Legend:
 Definition
 Field
Listing
 Rank
Order
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Background:
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Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two
years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently
became one of the world's most prosperous countries with
strong international trading links (its port is one of the
world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per
capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western
Europe. |
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Location:
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Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
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Geographic coordinates:
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1 22 N, 103 48 E
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Map references:
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Southeast Asia |
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Area:
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total: 692.7 sq km
land: 682.7 sq km
water: 10 sq km |
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Area - comparative:
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slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
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Land boundaries:
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0 km |
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Coastline:
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193 km |
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Maritime claims:
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territorial sea: 3 nm
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial
sea, as defined in treaties and practice |
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Climate:
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tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons -
Northeastern monsoon (December to March) and Southwestern
monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent
afternoon and early evening thunderstorms |
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Terrain:
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lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water
catchment area and nature preserve
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Elevation extremes:
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lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m |
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Natural resources:
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fish, deepwater ports
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Land use:
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arable land: 1.47%
permanent crops: 1.47%
other: 97.06% (2005)
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Irrigated land:
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NA |
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Natural hazards:
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NA |
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Environment - current issues:
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industrial pollution; limited natural fresh water resources;
limited land availability presents waste disposal problems;
seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest fires in Indonesia
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Environment - international agreements:
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party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate
Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species,
Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection,
Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected
agreements |
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Geography - note:
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focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes |
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Population:
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4,553,009 (July 2007 est.) |
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Age structure:
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0-14 years: 15.2% (male 358,064/female 333,702)
15-64 years: 76.3% (male 1,692,817/female 1,780,982)
65 years and over: 8.5% (male 171,876/female 215,568)
(2007 est.) |
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Median age:
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total: 37.8 years
male: 37.4 years
female: 38.2 years (2007 est.)
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Population growth rate:
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1.275% (2007 est.)
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Birth rate:
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9.17 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Death rate:
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4.4 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
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Net migration rate:
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7.98 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
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Sex ratio:
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at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.073 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.95 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.797 male(s)/female
total population: 0.954 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Infant mortality rate:
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total: 2.3 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 2.5 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 2.07 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
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Life expectancy at birth:
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total population: 81.8 years
male: 79.21 years
female: 84.59 years (2007 est.)
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Total fertility rate:
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1.07 children born/woman (2007 est.)
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HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
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0.2% (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
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4,100 (2003 est.) |
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HIV/AIDS - deaths:
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less than 200 (2003 est.) |
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Nationality:
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noun: Singaporean(s)
adjective: Singapore |
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Ethnic groups:
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Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000
census) |
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Religions:
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Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%, Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%,
Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%, other 0.7%, none 14.8%
(2000 census) |
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Languages:
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Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%,
Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese
dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000 census) |
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Literacy:
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definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 92.5%
male: 96.6%
female: 88.6% (2000 census)
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Republic of Singapore
conventional short form: Singapore
local long form: Republic of Singapore
local short form: Singapore |
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Government type:
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parliamentary republic |
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Capital:
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name: Singapore
geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington,
DC during Standard Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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none |
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Independence:
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9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation) |
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National holiday:
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National Day, 9 August (1965) |
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Constitution:
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3 June 1959; amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of
Singapore Constitution) |
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Legal system:
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based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
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Suffrage:
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21 years of age; universal and compulsory |
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: President S R NATHAN (since 1
September 1999)
note: uses S R NATHAN but his full name and the one
used in formal communications is Sellapan RAMANATHAN
head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong
(since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since
12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12
August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR
(since 12 August 2004) and WONG Kan Seng (since 1 September
2005)
cabinet: appointed by president, responsible to
parliament
elections: president elected by popular vote for
six-year term; appointed on 17 August 2005 - (next election
to be held by August 2011); following legislative elections,
leader of majority party or leader of majority coalition is
usually appointed prime minister by president; deputy prime
ministers appointed by president
election results: Sellapan Rama (S R) NATHAN
appointed president in August 2005 after Presidential
Elections Committee disqualified three other would-be
candidates; scheduled election not held |
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Legislative branch:
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unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular
vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there
are up to nine nominated members; up to three losing
opposition candidates who came closest to winning seats may
be appointed as "nonconstituency" members
elections: last held on 6 May 2006 (next to be held
in 2011)
election results: percent of vote by party - PAP
66.6%, WP 16.3%, SDA 13%, SDP 4.1%; seats by party - PAP 82,
WP 1, SDA 1
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president
with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are
appointed by the president with the advice of the chief
justice); Court of Appeals |
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Political parties and leaders:
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People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; Singapore
Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong]; Singapore
Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Workers' Party or
WP [Sylvia LIM Swee Lian]
note: SDA includes National Solidarity Party or NSP,
Singapore Justice Party or SJP, Singapore National Malay
Organization or PKMS, Singapore People's Party or SPP |
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Political pressure groups and leaders:
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NA |
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International organization participation:
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APEC, APT, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, G-77, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO,
IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM,
OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee
chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC
20008
telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100
FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876
consulate(s) general: San Francisco
consulate(s): New York |
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Diplomatic representation from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador Patricia L. HERBOLD
embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508
mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001
telephone: [65] 6476-9100
FAX: [65] 6476-9340 |
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Flag description:
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two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the
hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white
crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially
enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
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Economy - overview:
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Singapore has a highly-developed and successful free-market
economy. It enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free
environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP equal to
that of the four largest West European countries. The
economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in consumer
electronics and information technology products. It was hard
hit from 2001-03 by the global recession, by the slump in
the technology sector, and by an outbreak of Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, which curbed tourism
and consumer spending. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates,
a surge in exports, and internal flexibility led to vigorous
growth in 2004-06 with real GDP growth averaging 7%
annually. The government hopes to establish a new growth
path that will be less vulnerable to the global demand cycle
for information technology products - it has attracted major
investments in pharmaceuticals and medical technology
production - and will continue efforts to establish
Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub.
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GDP (purchasing power parity):
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$141.2 billion (2006 est.) |
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GDP (official exchange rate):
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$122.1 billion (2006 est.) |
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GDP - real growth rate:
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7.9% (2006 est.) |
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GDP - per capita (PPP):
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$31,400 (2006 est.) |
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GDP - composition by sector:
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agriculture: 0%
industry: 34.8%
services: 65.2% (2006 est.) |
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Labor force:
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2.47 million (2006 est.) |
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Labor force - by occupation:
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manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and
communication 11%, financial, business, and other services
39%, other 26% (2003) |
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Unemployment rate:
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3.1% (2006 est.) |
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Population below poverty line:
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NA% |
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Household income or consumption by percentage share:
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lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
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Distribution of family income - Gini index:
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42.5 (1998)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices):
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1% (2006 est.) |
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Investment (gross fixed):
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23.1% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Budget:
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revenues: $19.56 billion
expenditures: $18.8 billion; including capital
expenditures of $5.1 billion (2006 est.) |
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Public debt:
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98.3% of GDP (2006 est.) |
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Agriculture - products:
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rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables; poultry, eggs;
fish, ornamental fish |
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Industries:
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electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling
equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber
products, processed food and beverages, ship repair,
offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot
trade |
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Industrial production growth rate:
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12.6% (2006 est.) |
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Electricity - production:
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35.92 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - consumption:
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33.99 billion kWh (2005) |
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Electricity - exports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Electricity - imports:
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0 kWh (2005)
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Oil - production:
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9,701 bbl/day (2004 est.) |
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Oil - consumption:
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800,000 bbl/day (2005 est.) |
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Oil - exports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - imports:
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NA bbl/day |
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Oil - proved reserves:
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0 bbl |
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Natural gas - production:
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0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - consumption:
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6.339 billion cu m (2005 est.)
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Natural gas - exports:
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0 cu m (2005 est.) |
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Natural gas - imports:
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6.339 billion cu m
note: from Indonesia and Malaysia (2005) |
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Current account balance:
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$41.29 billion (2006 est.) |
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Exports:
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$289.4 billion f.o.b. (2006 est.)
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Exports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer
goods, chemicals, mineral fuels
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Exports - partners:
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Malaysia 13.1%, US 10.2%, Hong Kong 10.1%, China 9.7%,
Indonesia 9.2%, Japan 5.5%, Thailand 4.2% (2006) |
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Imports:
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$244.6 billion (2006 est.) |
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Imports - commodities:
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machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals,
foodstuffs |
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Imports - partners:
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Malaysia 13%, US 12.7%, China 11.4%, Japan 8.3%, Taiwan
6.4%, Indonesia 6.2%, South Korea 4.4% (2006) |
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Economic aid - recipient:
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$NA |
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Reserves of foreign exchange and gold:
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$136.3 billion (2006 est.) |
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Debt - external:
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$24.36 billion (2006 est.) |
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Stock of direct foreign investment - at home:
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$189.7 billion
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Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad:
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$NA |
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Market value of publicly traded shares:
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$208.3 billion (2005)
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Currency (code):
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Singapore dollar (SGD) |
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Exchange rates:
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Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.5889 (2006), 1.6644
(2005), 1.6902 (2004), 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002) |
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Fiscal year:
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1 April - 31 March
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Airports:
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8 (2007) |
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Airports - with paved runways:
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total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2007) |
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Pipelines:
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gas 139 km; refined products 8 km (2006) |
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Roadways:
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total: 3,234 km
paved: 3,234 km (includes 150 km of expressways)
(2005) |
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Merchant marine:
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total: 1,131 ships (1000 GRT or over) 33,237,005 GRT/52,487,127
DWT
by type: bulk carrier 167, cargo 85, carrier 1,
chemical tanker 156, container 231, liquefied gas 72,
livestock carrier 2, petroleum tanker 355, refrigerated
cargo 6, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 7, vehicle
carrier 46
foreign-owned: 652 (Australia 6, Bangladesh 2,
Belgium 8, China 19, Denmark 68, France 1, Germany 18,
Greece 14, Hong Kong 37, India 9, Indonesia 56, Italy 4,
Japan 108, South Korea 7, Malaysia 28, Norway 125,
Philippines 4, Slovenia 1, Sweden 17, Switzerland 2, Taiwan
60, Thailand 20, UAE 8, UK 13, US 17)
registered in other countries: 293 (Bahamas 9, Belize
3, Bermuda 1, Bolivia 1, Cambodia 2, Cayman Islands 10,
Cyprus 1, Dominica 8, France 2, Honduras 10, Hong Kong 11,
Indonesia 26, Isle of Man 2, Kiribati 1, Liberia 42,
Malaysia 22, Marshall Islands 12, Mongolia 12, Nigeria 1,
Norway 1, Panama 83, Philippines 1, St Vincent and The
Grenadines 6, Thailand 2, Tuvalu 13, US 11, unknown 4)
(2007)
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Ports and terminals:
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Singapore
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This page was last updated on 15
November, 2007
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