In 2023, Singapore was ranked 129 on the Press Freedom Index published byReporters Without Borders, up from 139 the previous year.^[543]TheMedia Development Authorityregulates Singaporean media, claiming to balance the demand for choice and protection against offensive and harmful material.^[544]Private ownership of TV satellite dishes is banned.^[542]

Internet in Singaporeis provided by state-ownedSingtel, partially state-ownedStarhubandM1 Limitedas well as some other businessinternet service providers(ISPs) that offer residential service plans of speeds up to 2Gbit/sas of spring 2015.^[545]Equinix(332 participants) and theSingapore Internet Exchange(70 participants) areInternet exchange pointswhereInternet service providersandContent delivery networksexchange Internet traffic between their networks (autonomous systems) in various locations in Singapore.^[546][547]In the mid-1980s to 1990s, Singaporeans could also use the locally based videotext serviceSingapore Televiewto communicate with one another.^[548]The phraseIntelligent Islandarose in the 1990s in reference to the island nation's early adaptive relationship with the internet.^[548][549]

In 2016, there were an estimated 4.7 million internet users in Singapore, representing 82.5% of the population.^[550]The Singapore government does not engage in widespread censoring of the internet,^[551]but it maintains a list of one hundred websites—mostly pornographic—that it blocks from home internet access as a "symbolic statement of the Singaporean community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet".^[552][553]Singapore has the world's highestsmartphonepenetration rates, in surveys byDeloitte^[554][555]and the Google Consumer Barometer—at 89% and 85% of the population respectively in 2014.^[556]The overall mobile phone penetration rate is at 148 mobile phone subscribers per 100 people.^[557]

• Index of Singapore-related articles
• Foreign relations of Singapore
• Outline of Singapore

Attribution

• Bose, Romen (2010).The End of the War : Singapore's Liberation and the Aftermath of the Second World War. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.ISBN978-981-4435-47-5.OCLC830169524.
• Legg, Frank (1965).The Gordon Bennett Story: From Gallipoli to Singapore. Sydney, New South Wales: Angus & Robertson.OCLC3193299.
• Miksic, John N. (2013).Singapore & the Silk Road of the sea, 1300–1800. Singapore.ISBN978-9971-69-700-6.OCLC867742213.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
• Smith, Colin (2006).Singapore Burning. London: Penguin.ISBN978-0-14-101036-6.
• Toland, John (1970).The Rising Sun, The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire: 1936–1945. New York, NY: Random House.ISBN978-0-394-44311-9.LCCN77-117669.
• Wigmore, Lionel (1957).The Japanese Thrust. Australian War Memorial.

• "Singapore Infopedia"from Singapore's National Library Board; numerous well-researched and well-documented essays on key events and important figures, as well as topics regarding culture, architecture, nature, etc.
• Census of Population 2000(PDF)(Report). Singapore Department of Statistics. April 2002.ISBN978-981-04-6158-4. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 27 November 2007.
• "Key Facts & Figures".Ministry of Transport, Singapore. Retrieved11 January2003.
• "Nation's History".Singapore Infomap. Archived fromthe originalon 21 April 2009. Retrieved11 January2004.
• Singapore Government Online Portal
• SingaporefromUCB Libraries GovPubs
• SingaporeatCurlie
• Singapore profilefrom theBBC News
• Wikimedia Atlas of Singapore
• Geographic data related toSingaporeatOpenStreetMap
• WikiSatellite view of Singapore at WikiMapia