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Featured Country

Singapore

Photo by: Gaye Cameron
Singapore is the East's great melting pot, a cultural pot pourri that leaves the unsuspecting visitor dazzled. Sir Stamford Raffles, a British civil servant, brought the ‘Lion City’ to world prominence after searching for a trading station to counter the Dutch influence in the Straits of... more >>

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Singapore Overview

The island of Singapore is situated off the southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula, to which it is joined by a causeway carrying a road, railway and waterpipe. The Johor Strait between the island and the mainland is about 1km (0.8 miles) wide. The Republic of Singapore includes some 64 islets. It is a mainly flat country with low hills, the highest being Bukit Timah at 163m (545ft). In the northeast of the island, large areas have been reclaimed, and much of the original jungle and swamp covering the low-lying areas has been cleared.

Area
659.9 sq km (254.8 sq miles).

Government
Republic. Gained full independence from the UK in 1965. 
Recent history: In both January 1997 and September 2001, opposition parties decided to contest only a small proportion (about one-third) of the 83 seats. Not surprisingly, the People’s Action Party (PAP) won both polls comfortably. Goh was widely expected to stand down in favour of Lee Junior and, indeed, finally did so in August 2004. In September 2005, Sellapan Ramanathan began his second six-year term as President of Singapore. He won the election after the other contenders were disqualified for not meeting the strict selection criteria.
The Parliament is unicameral; executive power nominally rests with the President, but is effectively wielded by the Prime Minister and the Cabinet: the Presidency is a largely ceremonial post whose incumbent is elected by Parliament to serve a six-year term. The 93-member Parliament is elected for a five-year term; apart from nine Presidential appointees, its members are elected under a constituency system.

Population
4.4 million (UN, 2005).

Population Density
6,667.7 per sq km.

Language
Mandarin Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. Most Singaporeans are bilingual and speak English, which is used as the main language of communication.

Religion
Taoist, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu and Muslim.

Time
GMT + 8.

Capital
Singapore City. Population: 4.2 million (2005).

Electricity
220/240 volts AC, 50Hz. Plug fittings of the three-pin square type are in use. Many hotels have 110-volt outlets.