Republik Singapura (Malay) 新加坡共和国 (Simplified Chinese) சிங்கப்பூர் குடியரசு (Tamil) Republic of Singapore
Motto: "Majulah Singapura"  (Malay) "Onward, Singapore"
Anthem: Majulah Singapura
Capital		Singapore City (Downtown Core)1 1°17′N 103°51′E / 1.283, 103.85
Official languages		English  Malay  Mandarin (Chinese)  Tamil
Demonym		Singaporean
Government		Parliamentary republic
-	President	Sellapan Ramanathan
-	Prime Minister	Lee Hsien Loong
Independence
-	City status	July 24, 1951
-	Self-government under the United Kingdom	3 June 1959[1]
-	Declaration of independence	31 August 1963
-	Merger with Malaysia	16 September 1963
-	Separation from Malaysia	9 August 1965
Area
-	Total	707.1 km² (190th) 270 sq mi
-	Water (%)	1. A motto (from the Italian word motto, meaning witticism sentence is a phrase meant to formally describe the general motivation or intention of a social group A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history traditions and struggles of its people recognized either by a nation's " Majulah Singapura " ("Onward Singapore" is the National anthem of Singapore. The Downtown Core is a 266- Hectare urban planning area in the south of the City-state of Singapore. An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a People or the inhabitants of a place For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore 's Head of state. Sellapan Ramanathan ( Tamil: செல்லப்பன் ராமநாதன் born 3 July 1924 is the sixth and current President of the Republic of Singapore The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the Head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior to 9 August 1965 Lee Hsien Loong ( born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. Independence is the Self-government of a Nation, Country, or State by its residents and population or some portion thereof generally exercising Events 1132 - Battle of Nocera between Ranulf II of Alife and Roger II of Sicily. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, proclaims himself Roman Emperor, entering The year 1959 ( MCMLIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about declarations of independence in general Events 1056 - Byzantine Empress Theodora becomes ill dying suddenly a few days later without children to succeed the Throne Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1963 ( MCMLXIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by total area. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. In Mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a Fraction of 100 ( per cent meaning "per hundred" 444
Population
-	2007 estimate	4,588,600 [2] (117th)
-	2000 census	4,117,700
-	Density	6,489/km² (2nd) 16,392/sq mi
GDP (PPP)		2007 estimate
-	Total	US$228. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology List of countries by population in 2005|List of countries by population in 1907This is a list of countries ordered according to Population. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² The purchasing power parity ( PPP) theory uses the long-term equilibrium Exchange rate of two currencies to equalize their Purchasing power. 116 billion (44th)
-	Per capita	US$49,714 (6th)
GDP (nominal)		2007 estimate
-	Total	US$171. There are three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' This article includes three lists of Countries of the world sorted by their Gross domestic product (GDP at Purchasing power parity (PPP Per capita 95 billion[3]
-	Per capita	US$39,952. Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' 44
HDI (2007)		▬ 0. The Human Development Index ( HDI) is an index combining normalized measures of Life expectancy, Literacy, Educational attainment, and GDP 922 (high) (25th)
Currency		Singapore dollar (SGD)
Time zone		SST (UTC+8)
-	Summer (DST)	not observed (UTC+8)
Internet TLD		.sg
Calling code		+65²
1	Singapore is a city-state. This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Program 's Human Development Report 2007 A currency is a unit of exchange, facilitating the transfer of Goods and/or services It is one form of Money, where money is The dollar ( sign: $; code: SGD) is the Currency of Singapore. ISO 4217 is the International standard describing three-letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established Singapore uses a time zone eight hours in advance of UTC, ( UTC+8) Daylight saving time ( DST A country This is a list of country calling codes defined by ITU-T recommendation E A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty.
2	02 from Malaysia.

Singapore (Mandarin: 新加坡, Xīnjiāpō; in Malay: Singapura; in Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர், Cingkappūr) is an island nation located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. An island country is a Country that is wholly confined to an Island, several islands an Island group or several island groups and has no territory on The Malay Peninsula or Thai-Malay Peninsula (Semenanjung Tanah Melayu (คาบสมุทรมลายู is a major Peninsula located in Southeast It lies 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. The equator (sometimes referred to colloquially as "the Line") is the intersection of the Earth 's surface with the plane perpendicular to the For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Johor (alt English spelling Johore, Jawi scriptجوهر is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Riau Islands ( Indonesian: Kepulauan Riau ( Kepri or Riau Kepulauan) is a province of Indonesia, consisting of Riau Archipelago At 707. 1 km² (272 sq mi), it is one of the few remaining city-states in the world and the smallest country in Southeast Asia. A city-state is a Region controlled exclusively by a City, usually having Sovereignty.

The British East India Company established a trading post on the island in 1819. The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or The main settlement at that point was a Malay fishing village at the mouth of the Singapore River. Population of the Malay in Singapore The Singapore River is a small River in Singapore with great historical importance Several hundred indigenous Orang Laut people also lived around the coast, rivers and smaller islands. The Orang laut are a group of Malay people living in the Riau Islands of Indonesia. The British used Singapore as a strategic trading post along the spice route. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Spice trade is a commercial activity of ancient origin which involves the merchandising of Spices and Herbs. ^[4] It became one of the most important commercial and military centres of the British Empire. When it was occupied by the Japanese during World War II, Winston Churchill called it "Britain's greatest defeat". The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 ^[5] Singapore reverted to British rule in 1945. In 1963, it merged with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia. The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and Less than two years later it split from the federation and became an independent republic on 9 August 1965. A republic is a State or Country that is not led by a hereditary Monarch, but in which the people (or at least a part of its people have impact on its Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. Singapore joined the United Nations on September 21 that same year. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security Events 1217 - The Estonian tribal leader Lembitu of Lehola was killed in a battle against Teutonic Knights.

Since independence, Singapore's standard of living has increased. The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these goods and services are distributed within a population Foreign direct investment and a state-led industrialization drive based on plans drawn up by the Dutch economist Albert Winsemius have created a modern economy based on electronics manufacturing, petrochemicals, tourism and financial services alongside the traditional entrepôt trade. Foreign direct investment ( FDI) in its classic definition is defined as a company from one country making a physical investment into building a factory in another country Albert Winsemius (1910-1996 a Dutch Economist, was Singapore 's long-time economic advisor from 1961 to 1984 An entrepôt (from the French " Warehouse " is a Trading post where merchandise can be imported and Exported without Singapore is the 6th wealthiest country in the world in terms of GDP per capita. ^[6] This small nation has foreign exchange reserves of US$171. Foreign exchange reserves (also called Forex reserves) in a strict sense are only the foreign Currency deposits held by Central banks and monetary The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 7353 billion. ^[7]

The population of Singapore is approximately 4. 59 million. ^[2] The Chinese form the majority of the population. English is the administrative language of the country.

The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore established the nation's political system as a representative democracy, while the country is recognized as a parliamentary republic. The Constitution of Singapore is the supreme law of Singapore and it is a Codified constitution. Representative democracy is a form of government founded on the principles of the people's representatives A parliamentary republic or parliamentary constitutional republic is a form of a Republic which operates under a Parliamentary system of government ^[8] The People's Action Party (PAP) dominates the political process and has won control of Parliament in every election since self-government in 1959. The People's Action Party ( abbrev: PAP; Chinese: 人民行动党 Pinyin: Rénmín Xíngdòngdǎng Malay: Parti Tindakan Rakyat The unicameral Parliament of Singapore is the Legislature of Singapore with the President as its head ^[9]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Etymology 1.2 First settlement 1.3 Colonial rule 1.4 World War II 1.5 Independence 2 Government and politics 3 Geography and climate 4 Economy 4.1 Free Trade Agreements 4.2 Currency 5 Military 5.1 Singapore Armed Forces 5.2 Singapore Police Force 5.3 Singapore Civil Defence Force 5.4 National Service 6 Demographics 6.1 Population 6.2 Religion 6.3 Education 6.4 Foreign relations 6.4.1 Disputes 6.5 Languages 7 Culture 7.1 Cuisine 7.2 Performing arts 7.3 Media 7.3.1 Broadcasting 7.3.2 Print 7.4 Sport and recreation 8 Architecture 9 Resources 9.1 Water resource 10 Transport 10.1 International 10.2 Domestic 11 Notes 12 References 13 External links 13.1 General Information 13.2 Travel 13.3 Maps

History

Main article: History of Singapore

Etymology

The name Singapura comes from the Sanskrit singha ("lion") and pura ("city"). Singapore rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Srivijayan prince Parameswara and became an important port until it was destroyed by Portuguese raiders in 1613 Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical ^[10] According to the Malay Annals, this name was given by a 14th century Sumatran prince named Sang Nila Utama, who, landing on the island after a thunderstorm, spotted an auspicious beast on the shore. Sejarah Melayu or The Malay Annals is a historical Malay literary work that chronicles the establishment of the Malacca Sultanate and spans over 600 years Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two Sang Nila Utama, also known as Sri Tri Buana, is a legendary Indonesian prince who founded ancient Singapore in the country's ancient history His chief minister erroneously identified as a 'singha' or lion. ^[11] However, recent studies of Singapore indicate that lions have never lived there (not even Asiatic lions), and the beast seen by Sang Nila Utama was likely a tiger, most likely the Malayan Tiger. The Asiatic Lion ( Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of the Lion which survives today only in India where it is also known as the Indian lion The tiger ( Panthera tigris) is a member of the Felidae family the largest and the most powerful of the four " Big cats quot in the Genus The Malayan tiger ( Panthera tigris jacksoni, Malay: Harimau Belang) exclusively found in the southern part of the Malay Peninsula, until ^[12][13]

First settlement

Main article: Early history of Singapore

The first records of settlement in Singapore are from the 2nd century AD. The early history of Singapore refers to the History of Singapore before 1819 when the British established a trading settlement on the island and set in motion the history of ^[14] The island was an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and originally had the Javanese name Temasek ('sea town'). Sumatra (also spelled Sumatera) is the sixth largest island in the world (approximately 470000 km² and is the largest island entirely in Indonesia (two Srivijaya or Sriwijaya was an ancient Malay kingdom on the island of Sumatra, Southeast Asia which influenced much of the Malay Archipelago. Temasek ('Sea Town' in Javanese, spelt Tumasik;) was the name of an early city on the site of modern Singapore. Temasek (Tumasek) rapidly became a significant trading settlement, but declined in the late 14th century. There are few remnants of old Temasek in Singapore, but archaeologists in Singapore have uncovered artifacts of that and other settlements. Archaeology in Singapore is a niche discipline Although there is a lack of government support for archeological work many artifacts have been unearthed at sites around Between the 16th and early 19th centuries, Singapore island was part of the Sultanate of Johor. This article concerns the Sultanate of Johor For office of the sultan see Sultan of Johor. During the Malay-Portugal wars in 1613, the settlement was set ablaze by Portuguese troops. Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. ^[15] The Portuguese subsequently held control in that century and the Dutch in the 17th, but throughout most of this time the island's population consisted mainly of fishermen.

Colonial rule

Main article: Founding of modern Singapore

On 29 January 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on the main island. Events 904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed Antipope Christopher. Year 1819 ( MDCCCXIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar in the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Spotting its potential as a strategic geographical trading post in Southeast Asia, Raffles signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah on behalf of the British East India Company on 6 February 1819 to develop the southern part of Singapore as a British trading post and settlement. Sultan Hussein Shah was the seventeenth Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1819 to 1835 The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Events 46 BC - Julius Caesar defeats the combined army of Pompeian followers and Numidians under Metellus Scipio Year 1819 ( MDCCCXIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar in the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Until August 1824, Singapore was still a territory controlled by a Malay Ruler. Other names In Arabic, the month is called أغسطسص ʾUġusṭuṣ or آب ʾĀb; usage varies from place to place and Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Singapore only officially became a British colony in August 1824 when the British extended control over the whole island. Other names In Arabic, the month is called أغسطسص ʾUġusṭuṣ or آب ʾĀb; usage varies from place to place and Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year John Crawfurd, the second resident of Singapore, was the one who made Singapore a British possession. For the Irish cricketer of the same name see John Crawfurd (cricketer John Crawfurd, (born August 13, 1783 - died He signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah on 2 August 1824 in which the Sultan and the Temmenggong handed over the whole island to the British East India Company thus marking the start of the island's modern era. Sultan Hussein Shah was the seventeenth Sultan of Johor. He ruled Johor from 1819 to 1835 Events 338 BC - A Macedonian army led by Philip II defeated the combined forces of Athens and Thebes in the Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The Honourable East India Company ( HEIC) referred to most commonly as the East India Company, also historically and colloquially as John Company, or Raffles's deputy, William Farquhar, oversaw a period of growth and ethnic migration, which was largely spurred by a no-restriction immigration policy. For other uses of Farquhar, see Farquhar (disambiguation Major-General William Farquhar (c The British India office governed the island from 1858, but Singapore was made a British crown colony in 1867, answerable directly to the Crown. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British The British Overseas Territories are fourteen territories that are under the Sovereignty of the United Kingdom, but which do not form part of the United Kingdom By 1869, 100,000 lived on the island. ^[16]

The early onset of town planning in colonial Singapore came largely through a "divide and rule" framework where the different ethnic groups were settled in different parts of the South of the island. The Singapore River was largely a commercial area that was dominated by traders and bankers of various ethnic groups with mostly Chinese and Indian coolies working to load and unload goods from barge boats known locally as "bumboats". The Malays, consisting of the local "Orang Lauts" who worked mostly as fishermen and sea-farers, and Arab traders and scholars were mostly found in the South-east part of the river mouth, where Kampong Glam stands today. The European settlers, who were few then, settled around Fort Canning Hill and further upstream from the Singapore River. Like the Europeans, the early Indian migrants also settled more inland of the Singapore River, where Little India stands today. Very little is known about the rural private settlements in those times (known as kampongs), other than the major move by the post-independent Singapore government to re-settle these residents in the late 1960s.

World War II

Main article: Japanese occupation of Singapore

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Malaya, culminating in the Battle of Singapore. The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during The Imperial Japanese Army ( IJA) ( Kyūjitai: 大日本帝國陸軍 Shinjitai: ja 大日本帝国陸軍 Romaji: Dai-Nippon Teikoku The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of World War II when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold The ill-prepared British were defeated in six days, and surrendered the supposedly impregnable fortress to General Tomoyuki Yamashita on 15 February 1942. General was a General of the Japanese Imperial Army during the World War II. Events 590 - Khosrau II is crowned as king of Persia 1637 - Ferdinand III becomes Holy Roman Emperor Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The surrender was described by British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill as "the worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history. Sir is an Honorific used as a title (see Knight) and in several other modern contexts Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 "^[17] The Japanese renamed Singapore Shōnantō (昭南島, Shōnantō^?), from Japanese "Shōwa no jidai ni eta minami no shima" ("昭和の時代に得た南の島", "Shōwa no jidai ni eta minami no shima"^?), or "southern island obtained in the age of Shōwa", and occupied it until the British repossessed the island on 12 September 1945, a month after the Japanese surrender. The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to The, or Shōwa era, is the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) from December 25, 1926 to The Japanese occupation of Singapore was the period in the History of Singapore between 1942 and 1945 when Japanese forces occupied Singapore during Events 1213 - Albigensian Crusade: Simon de Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester, defeats Peter II of Aragon at the Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar The surrender of Japan in August 1945 brought World War II to a close ^[18]

The name Shōnantō was, at the time, romanized as "Syonan-to" or "Syonan", which means "Light of the South". The romanization of Japanese or ( is the use of the Latin alphabet to write the Japanese language.

Independence

Main article: History of the Republic of Singapore

Singapore became a self-governing state within the British Empire in 1959 with Yusof bin Ishak its first Yang di-Pertuan Negara and Lee Kuan Yew its first Prime Minister. Yusof bin Ishak (ˈjʊsɒf bɪn ˈɪshɑːk ''YOO-sof bɪn ΙS-haak'') ( 12 August 1910 &ndash 23 November Yang di-Pertuan Negara, literally meaning "Someone who is the Eminent Master of The State" in Malay, was used as an official title at various times in Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH ( born September 16 1923 also spelled Lee Kwan-Yew) is a Singaporean of Chinese immigrant background The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the Head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior to 9 August 1965 It declared independence from Britain unilaterally in August 1963, before joining the Federation of Malaysia in September along with Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak as the result of the 1962 Merger Referendum of Singapore. For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and The Federation of Malaya (Persekutuan Tanah Melayu was a federation of 11 states formed on January 31 1948 from the nine Malay states and the British Sabah is a Malaysian state located on the northern portion of the island of Borneo. Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the Island of Borneo. The Singapore national referendum of 1962, or also commonly referred to as the Merger Referendum of Singapore was the first and only Referendum to Singapore left the federation two years later after heated ideological conflict between the state's PAP government and the federal Kuala Lumpur government. The sometimes turbulent relationship between the People's Action Party (PAP and United Malays National Organisation (UMNO, which were and still are Kuala Lumpur (ˈkwɑːləlʊmˈpʊər Malay /kwɑlɑlʊmpʊ/ and locally /kwɑləlʊmpɔ/ or even /kɔlɔmpɔ/ or often abbreviated as K Singapore officially gained sovereignty on 9 August 1965. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1965 ( MCMLXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1965 Gregorian calendar. ^[19] Yusof bin Ishak was sworn in as the first President of Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew remained prime minister. Yusof bin Ishak (ˈjʊsɒf bɪn ˈɪshɑːk ''YOO-sof bɪn ΙS-haak'') ( 12 August 1910 &ndash 23 November The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore 's Head of state.

While trying to be self-sufficient, the fledging nation faced problems like mass unemployment, housing shortages, and a dearth of land and natural resources. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. During Lee Kuan Yew's term as prime minister from 1959 to 1990, his administration tackled the problem of widespread unemployment, raised the standard of living, and implemented a large-scale public housing programme. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Unemployment occurs when a person is available to work and currently seeking work but the person is without work. The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these goods and services are distributed within a population It was during this time that the foundation of the country's economic infrastructure was developed; the threat of racial tension was curbed; and an independent national defence system centring around compulsory male military service was created. An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area Infrastructure typically refers to the technical structures that support a society such as Roads Water supply, Wastewater, Power grids

In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee as Prime Minister. Goh Chok Tong ( Hokkien: Gô· Chok-tòng born May 20 1941) was the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from During his tenure, the country tackled the impacts of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 SARS outbreak, and terrorist threats posed by Jemaah Islamiyah after the September 11 attacks. The Asian Financial Crisis was a period of Financial crisis that gripped much of Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown ( The War on Terrorism (also known as the War on Terror) is the common term for the military political and legal, and ideological conflict and specifically for U History The JI was established as a loose confederation of several Islamic groups In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third prime minister. Lee Hsien Loong ( born February 10, 1952) is the third and current Prime Minister of Singapore. ^[20] Amongst his more notable decisions is the plan to open casinos to attract more foreign tourists. A casino is in the modern sense of the word a facility that houses and accommodates certain types of Gambling activities

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Singapore

See also: Law of Singapore

Singapore is a parliamentary democracy with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing different constituencies. The Parliament House of Singapore ( is a public building and cultural landmark and houses the Parliament of Singapore. The politics of Singapore take place in a framework of a parliamentary Republic, whereby the Prime Minister of Singapore is the Head of government The legal system of Singapore is based on the English common law system The Westminster system is a democratic Parliamentary system of Government modelled after the British government (the Parliament of the United Unicameralism is the practice of having only one legislative or Parliamentary chamber Constituencies of Singapore are electoral divisions which may be represented by single or multiple seats in the Parliament of Singapore. The bulk of the executive powers rests with the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, currently Lee Hsien Loong. The Cabinet of Singapore forms the executive and is headed by the Prime minister, who is the Head of government. The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the Head of government of the Republic of Singapore (and prior to 9 August 1965 The office of President of Singapore, historically a ceremonial one, was granted some veto powers as of 1991 for a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judiciary positions. The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore 's Head of state. In Law, the judiciary or judicial system is the system of Courts which administer Justice in the name of the sovereign or State Although the position is to be elected by popular vote, only the 1993 election has been contested to date. The legislative branch of government is the Parliament. A legislature is a type of representative Deliberative assembly with the power to create amend and change Laws The law created by a legislature is called Legislation

Parliamentary elections in Singapore are plurality-based for group representation constituencies since the Parliamentary Elections Act was modified in 1991. The Parliamentary elections in Singapore began with the Independence of Singapore from the Federation of Malaysia on 9 August 1965 The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member Constituencies of Singapore are electoral divisions which may be represented by single or multiple seats in the Parliament of Singapore. The Parliamentary Elections Act is an Act of Parliament passed by the Parliament of Singapore regulating the procedures requirements and laws for Parliamentary ^[21]

The Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of either elected, non-constituency or nominated Members. The majority of the Members of Parliament are elected into Parliament at a General Election on a first-past-the-post basis and represent either Single Member or Group Representation Constituencies (GRCs).

The elected Members of Parliament act as a bridge between the community and the Government by ensuring that the concerns of their constituents are heard in the Parliament. The present Parliament has 94 Members of Parliament consisting of 84 elected Members of Parliament, one NCMP and nine Nominated members of Parliament.

• Elected Members, In Group Representation Constituencies, political parties field a team of between three to six candidates. At least one candidate in the team must belong to a minority race. This requirement ensures that parties contesting the elections in Group Representation Constituencies are multi-racial so that minority races will be represented in Parliament. Presently there are 14 Group Representation Constituencies and 9 Single Member constituencies.

• Non-Constituency Members,This is to ensure that there will be a minimum number of opposition representatives in Parliament and that views other than the Government's can be expressed in Parliament.

• Nominated Members, up to nine Nominated Members of Parliament (NMPs) was made in 1990 to ensure a wide representation of community views in Parliament. Nominated Members of Parliament are appointed by the President of Singapore for a term of two and a half years on the recommendation of a Special Select Committee of Parliament chaired by the Speaker. Nominated Members of Parliament are not connected to any political parties.

Politics in Singapore have been controlled by the People's Action Party (PAP) since self-government was attained. ^[22] In consequence, foreign political analysts and several opposition parties like the Workers' Party of Singapore, the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) and the Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) have argued that Singapore is essentially a one-party state. The Workers' Party of Singapore ( abbrev: WP; Chinese: 新加坡工人党 is one of the largest opposition parties in Singapore, with 1 The Singapore Democratic Party ( abbrev: SDP; Chinese: 新加坡民主党 Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் மக்களாட்சி The Singapore Democratic Alliance ( abbrev: SDA; Chinese: 新加坡民主联盟 is an alliance of political parties in Singapore A single-party state, one-party system or single-party system is a type of Party system Government in which a single Political party Many analysts consider Singapore to be an illiberal or procedural democracy than a true democracy. An illiberal democracy is a governing system in which although fairly free elections take place citizens are cut off from real power due to the lack of Civil liberties. Procedural democracy is a democracy in which the people or citizens of the state have less influence than in traditional liberal democracies. The Economist Intelligence Unit describes Singapore as a "hybrid regime" of democratic and authoritarian elements. The Economist Intelligence Unit ( EIU) is part of The Economist Group. ^[23] Freedom House ranks the country as "partly free". Freedom House is a United States -based international Non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on Democracy, political ^[24] Though general elections are free from irregularities and vote rigging, the PAP has been criticised for manipulating the political system through its use of censorship, gerrymandering, and civil libel suits against opposition politicians. A general election is an Election in which all or most members of a given political body are up for election Gerrymandering is a form of redistribution in which electoral district or Constituency boundaries are manipulated for electoral advantage Francis Seow, the exiled former Solicitor-General of Singapore, is a prominent critic. Francis Seow is a Singapore -born political Dissident who is in Exile from Singapore after lawsuits by the former Prime Minister Lee Seow and opposition politicians such as J.B. Jeyaretnam and Chee Soon Juan claim that Singapore courts favour the PAP government, and there is no separation of powers. Joshua Benjamin Jeyaretnam ( January 5, 1926 - September 30, 2008) more commonly known as " J Dr Chee Soon Juan ( born 1962 is the Secretary-General of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance ^[25]

Singapore has a successful and transparent market economy. A market economy is a realized Social system based on the Division of labour in which the prices of Goods and Services are determined in a Government-linked companies are dominant in various sectors of the local economy, such as media, utilities, and public transport. A Government Linked Company (GLC is a Corporate entity that may private or public (listed on a stock exchange where an existing Government owns a stake using a The media of Singapore play an important role in Singapore, one of the key strategic media centres in the Asia-Pacific region. The Public Utilities Board ( Abbreviation: PUB; Chinese: 公用事业局 Malay: Lembaga Kemudahan Awam) is a statutory board Transportation within Singapore is mainly land-based Almost all parts of Singapore are accessible by road including islands such as Sentosa and Jurong Island Singapore has consistently been rated as the least corrupt country in Asia and among the world's ten most free from corruption by Transparency International. Transparency International ( TI) is a leading international Non-governmental organization addressing corruption ^[26]

Although Singapore's laws are inherited from British and British Indian laws, including many elements of English common law, the PAP has also consistently rejected liberal democratic values, which it typifies as Western and states there should not be a 'one-size-fits-all' solution to a democracy. For usage see British rule in India British Raj ( rāj, lit "reign" in Hindustani) primarily refers to the British English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of Common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countriesand the The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of The term Western world, the West or the Occident ( Latin: occidens -sunset -west as distinct from the Orient) can have multiple meanings There are no jury trials. Laws restricting the freedom of speech are justified by claims that they are intended to prohibit speech that may breed ill will or cause disharmony within Singapore's multiracial, multi-religious society. For example, in September 2005, three bloggers were convicted of sedition for posting racist remarks targeting minorities. This is about the law term For other uses see Sedition (disambiguation Sedition is a term of Law which refers to covert conduct ^[27] Some offences can lead to heavy fines or caning and there are laws which allow capital punishment in Singapore for first-degree murder and drug trafficking. Caning is a Physical punishment (see that article for generalities and alternatives consisting of a number of hits (known as "strokes" or "cuts" with Capital punishment is a legal form of Punishment in Singapore. Amnesty International has criticised Singapore for having "possibly the highest execution rate in the world" per capita. Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a Western based international Non-governmental organization which defines its mission as "to Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head with Per meaning 'through' or 'by' ^[28] The Singapore government argues that there is no international consensus on the appropriateness of the death penalty and that Singapore has the sovereign right to determine its own judicial system and impose capital punishment for the most serious crimes. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself ^[29]

Geography and climate

Main article: Geography and climate of Singapore

Singapore consists of 63 islands, including mainland Singapore. The Geography of Singapore is marked by a small heavily Urbanised, Island City-state in Southeast Asia, located at Massive land reclamation work over the past centuries has removed much of Singapore 's natural islands and islets although a few new ones are also created in the process There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia — Johor-Singapore Causeway in the north, and Tuas Second Link in the west. Johor (alt English spelling Johore, Jawi scriptجوهر is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N The Johor-Singapore Causeway (Tambak Johor is a 1056-metre Causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor Malaysia-Singapore Second Link ( Laluan Kedua Malaysia-Singapura) is a bridge connecting Singapore and Johor, Malaysia. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of Singapore's many smaller islands. Jurong Island is a man-made island located to the southwest of the main island of Singapore, off Jurong Industrial Estate Pulau Tekong is the largest of Singapore 's outlying islands with an area of 24 Pulau Ubin is a small Island (1019 km² situated in the north east of Singapore, to the west of Pulau Tekong. Sentosa, which means peace and tranquillity in Malay, is a popular Island Resort in Singapore, visited by some five million people The highest natural point of Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill at 166 m (545 ft). Bukit Timah is a Hill in Singapore which stands at an altitude of 164 metres and is the highest point in the City-state of Singapore

The south of Singapore, around the mouth of the Singapore River and what is now the Downtown Core, used to be the only concentrated urban area, while the rest of the land was either undeveloped tropical rainforest or used for agriculture. The Singapore River is a small River in Singapore with great historical importance Tropical rainforests are generally found near the Equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central Since the 1960s, the government has constructed new residential towns in outlying areas, resulting in an entirely built-up urban landscape. The Urban Redevelopment Authority was established on 1 April 1974, responsible for urban planning. Development control This is the responsibility of URA to evaluate and grant planning approval for development projects from the public and private sectors Events 527 - Byzantine Emperor Justin I names his nephew Justinian I as co-ruler and successor to the throne Year 1974 ( MCMLXXIV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. Urban planning in Singapore has formulated and guided its physical development from the day the modern City-state was founded in 1819 as a British

Singapore has on-going land reclamation projects with earth obtained from its own hills, the sea-bed, and neighbouring countries. Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices One involves creating new land from sea- or riverbeds the other refers to restoring an area to a more natural state (such as after As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581. 5 km² (224. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 5 sq mi) in the 1960s to 704 km² (271. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 8 sq mi) today, and may grow by another 100 km² (38. 6 sq mi) by 2030. ^[30] The projects sometimes involve some of the smaller islands being merged together through land reclamation in order to form larger, more functional islands, such as in the case of Jurong Island. Jurong Island is a man-made island located to the southwest of the main island of Singapore, off Jurong Industrial Estate

Under the Köppen climate classification system, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate with no distinctive seasons. The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist A tropical climate is a kind of Climate typical in the Tropics. Its climate is characterized by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures range from 22 °C to 34 °C (72° to 93 °F). On average, the relative humidity is around 90 percent in the morning and 60 percent in the afternoon. Relative humidity is a measurement of the amount of Water vapor that exists in a gaseous mixture of air and water During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 percent. ^[31] The lowest and highest temperatures recorded in its maritime history are 18. 4 °C (65. The Celsius Temperature scale was previously known as the centigrade scale. 1 °F) and 37. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 8 °C (100. 0 °F) respectively. The highest wind speed recorded was 150 km/h (93 mph) on 26 May 2007. Events 451 - The Battle of Avarayr between Armenian rebels and the Sassanid Empire takes place Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. June and July are the hottest months, while November and December make up the wetter monsoon season. A monsoon is a seasonal prevailing wind which lasts for several months From August to October, there is often haze, sometimes severe enough to prompt public health warnings, due to bushfires in neighbouring Indonesia. Ladysmith-RFSJPG|right|thumb| Ladysmith NSW RFS fire fighting tanker]]A Bushfire is a Fire that occurs in the bush (collective term for The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. Singapore does not observe daylight saving time or a summer time zone change. The length of the day is nearly constant year round due to the country's location near the equator.

About 23 percent of Singapore's land area consists of forest and nature reserves. ^[32] Urbanization has eliminated many areas of former primary rainforest, with the only remaining area of primary rainforest being Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Rainforests are Forests characterized by high Rainfall with definitions setting minimum normal annual rainfall between 1750–2000 mm (68-78 inches The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve ( Chinese: A variety of parks are maintained with human intervention, such as the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Singapore Botanic Gardens ( Chinese: 新加坡植物园 Malay: Taman Botanik

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Singapore and Tourism in Singapore

Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy, which historically revolves around extended entrepot trade. The economy of Singapore is a highly developed capitalist Mixed economy. http//wwwtourisminsingaporecom Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and attracts millions of tourists each year An entrepôt (from the French " Warehouse " is a Trading post where merchandise can be imported and Exported without Along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES The term Four Asian Tigers or East Asian Tigers refers to the Economies of South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore The economy depends heavily on exports refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. Manufacturing constituted 26 percent of Singapore's GDP in 2005. ^[33] The manufacturing industry is well-diversified into electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences manufacturing. In 2006, Singapore produced about 10 percent of the world's foundry wafer output. A wafer is a thin slice of Semiconductor material such as a Silicon crystal used in the fabrication of Integrated circuit and other microdevices ^[34] Singapore is the busiest port in the world in terms of tonnage shipped. ^[35] Singapore is the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York City and Tokyo. The foreign exchange ( currency or forex or FX) market refers to the market for currencies. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The City of New York officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. ^[36]

Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world,^[37][38] with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. Multinational corporation ( MNC) or transnational corporation ( TNC) is a Corporation or enterprise that manages Production or delivers The city-state also employs tens of thousands of foreign blue-collared workers around the world.

As a result of global recession and a slump in the technology sector, the country's GDP contracted 2. The Early 2000s Recession was felt in mostly Western countries affecting the European Union mostly during 2000 and 2001 and the United States mostly in 2 percent in 2001. The Economic Review Committee (ERC) was set up in December 2001, and recommended several policy changes with a view to revitalising the economy. Singapore has since recovered from the recession, largely due to improvements in the world economy; the Singaporean economy itself grew by 8. 3 percent in 2004, 6. 4 percent in 2005^[39] and 7. 9 percent in 2006. ^[40] In the first half of Year 2007, the economy grew by 7. 6 percent. The growth forecast for the whole year is expected to be between 7 percent to 8 percent, up from the original estimation of 5 percent to 7 percent. ^[41] On August 19 2007, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced in his National Day Rally Speech that Singapore's economy is expected to grow by at least 4-6 percent annually over the next 5-10 years.

The per capita GDP in 2006 was US$29,474. ^[42] As of September 2007, the unemployment rate is 1. 7 percent, which is the lowest in a decade, having improved to around pre-Asian crisis level. ^[43] Employment continued to grow strongly as the economy maintained its rapid expansion. In the first three quarters of 2007, 171,500 new jobs were created, which is close to the 176,000 for the whole of 2006. ^[43] For the whole of 2007, Singapore's economy has grown 7. 5 percent and drew in a record S$16 billion of fixed asset investments in manufacturing and projects generating S$3 billion of total business spending in services. ^[44] The government expects the Singapore economy to grow by 4. 5 percent to 6. 5 percent in 2008. ^[44]

Singapore introduced a Goods and Services Tax (GST) with an initial rate of 3 percent on 1 April 1994 substantially increasing government revenue by S$1. Goods and Services Tax ( Abbreviation: GST; Chinese: 消费税 was introduced in Singapore on April 1, 1994 at 3% but 6 billion and stabilizing government finances. ^[45] The taxable GST was increased to 4 percent in 2003, to 5 percent in 2004, and to 7 percent on 1st July 2007. ^[46]

Singapore is a popular travel destination, making tourism one of its largest industries. http//wwwtourisminsingaporecom Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and attracts millions of tourists each year About 9. 7 million tourists visited Singapore in 2006. ^[47] The Orchard Road shopping district is one of Singapore's most well-known and popular tourist draws. Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and Entertainment hub of the City-state. To attract more tourists, the government decided to legalise gambling and to allow two casino resorts (euphemistically called Integrated Resorts) to be developed at Marina South and Sentosa in 2005. An Integrated Resort ( IR) ( is a Singaporean euphemism for a Casino -based development Marina South is a Peninsula adjacent to the Central Business District in Singapore, and also the name of an urban planning area in the Central Sentosa, which means peace and tranquillity in Malay, is a popular Island Resort in Singapore, visited by some five million people ^[48] To compete with regional rivals like Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government has announced that the city area would be transformed into a more exciting place by lighting up the civic and commercial buildings. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders officially, is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million ^[49] Cuisine has also been heavily promoted as an attraction for tourists, with the Singapore Food Festival in July organized annually to celebrate Singapore's cuisine. The Singapore Food Festival is an annual event that takes place every year from the end of June to the end of July

Singapore is fast positioning itself as a medical tourism hub — about 200,000 foreigners seek medical care in the country each year and Singapore medical services aim to serve one million foreign patients annually by 2012 and generate USD 3 billion in revenue. Medical tourism (also called medical travel, health tourism or global healthcare is a term initially coined by travel agencies and the Mass media ^[50] The government expects that the initiative could create an estimated 13,000 new jobs within the health industries.

Under the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), Wireless@SG is a government initiative to build Singapore's infocomm infrastructure. The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore ( Abbreviation: IDA; Chinese: 新加坡资讯通信发展管理局 Malay: Penguasa Pembangunan Wireless@SG is a wireless broadband programme developed by the Infocomm Development Authority (IDA of Singapore as part of its Next Generation National Infocomm Infrastructure Working through IDA's Call-for-Collaboration, SingTel, iCell and QMax deploy a municipal wireless network throughout Singapore. Singapore Telecommunications Limited () commonly abbreviated as SingTel, is Asia 's leading Telecommunications company Municipal wireless network ( Municipal Wi-Fi, Muni Wi-Fi or Muni-Fi) is the concept of turning an entire city into a Wireless Access Zone (WAZ Since late 2006, users have enjoyed free wireless access through Wi-Fi under the "basic-tier" package offered by all three operators for 3 years.

Free Trade Agreements

Singapore has 14 bilateral and multilateral trade agreements: ^[51]

• ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA)
• ASEAN-China (ACFTA)
• ASEAN-Korea (AKFTA)
• Australia (SAFTA)
• EFTA (European Free Trade Association: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland)
• Jordan (SJFTA)
• India (CECA)
• Japan (JSEPA)
• New Zealand (ANZSCEP)
• Panama (PSFTA)
• Peru
• South Korea (KSFTA)
• Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement (Trans-Pacific SEP): Brunei, New Zealand, Chile, Singapore
• United States of America USSFTA

Currency

Main article: Singapore Dollar

The currency of Singapore is the Singapore dollar, represented by the symbol S$ or the abbreviation SGD. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. The European Free Trade Association ( EFTA) is a European Trade bloc which was established on 3 May 1960 as an alternative for European states who were either Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The dollar ( sign: $; code: SGD) is the Currency of Singapore. The central bank of Singapore is the Monetary Authority of Singapore, responsible for issuing currency. A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is the entity responsible for the Monetary policy of a country or of a group of member states Singapore established the Board of Commissioners of Currency, Singapore, on 7 April 1967^[52] and issued its first coins and notes. Events 529 - First draft of Corpus Juris Civilis (a fundamental work in Jurisprudence) is issued by Eastern Roman Emperor Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. ^[53] The Singapore dollar was exchangeable at par with the Malaysian ringgit until 1973. ^[53] Interchangeability with the Brunei dollar is still maintained. ^[53][54]

On 27 June 2007, to commemorate 40 years of currency agreement with Brunei, a commemorative S$20 note was launched; the back is identical to the Bruneian $20 note launched concurrently. Events 1358 - Republic of Dubrovnik is founded 1709 - Peter the Great defeats Charles XII of Sweden Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[54][55]

Military

Main article: Ministry of Defence (Singapore)

The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), currently headed by Minister Teo Chee Hean, oversees the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, collectively known as the Singapore Armed Forces, along with volunteer private companies involved in supporting roles. The Ministry of Defence ( Abbreviation: MINDEF; Chinese: 新加坡囯防部; Malay: Kementerian Pertahanan Tamil: தற்காப்பு The Ministry of Defence ( Abbreviation: MINDEF; Chinese: 新加坡囯防部; Malay: Kementerian Pertahanan Tamil: தற்காப்பு Teo Chee Hean ( born 27 December 1954) is the current Minister for Defence of Singapore and a Member of Parliament for Pasir The Chief of Defence Forces is Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek Bak Chye. Lieutenant General is a Military rank used in many countries The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the

The armed forces serve primarily as a deterrent against potential aggressors and also provide humanitarian assistance to other countries. Singapore has mutual defence pacts with several countries, most notably the Five Power Defence Arrangements. Five Power Defence Arrangements ( FPDA) are a series of defence relationships established by bilateral agreements between the United Kingdom, Australia, There is an extensive overseas network of training grounds in the United States, Australia, Republic of China (Taiwan), New Zealand, France, Thailand, Brunei, India and South Africa. Since 1980, the concept and strategy of "Total Defence" has been adopted in all aspects of security; an approach aimed at strengthening Singapore against all kinds of threats. Total Defence (全民防卫 Pertahanan Mutlak Tamil: -- is a concept introduced by the Government of Singapore in 1984 to improve readiness in matters related

The recent rise in unconventional warfare and terrorism has cast increasing emphasis on non-military aspects of defence. Unconventional warfare (abbreviated UW) is the opposite of Conventional warfare. The Gurkha Contingent, part of the Singapore Police Force, is also a counter-terrorist force. The Gurkha Contingent ( Abbreviation: GC) or 辜加警察团,Nepali (गोरखालि is a line department of the Singapore Police Force. The Singapore Police Force ( Abbreviation: SPF; Chinese: 新加坡警察部队; Malay: Pasukan Polis Singapura Tamil Counter-terrorism or counterterrorism refers to the practices tactics, techniques and strategies that Governments militaries, Police departments In 1991, the hijacking of Singapore Airlines Flight 117 ended in the storming of the aircraft by Singapore Special Operations Force and the subsequent deaths of all four hijackers without injury to either passengers or SOF personnel. On March 26, 1991, Singapore Airlines Flight 117 was hijacked by four male passengers claiming to be Pakistanis After demands were not The Special Operations Force (SOF is part of the Singapore Army 's Commandos arm A concern is Jemaah Islamiyah, a militant Islamic group whose plan to attack the Australian High Commission was ultimately foiled in 2001. History The JI was established as a loose confederation of several Islamic groups The Singapore embassies attack plot was a plan in 2001 by the Al-Qaeda -affiliated Jemaah Islamiyah (JI to Bomb the Diplomatic missions and attack

Singapore's defence resources have been used in international humanitarian aid missions, including United Nations peacekeeping assignments involved in 11 different countries. Peacekeeping, as defined by the United Nations, is "a way to help countries torn by conflict create conditions for sustainable peace ^[56] In September 2005, the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) sent three CH-47 Chinook helicopters to Louisiana to assist in relief operations for Hurricane Katrina. The State of Louisiana ( or, État de Louisiane, pronounced) is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the costliest hurricane, as well as one of the five deadliest in the history of the United States In the aftermath of the 2004 Asian Tsunami (or Boxing Day Tsunami), the SAF deployed 3 tank landing ships, 12 Super Puma and 8 Chinook helicopters to aid in relief operations to the countries that were affected by the tsunami. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea Earthquake that occurred at 005853 UTC on December 26 2004 with an Epicentre off the west coast of

Singapore Armed Forces

Main article: Singapore Armed Forces

The Singapore Armed Forces, the military forces of Singapore, takes charge of the overall defence of the country. History 1990s The ship's first assignment was to deliver three Air Cushioned Landing Craft ( LCAC) to Camp Pendleton, California from It comprises three branches: the Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Air Force, and the Republic of Singapore Navy.

The Singapore Army is one of the three services of the Singapore Armed Forces. It is headed by the Chief of Army (COA), currently Major General Neo Kian Hong. Major General or Major-General is a Military rank used in many countries Major-General Neo Kian Hong is the Chief of the Singapore Army. The Army focuses on leveraging technology and weapon systems as "force-multipliers". Force multiplication, in military usage refers to a combination of attributes or advantages which make a given force more effective than another force of comparable size It is currently undergoing the transformation into, what it calls a 3rd Generation fighting force. ^[57]

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the air force branch, guards the airspace of Singapore. An air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense the national military or armed service Airspace means the portion of the atmosphere controlled by a particular country on top of its territory and Territorial waters or more generally any specific three-dimensional The RSAF was established in 1968 as the Singapore Air Defence Command. It operates from four air bases. It also operates its aircraft in several overseas locations in order to provide greater exposure to its pilots. The main aircrafts found in its fleet include F-16 Fighting Falcons, CH-47 Chinook and C-130 Hercules. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout

The final branch, the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), is the navy of the Singapore Armed Forces, responsible for the defence of Singapore against sea-borne threats and protection of its sea lines of communications. Sea lines of communication (abbreviated as SLOC) is a term describing the primary maritime routes between Ports used for Trade, Logistics Operating within the crowded littoral waters of the Singapore Strait, the RSN is regarded as one of the best in the region. Littoral refers to the coast of an ocean or sea or to the banks of a river lake or estuary The Singapore Strait (or Straits of Singapore;) is a 105 kilometer long 16 kilometer wide Strait between the Strait of Malacca in the west and the ^[58] The RSN operates from two bases, Tuas Naval Base and Changi Naval Base, and has a large number of vessels, including 4 submarines, 6 frigates, and 4 amphibious transport docks. Tuas Naval Base (TNB is the second naval base in the history of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN Changi Naval Base (CNB is the latest naval facility of the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN and was built to replace Brani Naval Base. All commissioned ships of the RSN have a prefix RSS, which means Republic of Singapore Ship.

Singapore Police Force

Main article: Singapore Police Force

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the main agency tasked with maintaining law and order in the country^[59]. The Singapore Police Force ( Abbreviation: SPF; Chinese: 新加坡警察部队; Malay: Pasukan Polis Singapura Tamil Generally law enforcement in Singapore comes under the direct purview of the Singapore Police Force, the main government agency entrusted with the maintenance Formerly known as the Republic of Singapore Police, it has grown from an 11-man organisation to a 38,587 strong force. It enjoys a relatively positive public image,^[60] and is credited for helping to arrest Singapore's civic unrests and lawlessness in its early years, and maintaining the low crime rate today. ^[61] The organisation structure of the SPF is split between the staff and line functions, roughly modelled after the military. There are currently 15 staff departments and 13 line units. The SPF is headquartered in a block at New Phoenix Park in Novena, adjacent to a twin block occupied by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Novena is a town in Singapore, and is within the Central Region.

Police officers typically respond to calls in rapid-deployment vehicles known as the Fast Response Car. Singapore Police Force land division officers typically respond to calls in rapid-deployment vehicles now known as the Fast Response Car (FRC which are the main Police They have been staunch users of Japanese-made saloon cars since the 1980s for patrol duties, with the mainstay models in use being the various generations of the Mitsubishi Lancers, Mazda 323s, Toyota Corollas & Subaru Impreza. The Mitsubishi Lancer is a semi-luxury vehicle built by Mitsubishi Motors. The Mazda Familia is a long-running nameplate used by Mazda for their Small family cars manufactured between 1964 and 2003 with 10589052 sold worldwide The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact / Compact cars produced by the Japanese Automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout

Singapore Civil Defence Force

Main article: Singapore Civil Defence Force

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergencies. Emergency services are organizations which ensure Public safety by addressing different emergencies A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the SCDF provides ambulance, fire fighting and emergency response services to the Republic of Singapore. The Ministry of Home Affairs ( Abbreviation: MHA;; Malay: Kementerian Dalam Negeri Tamil: உள்துறை அமைச்சு An ambulance is a Vehicle for transporting sick or injured people to from or between places of treatment for an Illness or Injury. Distinguish from a Firefight, which means a battle with firearms It also plays a major role in the Republic's disaster relief operations. Emergency management (or disaster management) is the discipline of dealing with and avoiding risks It is branched into 6 Operational and Training Divisions beneath the Headquarters Element. Of these six, four are known as Operational Divisions, also known as Territorial Divisions, and each cover vast sections of Singapore corresponding roughly to the four cardinal points of the compass.

The SCDF maintains a large fleet of custom vehicles, called appliances, to provide an emergency response force capable of mitigating any and all kinds of fires and disasters. Ranging from the generic fire truck and ambulance to more sophisticated mobile command structures and disaster mitigation vehicles of all kinds, many of the appliances were designed and commissioned by the Force itself rather than obtaining ready-made designs from industries. A fire apparatus, fire engine, fire truck, or fire appliance is a vehicle designed to assist in fighting Fires by transporting Firefighters An ambulance is a Vehicle for transporting sick or injured people to from or between places of treatment for an Illness or Injury.

National Service

Main article: National Service in Singapore

Singapore legislation requires every able-bodied male Singapore citizen and second-generation permanent resident to undertake National Service for a minimum of 2 years upon reaching 18 years of age or completion of his studies (whichever comes first), with exemption on medical or other grounds. National Service ( NS) is the name given to the compulsory Conscription in Singapore of all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent National Service ( NS) is the name given to the compulsory Conscription in Singapore of all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent After serving for two years, every male is considered operationally ready, and is liable for reservist national service to the age of 40 (50 for commissioned officers). More than 350,000 men serve as operationally-ready servicemen assigned to reservist combat units, and another 72,500 men form the full-time national service and regular corps.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Singapore

Population

According to government statistics, the population of Singapore as of 2007 was 4. 59 million, of whom 3. 58 million were Singaporean citizens and permanent residents (termed 'Singapore Residents'). Singaporean nationality law is derived from the Constitution of Singapore and is based on Jus sanguinis and a modified form of Jus soli ^[62] Chinese formed 75. 2% of 'Singapore Residents', Malays 13. Population of the Malay in Singapore 6%, Indians 8. Indians in Singapore —defined as persons of South Asian paternal Ancestry —form 9% of the country's citizens and permanent residents making them Singapore 8%, while Eurasians and other groups formed 2. The community of Eurasians in Singapore is descended from Europeans who intermarried with local Asians The ethnicities within the community span the length and breadth 4%.

In 2006 the crude birth rate stood at 10. 1 per 1000, a very low level attributed to birth control policies, and the crude death rate was also one of the lowest in the world at 4. 3 per 1000. The total population growth was 4. 4% with Singapore residents growth at 1. 8%. The higher percentage growth rate is largely from net immigration, but also increasing life expectancy. Singapore is the second-most densely populated independent country in the world after Monaco, excluding Macau and Hong Kong, which are special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. List of countries and dependencies by Population density in inhabitants/km² For other uses see Monaco (disambiguation Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco ( French: Principauté de Monaco; Monégasque For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Macau topics. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders A Special Administrative Region ( SAR) is a high autonomous administrative division of the People's Republic of China. In 1957, Singapore's population was approximately 1. 45 million, and there was a relatively high birth rate. Aware of the country's extremely limited natural resources and small territory, the government introduced birth control policies in the late 1960s. In the late 1990s, the population was ageing, with fewer people entering the labour market and a shortage of skilled workers. In a dramatic reversal of policy, the Singapore government introduced a "baby bonus" scheme in 2001 (enhanced in August 2004) that encouraged couples to have more children. ^[63]

In 2006, the total fertility rate was only 1. 26 children per woman, the 3rd lowest in the world and well below the 2. 10 needed to replace the population. ^[64] In 2006, 38,317 babies were born, compared to around 37,600 in 2005. This number, however, is not sufficient to maintain the population's growth. To overcome this problem, the government is encouraging foreigners to immigrate to Singapore. These large numbers of immigrants have kept Singapore's population from declining. ^[65]

Religion

Main article: Religion in Singapore

Religion in Singapore
religion			percent
Buddhism			42. Singapore is a multi-religious country due to its diverse ethnic mix of peoples originating from various countries 5%
No religion			14. 8%
Christianity			14. 6%
Islam			13. 9%
Taoism			8. 5%
Hinduism			4%
Others			1. 6%

Singapore is a multi-religious country. Saint Andrew's Cathedral ( is an Anglican Cathedral in Singapore, the country's largest cathedral Singapore is a multi-religious country due to its diverse ethnic mix of peoples originating from various countries According to Statistics Singapore, around 51 percent of resident Singaporeans (excluding significant numbers of visitors and migrant workers) practice Buddhism and Taoism. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Taoism (pronounced /ˈdaʊɪzəm/ or /ˈtaʊɪzəm/ also spelled '''Daoism''') refers to a variety of related Philosophical and Religious traditions About 15 percent, mostly Chinese , Eurasians, and Indians, practice Christianity - a broad classification including Catholicism, Protestantism and other denominations. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Muslims constitute 14 percent, of whom Malays account for the majority with a substantial number of Indian Muslims and Chinese Muslims. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Indians in Singapore —defined as persons of South Asian paternal Ancestry —form 9% of the country's citizens and permanent residents making them Singapore A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Smaller minorities practice Sikhism, Hinduism, the Bahá'í Faith and others, according to the 2000 census. Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Beginnings of Hinduism in Singapore The early 19th century saw a wave of immigrants from Southern India, mostly Tamils to work as coolies and labourers for The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind ^[66]

Some religious materials and practices are banned in Singapore. The Jehovah Witnesses, for example, are prohibited from distributing religious materials^[67] and are sometimes jailed for their pacifist refusals to serve in the Singaporean military. Jehovah's Witnesses is a restorationist, millenialist Christian denomination ^[68]

About 15 percent of the population declared no religious affiliation.

Education

English is the first language learned by half the children by the time they reach preschool age and is the primary medium of instruction in primary school; however mother tongues are taught in the respective languages.

Many children attend private kindergartens until they start at primary school at the age of six. Singapore's ruling political party, the PAP, is a big provider of preschool education through its community arm.

English is the language of instruction for mathematics and the natural sciences. For the Chinese community, there are Special Assistance Plan schools which receive extra funding to teach in Mandarin. The Special Assistance Plan ( Abbreviation: SAP;) is a programme in Singapore which caters to academically strong students who excel in both their mother Some schools also integrate language subjects with mathematics and the sciences, using both English and a second language.

Curricular standards are set by the Ministry of Education with a mix of private schools and public schools. The Ministry Of Education ( Abbreviation: MOE; Chinese: 新加坡教育部 Malay: Kementerian Pelajaran; Tamil: கல்வி There is no strict public-private dichotomy: the degree of autonomy, regarding curriculum and student admission, government funding received, and tuition burden on the students is further classified into "government-run", "government-aided", "autonomous", "independent", and "privately-funded". ^[69] In addition, international schools cater to expatriate students, and to a few local students given permission by the education ministry. An International school is loosely defined as a School that does not require their students to learn the national or local language of the country the school is located in An expatriate (in abbreviated form expat) is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing

There are four state universities in Singapore; the National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and SIM University. The following is a list of Universities in Singapore: Full Universities & Colleges Other institutions providing undergraduate and postgraduate The National University of Singapore ( Abbreviation: NUS;; Abbreviated 国大 Malay: Universiti Kebangsaan Singapura; Tamil: Nanyang Technological University ( Abbreviation: NTU) is a major research University in Singapore. The Singapore Management University ( Abbreviation: SMU; Chinese: SIM University (UniSIM ( Chinese: 新跃大学 was opened in 2005, as Singapore 's first private University. A further public university is under consideration as the government looks to provide higher education for 30 percent of each cohort^[70]. There are also five polytechnics (Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic). Temasek Polytechnic ( Abbreviation: TP; Chinese: 淡马锡理工学院 Malay: Politeknik Temasek) is the third polytechnic to Singapore Polytechnic ( Abbreviation: SP; Chinese: 新加坡理工學院 the first Polytechnic established in Singapore, was Ngee Ann Polytechnic ( one of the most established polytechnics in Singapore was founded in 1963 as Ngee Ann College with 116 students Nanyang Polytechnic ( Abbreviation: NYP; Chinese: 南洋理工学院 Malay: Politeknik Nanyang) is a Polytechnic located Curricula and academic work A key focus of the Republic Polytechnic is the creation of a learning environment as opposed to a structure designed for instruction Unlike similarly named institutions in many other countries, Singapore polytechnics do not teach to degree level.

The educational system features non-compulsory kindergarten for three years, followed by six years of primary education concluding with the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE is a national Examination taken by all students in Singapore near the end of their sixth year in primary school Four to five years of secondary education follow, leading to N level or Singaporean GCE 'O' Level examinations that assess their individual subject mastery and determine which kind of tertiary education they can pursue. The Singapore-Cambridge General Certificate of Education (Ordinary Level Examination is an annual examination given in Singapore Tertiary education, also referred to as third stage third level and' post-secondary education', is the educational level following the completion of a school providing

Junior colleges like Tampines Junior College and Millennia Institute provide a two or three-year pre-university education route to university. Millennia Institute ( Abbreviation: MI;; Abbreviated 励仁高中 Malay: Institut Millennia) is the only Centralised Institute An alternative, the Integrated Programme, lets the more academically-inclined skip 'O' levels to proceed straight to 'A' levels. The Integrated Programme ( Abbreviation: IP) also known as through-train programme (直通车 is a scheme which allows the cream of secondary schools Polytechnics offer courses leading to a diploma for students as a substitute for 'A' levels while tertiary institutions offer various bachelor's, master's, doctoral degrees, other higher diplomas, and associate degree courses. Institute of technology, and polytechnic, are designations employed in a wide range of learning institutions awarding different types of degrees and operating often at variable

Other institutes include the National Institute of Education (NIE), a teaching college to train teachers, various management institutes, and vocational education institutes such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). Vocational education or Vocational Education and Training (VET also called Career and Technical Education (CTE prepares learners for jobs that are based The Institute of Technical Education ( Abbreviation: ITE; Chinese: 工艺教育学院 is a post-secondary institution in Singapore that

The Economic Development Board (EDB) has been actively recruiting foreign schools to set up campuses in Singapore under the "Global Schoolhouse" programme which aims to attract 150000 foreign students by 2015^[71]. INSEAD, a leading business school, opened its first overseas campus here in 2001, while ESSEC Business School, a century-old Parisian business school, provide courses specific to Asia. INSEAD is an international graduate Business school and research institution with campuses in France and in Singapore. ESSEC (École supérieure des sciences économiques et commerciales is a Business school and Grande école in France. University of Chicago Graduate School of Business has a campus here as well. The University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, also known as Chicago GSB, is one of the leading business schools in the world the second oldest in the Tisch School of the Arts was the latest to set up a branch campus here in 2007. Tisch School of the Arts (known more commonly as Tisch or TSOA) is one of the 15 schools that make up New York University (NYU

However, the EDB failed to attract and retain Warwick University and University of New South Wales, respectively, citing lack of academic freedom ^[72] and financial concerns ^[73]. The University of Warwick is a British Campus university located on the outskirts of Coventry, West Midlands, England and is The University of New South Wales, also known as UNSW or colloquially as New South, is a University situated in Kensington, a suburb in

In 1999, the Ministry of Education started the Programme for Rebuilding and Improving Existing schools (PRIME) to upgrade school buildings, many of which were built over 20 to 30 years ago, in phases at a cost of S$4. Programme for Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools ( Abbreviation: PRIME;) is a programme initiated by the Ministry of Education in 1999 to upgrade 5 billion. ^[74] This programme achieves to provide a better school environment for the students by upgrading school buildings to latest standards. In 2005, the Flexible School Infrastructure (FlexSI) framework was implemented through the building of modular classrooms which can be opened up for larger lectures, and allowing a school's staff members to mould their school's designs to suit the school's unique identity and culture. At the same time, an indoor sports hall will be provided to every school so that schools can carry out physical education lessons in inclement weather. ^[75]

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Singapore

Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 175 countries ^[76] although it does not maintain a high commission or embassy in many of those countries. Singapore maintains diplomatic relations with 175 countries although it does not maintain a High commission or embassy in many of those countries High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking special executive positions held by a commission of appointment A diplomatic mission is a group of people from one State or an international Inter-governmental organization (such as the United Nations) present in It is a member of the United Nations, the Commonwealth, ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement. The United Nations ( UN) is an International organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in International law, International security The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language The Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM) is an International organization of states considering themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc Due to obvious geographical reasons, relations with Malaysia and Indonesia are most important but the domestic politics of the three countries often threatens their relations. On the other hand, Singapore enjoys good relations with many European nations, including France, Germany and the United Kingdom, the latter sharing ties via the Five Power Defence Arrangements (FPDA) along with Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand. This article is about the country For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic France topics. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Five Power Defence Arrangements ( FPDA) are a series of defence relationships established by bilateral agreements between the United Kingdom, Australia, For the biogeographical region see Malesia Malaysia (məˈleɪʒə or /məˈleɪziə/ is a country that consists of thirteen states and For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Good relations are also maintained with the United States, a country perceived as a stabilizing force in the region to counterbalance the regional powers.

Singapore supports the concept of Southeast Asian regionalism and plays an active role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Singapore is a founding member. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, commonly referred to as ASEAN, ˈɑːsiːɑːn AH-see-ahn in English (the Official language Singapore is also a member of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which has its Secretariat in Singapore. Singapore also has close relations with fellow ASEAN nation Brunei and maintains Army training facilities in the Sultanate. Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام

Disputes

Singapore has several long-standing disputes with Malaysia over a number of issues:

• Water deliveries to Singapore ^[77][78]
• Mutual maritime boundaries
• Air routes between Singapore Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport

• The Singapore island known as Pedra Branca in Singapore and as Pulau Batu Puteh in Malaysia (names mean "White Rock" in Portuguese and "White Rock Island" in Malay respectively), located 24 nautical miles (44 km) off the east coast of Singapore with a land area of 2,000 m² (2,392 sq yd) (the island also comprises Middle Rocks owned by Malaysia which are two clusters of rocks situated 0. Pedra Branca (formerly referred to by Malaysia as Pulau Batu Puteh and now as Batu Puteh is an outlying island of Singapore. Pedra Branca (formerly referred to by Malaysia as Pulau Batu Puteh and now as Batu Puteh is an outlying island of Singapore. Portuguese ( or língua portuguesa) is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia (Spain and northern Portugal. The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the A nautical mile or sea mile is a unit of Length. It corresponds approximately to one minute of Latitude along any meridian. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 6 nmi (1. 1 km) south of Pedra Branca. Whereas South Ledge, a rock formation which can be seen only at low tide will be decided by June 2008). Both countries have staked a claim on the island and have been unable to settle the dispute between themselves. The case was heard at the International Court of Justice in 2007, with both parties presenting their case. See also International Commission of Jurists The International Court of Justice (known colloquially as the World Court or ICJ; Cour The court had delivered its judgment on 23 May 2008 with Singapore having ownership of Pedra Branca and Malaysia owning Middle Rocks. The final verdict on South Ledge is still disputed and being negotiated by a committee formed by both countries. ^[79]
• Relocating the Singapore station of Malaysia's Keretapi Tanah Melayu from Tanjong Pagar to Bukit Timah (see Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990) and moving Malaysia's immigration checkpoint from the railway station to the Causeway. Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad ( KTMB) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990 ( POA) is an agreement between the two Southeast Asian countries regarding the future of railway land owned by the
• Not allowing laid off workers, employed in Singapore shipyards in 1998, to receive their Central Provident Funds (CPF) contributions, which are estimated to be RM2. The Central Provident Fund ( Abbreviation: CPF; Chinese: 公积金 Pinyin: Gōngjījīn) is a compulsory comprehensive Social 4 billion.

Languages

Main article: Languages of Singapore

The national language of Singapore is Malay for historical reasons, and it is used in the national anthem, "Majulah Singapura". There are a multitude of languages spoken in Singapore that reflect its multi-racial society The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the " Majulah Singapura " ("Onward Singapore" is the National anthem of Singapore. The official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. English has been promoted as the country's language of administration since its independence. The English used is primarily based on British English, with some American English influences. British English or UK English ( BrE, BE, en-GB) is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the Phonology North American English regional phonology In many ways compared to English English, North American English is conservative in its Phonology. The use of English became widespread in Singapore after it was implemented as a first language medium in the education system, and English is the most common language in Singaporean literature. Education in Singapore is managed by Ministry of Education (MOE which directs Education policy. The literature of Singapore comprises a collection of literary works by Singaporeans in any of the country's four main languages English, Chinese, In school, children are required to learn English and one of the three other official languages. Public signs and official publications are in English, although there are usually translated versions in other official languages. However, most Singaporeans speak a localised hybrid form of English known as Singlish ("Singapore English"), which has many creole-like characteristics, incorporating vocabulary and grammar from Standard English, various Chinese dialects, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is a creole Interlanguage native to Malaysia and Singapore. A creole language, or simply a creole, is a stable Language that originates seemingly as a nativized Pidgin. Spoken Chinese ( comprises many regional variants the largest of which are Mandarin, Wu, Cantonese, and Min. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The second-most common language in Singapore is Mandarin with over seventy percent of the population having it as a second language. Standard Mandarin, also known as Standard Spoken Chinese, is the official modern Chinese spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan A second language (L2 is any Language learned after the first language or mother tongue (L1

Culture

Main article: Culture of Singapore

Singapore is a mixture of an indigenous Malay population with a third generation Chinese majority, as well as Indian and Arab immigrants with some intermarriages. As Singapore is a small and relatively modern amalgam of Chinese, Malay, Indian and European immigrants the culture of Singapore expresses Population of the Malay in Singapore Indians in Singapore —defined as persons of South Asian paternal Ancestry —form 9% of the country's citizens and permanent residents making them Singapore Most Arab Singaporeans have come in the past from Hadhramaut region in Yemen and are Muslim. ^[80] There also exist significant Eurasian and Peranakan (known also as 'Straits Chinese') communities. The community of Eurasians in Singapore is descended from Europeans who intermarried with local Asians The ethnicities within the community span the length and breadth Peranakan, Baba-Nyonya ( Hokkien: Bā-bā Niû-liá) and Straits Chinese (zh-Hant 土生華人 named after the Straits Settlements

Cuisine

Main article: Cuisine of Singapore

Singaporean cuisine is an example of diversity and cultural diffusion in Singapore, with a fusion of Chinese, Indian, Malay and Tamil influences. The cuisine of Singapore is often viewed by people as a prime example of the ethnic diversity of the Culture of Singapore. Chinese cuisine ( Traditional Chinese: 中國菜 Simplified Chinese: 中国菜 originated from the various regions of China and has become widespread in Malaysian cuisine reflects the multi-racial aspects of Malaysia. Tamil Nadu is famous for its hospitality and its deep belief that serving food to others is a service to humanity as is common in many regions of India In Singapore's hawker centres traditionally Malay hawker stalls selling halal food may serve halal versions of traditionally Tamil food. A hawker centre or food centre ( is the name given to open-air complexes in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore housing many stalls that sell Malays (Melayu are an Ethnic group of Austronesian peoples predominantly inhabiting the Malay Peninsula, the east coast of Sumatra, the coast Halal (حلال ḥalāl, halaal) is an Arabic term meaning permissible. Tamil people (also called Tamils or Tamilians) ( are an Ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, a state in India, and the north-eastern Chinese food stalls may introduce indigenous Malay ingredients or cooking techniques. This continues to make the cuisine of Singapore a significant cultural attraction.

Local foods are diverse, ranging from Hainanese chicken rice to satay. Hainanese chicken rice is a Chinese rice dish most commonly associated with Malaysian cuisine or Singaporean cuisine, although it is also commonly sold Satay or sate is a dish consisting of chunks or slices of dice-sized Meat ( Chicken, Goat, Mutton, Beef, Pork Singaporeans also enjoy a wide variety of seafood including crabs, clams, squid, and oysters. One such dish is stingray barbecued and served on banana leaf and with sambal or chili. For the Indian dish see Sambar (dish. For the ethnic group see Sambal people.

Amongst locals, popular dishes include bak chor mee, mee poh, sambal stingray, laksa, nasi lemak, chili crab and satay. All of which, can be found at local hawker centres around Singapore.

Performing arts

See also: Music of Singapore

Since the 1990s, the government has been striving to promote Singapore as a centre for arts and culture, and to transform the country into a cosmopolitan 'gateway between the East and West'. Singapore has a burgeoning urban musical scene and is a center for rock, punk and other popular genres in the region The term multiculturalism generally refers to a state of racial, cultural and ethnic diversity within the Demographics of a specified ^[81] The highlight of these efforts was the construction of Esplanade, a centre for performing arts that opened on October 12, 2002. The Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay ( is a waterside building located on six hectares of waterfront land alongside Marina Bay near the mouth of the Singapore River Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ^[82]

An annual arts festival is also organised by the National Arts Council that incorporates theatre arts, dance, music and visual arts, among other possibilities. The Singapore Arts Festival ( Chinese: 新加坡艺术节 is an annual arts festival held in Singapore.

A first Singapore Biennale took place in 2006 to showcase contemporary art from around the world. The Singapore Biennale ( Chinese: 新加坡双年展 is a Contemporary art Biennale in Singapore. The next one will be in 2008 which will feature Southeast Asian works.

Media

Main article: Media of Singapore

Around 38,000 people work in the media in Singapore, including publishing, print, broadcasting, film, music, digital and IT media sectors. The media of Singapore play an important role in Singapore, one of the key strategic media centres in the Asia-Pacific region. The industry contributed 1. 56% to Singapore's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2001 with an annual turnover of S$10 billion. The dollar ( sign: $; code: SGD) is the Currency of Singapore. The industry grew at an average rate of 7. 7% annually from 1990 to 2000, and the government seeks to increase its GDP contribution to 3% by 2012.

The Singapore government says the media play an important role in the country, and describes the city as one of the key strategic media centres in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia-Pacific or APAC is the area generally regarded as encompassing Littoral East Asia, Southeast Asia and Australasia near the ^[83] The goal of the government's Media 21 plan, launched in 2002,^[84] is to establish Singapore as a global media hub. The Government of Singapore is formed by the Political party which gains a simple majority in the general Elections held in Singapore at least once every

In its Annual Worldwide Press Freedom Index for 2004, Reporters Without Borders ranked Singapore 147 out of 167. Most of the local media are directly or indirectly controlled by the government through shareholdings of these media entities by the state's investment arm Temasek Holdings, and are often perceived as pro-government.

Broadcasting

Main article: Broadcasting in Singapore

State-owned MediaCorp operates all seven free-to-air terrestrial local television channels licensed to broadcast in Singapore, as well as 14 radio channels. Broadcasting in Singapore began in 1936 when Radio Singapura was established as the first local mass market radio service MediaCorp ( is a state-owned group of commercial media companies in Singapore specialising primarily in Television and Radio Broadcasting Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic Radio is the transmission of signals by Modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible Light. Radio and television stations are all government-owned entities. All seven television channels are owned by MediaCorp. The radio stations are mainly operated by MediaCorp with the exception of four stations, which are operated by SAFRA Radio and SPH UnionWorks respectively. SAFRA Radio, established since 1994, is a Singaporean radio broadcaster owned by the Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association (SAFRA Singapore Press Holdings Limited ( SPH) ( Chinese: 新加坡报业控股 is a media organisation in Singapore with businesses in print, Private ownership of satellite dish receivers capable of viewing uncensored televised content from abroad is illegal.

Print

Main article: List of newspapers in Singapore

There are a total of 16 newspapers in active circulation. This is list of Newspapers in Singapore. In circulation There are a total of 16 newspapers in active circulation today of which three are distributed A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. Daily newspapers are published in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States The Malay language ( ISO 639-1 code MS is an Austronesian language spoken by the Malay people and people of other ethnic groups who reside in the Tamil (ta தமிழ்; t̪əmɨɻ is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent.

Print is dominated by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), the government-linked publisher of the flagship English-language daily, The Straits Times. Singapore Press Holdings Limited ( SPH) ( Chinese: 新加坡报业控股 is a media organisation in Singapore with businesses in print, The Straits Times ( Chinese: 海峡时报 is an English language Broadsheet Newspaper based in Singapore, currently SPH publishes all other daily newspapers with the exception of Today, a free English-language tabloid published by the state-owned broadcaster MediaCorp. TODAY ( Chinese: 今日报 is a free English-language Tabloid in Singapore published by government-owned MediaCorp Press MediaCorp ( is a state-owned group of commercial media companies in Singapore specialising primarily in Television and Radio Broadcasting

There are also several popular magazines circulating in Singapore, like i-weekly, 8 days, Maxim Singapore and FHM Singapore.

Sport and recreation

Main article: Sports in Singapore

Singaporeans participate in a wide variety of sports and recreational activities. Singaporeans participate in a wide variety of Sports for Recreation as well as Competition. Favorite sports include football, cricket, swimming, badminton, basketball, rugby union, volleyball and table tennis. Volleyball is an Olympic team sport in which two teams of 6 active players (5 normal players and one 'libero' are separated by a net that is usually four feet Most people live in public residential areas that often provide amenities such as swimming pools, outdoor basketball courts and indoor sport complexes. The Housing and Development Board ( Abbreviation: HDB; Simplified Chinese: 建屋发展局 Malay: Lembaga Pembangunan dan Perumahan As might be expected on an island, water sports are popular, including sailing, kayaking and water skiing. Scuba diving is another recreation, particularly around the southern island of Pulau Hantu which is known for its rich coral reefs. Pulau Hantu is located to the south of the main island of Singapore, off the Straits of Singapore.

The 55,000 seat National Stadium, Singapore, located in Kallang was opened in July 1973 and was used for sporting, cultural, entertainment and national events until its official closure on 30 June 2007 to make way for the Singapore Sports Hub on the same site. The Singapore National Stadium ( Chinese: 国家体育场 Malay: Stadium Nasional Singapura) is located in Kallang. Events 350 - Roman usurper Nepotianus, of the Constantinian dynasty, is defeated and killed by troops of the Usurper Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The Singapore Sports Hub ( Malay: Hub Sukan Singapura) is a proposed Sports complex located in Kallang, Singapore to be built This sports complex is expected to be ready by 2011 and will comprise a new 55,000-capacity National Stadium with a retractable roof, a 6,000-capacity indoor aquatic centre, a 400-metre warm-up athletic track and a 3,000-seater multi-purpose arena. 36,000 square metres of space have also been reserved for commercial development.

Golf is gaining popularity among Singaporeans. There are 15 golf clubs in Singapore. Some golfers prefer travelling to regional golf courses especially in Johor, Malaysia, due to relatively cheaper club membership.

Singaporean sportsmen have performed in regional as well as international competitions in sports such as table tennis, badminton, bowling, sailing, silat, swimming and water polo. Badminton is a racquet sport played by either two opposing players (singles or two opposing pairs (doubles who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court Bowling is a Game / Sport in which players attempt to score points by rolling a Bowling ball along a flat surface either into objects called pins Sailing is the art of controlling a Sailing vessel. By changing the Rigging, Rudder and dagger or centre board a Sailor manages the force Silat is an umbrella term used to describe the martial art forms practiced throughout the Malay Archipelago. Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through Water, usually without artificial assistance Water polo is a team water sport A team consists of six field players and one Goalkeeper. Athletes such as Fandi Ahmad, Ang Peng Siong, Li Jiawei and Ronald Susilo have become household names in the country. Fandi Ahmad (born 29 May, 1962) is a football coach and former Professional footballer from Singapore. Ang Peng Siong (born October 27, 1962, in Singapore) is a Swimmer from Singapore who once held the world no Li Jiawei ( (born 9 August 1981 is a China -born Singaporean Table tennis player who is ranked among the top ten athletes in her sport Ronald Susilo (born June 6, 1979 in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia) is a Singaporean Badminton player

The Singapore Slingers joined the Australian National Basketball League in 2006 and have three Singaporeans in their squad. History The franchise was known as the Canberra Cannons from 1979 to 2003, winning 3 championships in 1983, 1984 and The National Basketball League is Australia 's top-level professional Basketball competition Despite being the team with the largest support pool in the NBL, they generally get the smallest crowds in the NBL.

Beginning in 2008, Singapore will be hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship. The Singapore Grand Prix is a Formula One race staged in the Marina Bay area of Singapore. The race will be staged at the Singapore Street Circuit in the Marina Bay area and will become the first night race on the F1 circuit^[85] and the first street circuit in Asia^[86]. Marina Bay is a Bay near Central Area in the southern part of Singapore, and lies to the east of the Downtown Core.

On 21 February 2008, the International Olympic Committee announced^[87] that Singapore won the bid to host the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics. Events 362 - Athanasius returns to Alexandria. 1245 - Thomas, the first known Bishop of Finland 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common The 2010 Summer Youth Olympic Games (officially known as 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games) is the inaugural Youth Olympic Games, a major international sports Singapore beat Moscow in the final by 53 votes to 44. Moscow (Москва́ romanised: Moskvá, IPA: see also other names) is the Capital and the largest city of

Architecture

Main article: Architecture of Singapore

The architecture of Singapore is varied, reflecting the ethnic build-up of the country. The Architecture of Singapore displays a range of influences and styles from different places and periods Singapore has several ethnic neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and Little India. Singapore 's Chinatown is an ethnic neighbourhood featuring distinctly Chinese cultural elements and a historically concentrated ethnic Chinese Little India' is an ethnic neighbourhood found in Singapore that has Indian cultural elements These were formed under the Raffles Plan to segregate the immigrants. The Jackson Plan of 1822, also known as the " Plan of the Town of Singapore " was an urban plan for Singapore drawn up to maintain Many places of worship were also constructed during the colonial era. Sri Mariamman Temple, the Masjid Jamae mosque and the Church of Gregory the Illuminator are among those that were built during the colonial period. For other temples with the same name see Sri Mariamman Temple. Masjid Jamae ( Masjid means "mosque" in Arab; Chinese: 詹美回教堂 is one of the earliest Mosques in Singapore, and is The Armenian Church (full name Armenian Church of Saint Gregory the Illuminator;; Armenian: Սուրբ Գրիգոր Լուսաւորիչի Եկեղեցի – Work is now underway to preserve these religious sites as National Monuments of Singapore. The Preservation of Monuments Board (PMB a statutory board within the Government of Singapore under the Ministry of Information Communications and the Arts

Due to the lack of space and lack of preservation policies during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, few historical buildings remain in the Central Business District (CBD) - the Fullerton Hotel and the previously-moved Lau Pa Sat being some exceptions. The Fullerton Hotel Singapore ( is a five-star Boutique hotel located near the mouth of the Singapore River, in the Downtown Core of Central Telok Ayer Market ( Chinese: 直落亚逸巴刹 also known colloquially as Lau Pa Sat ("old market" 老巴刹 is a historic building in Singapore However, just outside of Raffles Place, and throughout the rest of the downtown core, there is a large scattering of pre-WWII buildings - some going back nearly as far as Raffles, as with the Empress Place Building, built in 1827. The Empress Place Building ( Chinese: 皇后坊大厦 is a historic building in Singapore, located on the north bank of the Singapore River in the Many classical buildings were destroyed during the post-war decades, up until the 1990s, when the government started strict programmes to conserve the buildings and areas of historic value.

Past the shopping malls are streets lined with shophouses. Many other such areas have been gazetted as historic districts. Information can be found at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road, where there are exhibits and several models of the island and its architecture. Development control This is the responsibility of URA to evaluate and grant planning approval for development projects from the public and private sectors Singapore has also become a centre for postmodern architecture. Postmodern architecture was an international style whose first examples are generally cited as being from the 1950s and which continues to influence present-day Architecture Historically, the demand for high-end buildings has been in and around the Central Business District (CBD). After decades of development, the CBD has become an area with many tall office buildings. These buildings comprise the skyline along the coast of Marina Bay and Raffles Place, a tourist attraction in Singapore. Plans for tall buildings must be reviewed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore. ^[88] No building in Singapore may be taller than 280 metres. ^[89] The three tallest buildings in Singapore, namely Republic Plaza, UOB Plaza One and OUB Centre, are all 280 metres in height. Republic Plaza ( Chinese: 共和大厦 is one of the three tallest Skyscrapers in Singapore, located at the Southern end of Raffles Place UOB Plaza is a development consisting of two Art deco Skyscrapers in the city of Singapore. The Overseas Union Bank Center ( Chinese: 华联银行大厦 is the one of the three tallest Skyscrapers in the city of Singapore, sharing the title

Resources

Water resource

Main article: Water resources of Singapore

Without natural freshwater rivers and lakes, the primary domestic source of water supply in Singapore is rainfall, collected in reservoirs or catchment areas. The Water resources of Singapore are especially precious given the small amount of land and territory in Singapore's geography while having a large Water supply is the process of self-provision or provision by third parties of water of various qualities to different users About half of Singapore's water comes from rain collected in reservoirs. Most of the rest comes from Malaysia. The two countries have long argued about the legality of agreements to supply water that were signed in colonial times.

Presently, more catchment areas, facilities to recycle water (producing NEWater) and desalination plants are being built. This "four tap" strategy aims to reduce reliance on foreign supply and to diversify its water sources.

Singapore has a network of reservoirs and water catchment areas. By 2001, there were 19 raw water reservoirs, 9 treatment works and 14 storage or service reservoirs locally to serve domestic needs. Marina Barrage is a dam being constructed around the estuary of three Singapore rivers, creating by 2009 a huge freshwater reservoir, the Marina Bay reservoir. The Marina Barrage (滨海堤坝 is a Dam being built in Singapore across the Marina Channel between the Reclaimed lands of Marina ^[90] When developed, this will increase the rainfall catchment to two-thirds of the country's surface area.

Historically, Singapore relied on imports from Malaysia to supply half of its water consumption. However, the two water agreements that supply Singapore with this water are due to expire by 2011 and 2061 respectively and the two countries are engaged in a dispute on the price of water. Without a resolution in sight, the government of Singapore decided to increase self-sufficiency in its water supply. ^[91] More NEWater and desalination plants are being built or proposed to reduce reliance on import. NEWater ( Chinese: 新生水 is the brand name given to Reclaimed water produced by Singapore 's Public Utilities Board. ^[92]

Transport

Main article: Transport in Singapore

International

Singapore is a major Asian transportation hub, positioned on many sea and air trade routes.

The Port of Singapore, managed by port operators PSA International and Jurong Port, was the world's busiest port in 2005 in terms of shipping tonnage handled, at 1. The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and terminals that conduct maritime trade handling functions in Singapore 's harbours and which PSA International Pte Ltd is a second largest Port operator in the world Jurong Port Pte Ltd ( Chinese: 裕廊海港私人有限公司 is the second Port operator in Singapore after being awarded its port licence by the 15 billion gross tons, and in terms of containerised traffic, at 23. Containerization (or containerisation) is a system of Intermodal freight transport Cargo Transport using standard ISO containers 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (often TEU or teu) is an inexact unit of cargo capacity often used to describe the capacity of Container ships and Container It was also the world's second busiest in terms of cargo tonnage, coming behind Shanghai with 423 million tons handled. Shanghai ( 上[[wikt 海|海]] is the largest city in China in terms of population and one of the largest urban areas in the world with over 20 million In addition, the Port is the world's busiest for transshipment traffic and the world's biggest ship refuelling centre. Transshipment or Transhipment is the Shipment of goods to an intermediate destination and then from there to yet another destination ^[93]

Singapore is an aviation hub for the Southeast Asian region and a stopover on the Kangaroo route between Australasia and Europe. The Kangaroo Route traditionally refers to air routes flown by Qantas between the countries of Australia and the United Kingdom, via the Eastern Hemisphere Australasia is a Region of Oceania: New Zealand, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and neighbouring Islands in the Pacific Singapore Changi Airport has a network of 81 airlines connecting Singapore to 185 cities in 58 countries. It has been rated as 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 by Skytrax. Skytrax is a United Kingdom -based consultancy the public face of Inflight Research Services ^[94]. The airport currently has three passenger terminals. There is also a budget terminal, which serves budget carrier Tiger Airways and Cebu Pacific. Tiger Airways Private Limited is a Low-cost airline based in Singapore, with its primary hub at Singapore Changi Airport. Cebu Air Inc, operating as Cebu Pacific Air, is a low-cost airline based in Pasay City, Manila, the Philippines. The national carrier is Singapore Airlines (SIA). Singapore Airlines Limited ( SIA) ( abbreviated zh 新航 Syarikat Penerbangan Singapura சிங்கப்பூர் ஏர்லைன்ஸ் ( is the The government is moving towards privatising Changi airport.

Singapore is linked to Johor, Malaysia via the Johor-Singapore Causeway and the Tuas Second Link, as well as a railway operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu of Malaysia, with its southern terminus at Tanjong Pagar railway station. Johor (alt English spelling Johore, Jawi scriptجوهر is a state of Malaysia between 1°20"N and 2°35"N The Johor-Singapore Causeway (Tambak Johor is a 1056-metre Causeway that links the city of Johor Bahru in Malaysia across the Straits of Johor Malaysia-Singapore Second Link ( Laluan Kedua Malaysia-Singapura) is a bridge connecting Singapore and Johor, Malaysia. Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad ( KTMB) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. Tanjong Pagar railway station ( Chinese: 丹戎巴葛火车总站 Malay: Stesen Keretapi Tanjung Pagar) also called Keppel Road railway Frequent ferry service to several nearby Indonesian ports also exists.

Domestic

The domestic transport infrastructure has a well-connected island-wide road transport system which includes a network of expressways. History The earliest roads in modern Singapore after its founding in 1819 were laid out in an orderly manner as detailed in the Jackson Plan of 1822 The expressways of Singapore are special Roads allowing motorists to travel quickly from one urban area to another The public road system is served by the nation's bus service and a number of licensed taxi-operating companies. Bus transport in Singapore is the most comprehensive and affordable means of Public transport for the masses with over two million rides taken per day on average A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of Public transport for a single passenger or small group of passengers typically for a non-shared ride The public bus transport has been the subject of criticism by Singaporeans, the majority of whom are dependent on it for their daily commuting. Since 1987, the heavy rail passenger Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) metro system has been in operation. The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT (大众快速交通 or more commonly known as 地铁 Malay: Sistem Pengangkutan Gerak Cepat; Tamil: சிங்கை A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway The MRT has been further augmented by the Light Rail Transit (LRT) light rail system, adds accessibility to housing estates. The Light Rapid Transit (LRT ( Simplified Chinese: 轻轨列车系统 Malay: Sistem Rel Ringan; Tamil: fill in) is the Light For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development Established in 2001, EZ-Link system allows contactless smartcards to serve as stored value tickets for use in the public transport systems in Singapore. The EZ-Link card is a Contactless smartcard based on Sony 's FeliCa smartcard technology used for payments in Singapore especially A smart card, chip card, or Integrated circuit card ( ICC) is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated

More than 2. 85 million people use the bus network daily, while more than 1. 5 million people use either the LRT or MRT as part of their daily routine. ^[95] Approximately 945,000 people use the taxi services daily. ^[95] Private vehicle use in the Central Area is discouraged by tolls implemented during hours of heavy road traffic, through an Electronic Road Pricing system. A toll road, (also known as a tollway, turnpike, pike, or toll highway, especially if it is constructed to Freeway standards The Electronic Road Pricing ( ERP) (Sistem Kadar Jalan Elektronik 电子道路收费系统 scheme is an Electronic toll collection scheme adopted in Singapore Private vehicle ownership is discouraged by high vehicle taxes and imposing quotas on vehicle purchase. The Certificate of Entitlement (COE, instituted by the government of Singapore, is a program designed to limit car Ownership, and hence the number of

Notes

References

• Hill, Michael, & Kwen Fee Lian (1995). The Politics of Nation Building and Citizenship in Singapore. Routledge. ISBN 041512025X
• Mauzy, Diane K. & R. S. Milne (2002). Singapore Politics: Under the People's Action Party. Routledge. ISBN 0415246539.  
• Tan, Kenneth Paul (2007). Renaissance Singapore? Economy, Culture, and Politics. NUS Press. ISBN 9971693770.  
• Yew, Lee Kuan (2000). From Third World To First: The Singapore Story: 1965-2000. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0060197765
• Worthington, Ross (2002). Governance in Singapore. Routledge/Curzon. ISBN 070071474X.  

• Census of Population (2000). Singapore Department of Statistics. Retrieved on 11 January, 2000.
• Key Facts & Figures. Ministry of Transport, Singapore. Retrieved on 11 January, 2003.
• Nation's History. Singapore Infomap. Retrieved on 11 January, 2004.
• MOE-PRIME. Programme For Rebuilding and IMproving Existing schools (PRIME). Archived from the original on 2007-08-23. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire Retrieved on 15 May 2007.
• Press Releases. Eight More Schools to Benefit from Upgrading. Retrieved on 15 May 2007.

This article incorporates public domain text from the websites of Singapore Department of Statistics, United States Department of State, the United States Library of Congress & CIA World Factbook (2004). The World Factbook ( ISSN; also known as the CIA World Factbook) is an annual publication of the Central Intelligence Agency of the

External links

General Information

• Singapore Infomap
• Singapore Government Directory Interactive
• Singapore Government Online Portal
• Gateway To All Government Services
• Singapore National Service Portal
• Singapore Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority
• Amnesty International's 2005 report on Singapore
• CIA World Factbook Entry for Singapore
• Singapore Department of Statistics Annual Data
• Memories of Asia

Travel

• Singapore travel guide from Wikitravel
• Singapore guidebook from Wikitravel Press

Maps

• WikiSatellite view of Singapore at WikiMapia

Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide. Wikitravel is a Web -based project "to create a free, complete up-to-date and reliable worldwide travel guide.

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