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'Singapore' (; ; , ''Ciŋkappūr''), officially the 'Republic of Singapore' (; ; , ''Ciŋkappūr Kudiyarasu''), is an island nation located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. It lies 137 kilometers (85 miles) north of the Equator, south of the Malaysian state of Johor and north of Indonesia's Riau Islands. At 704.0 km² (272 square miles), it is one of the few remaining city-states in the world and the smallest country in Southeast Asia.
When the main island was colonized by the British East India Company in 1819 it contained a fishing village sparsely populated by indigenous Malays and Orang Lauts at the mouth of the Singapore River. The British used the position as a strategic trading outpost along the spice route.^[1] Occupied by the Japanese Empire during World War II, it reverted to British rule in 1945 and was later part of the merger which established Malaysia in 1963. Two years later it left the federation and became an independent republic on August 9 1965. The new republic was admitted to the United Nations on September 21 that same year.
Since independence, Singapore's standard of living has risen dramatically. Foreign investment and government-led island-wide industrialization have created a modern economy based on electronics and manufacturing, featuring entrepôt and financial trade centering around the country's strategic location. In terms of GDP per capita, Singapore is the 18th wealthiest country in the world.^[2] The geographically small nation has a foreign reserve of S$212 billion (US$139 billion).^[3]
The Constitution of the Republic of Singapore established the city-state's political system as a representative democracy, while the country is recognized as a parliamentary republic.^[4] The People's Action Party (PAP) dominates the political process and has won control of Parliament in every election since self-government in 1959.^[5]

Contents

History

Origin of name

First settlement

World War II

Independence

Politics and government

Geography and climate

Economy

Military

Demographics

Population

Religion

Languages

Architecture

Culture

Cuisine

Performing arts

Sport and recreation

Education

Transport

International

Domestic

Major International rankings

Notes

References

External links

History

Main articles: History of Singapore

Origin of name

The name ''Singapura'' is derived from the Malay words ''singa'' (lion) and ''pura'' (city), which in turn is from the Tamil-Sanskrit சிங்க ''singa'' सिंह and पुर புர .^[6] According to the Malay Annals, this name was given by a 14th century Sumatran Malay prince named Sang Nila Utama, who, on alighting the island after a thunderstorm, spotted an auspicious beast on shore that his chief minister identified as a lion (Asiatic Lion). ^[7]
Recent studies of Singapore indicate that lions have never lived there, and the beast seen by Sang Nila Utama was likely a tiger.

First settlement

The first records of settlement in Singapore are from the second century AD.^[8] The island was an outpost of the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and originally bore the Javanese name ''Temasek'' ('sea town'). 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. Between the 16th and early 19th centuries, Singapore island was part of the Sultanate of Johor. During the Malay-Portugal wars in 1613, the settlement was set ablaze by Portuguese troops.^[9] 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.

On 29 January 1819, Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles landed on the main island. Sighting its potential, Raffles signed a treaty with Sultan Hussein Shah on behalf of the British East India Company to develop Singapore as a trading post and settlement, marking the start of the island's modern era. Raffles's deputy, William Farquhar, oversaw a period of growth and ethnic migration. The British India office governed the island from 1858, but Singapore was made a British crown colony in 1867, answerable directly to the Crown. By 1869 the island boasted a sizeable community of 100,000.^[10]

World War II

During World War II, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded Malaya, culminating in the Battle of Singapore. The ill-prepared British were defeated in six days, and surrendered the supposedly impregnable "Bastion of the Empire" to General Tomoyuki Yamashita on 15 February 1942 in what is now known as the British Empire's greatest military defeat. The Japanese renamed Singapore , from Japanese , 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.^[11]
The name Shōnantō was, at the time, romanized as "Syonan-to" or "Syonan".

Independence

Singapore became a self-governing state in 1959 with Yusof bin Ishak its first ''Yang di-Pertuan Negara'' and Lee Kuan Yew its first Prime Minister. Following the 1962 Merger Referendum of Singapore, Singapore joined Malaya, along with Sabah and Sarawak, to form the Federation of Malaysia on 16 September 1963, but was expelled two years later after heated ideological conflict between the state's PAP government and the federal Kuala Lumpur government. Singapore officially gained sovereignty on 9 August 1965.^[12] Yusof bin Ishak was sworn in as the first President of Singapore and Lee Kuan Yew remained prime minister.

The fledgling nation had to be self-sufficient, and faced problems like mass unemployment, housing shortages, and a dearth of land and natural resources. During Lee Kuan Yew's term as prime minister from 1959 to 1990, his administration curbed widespread unemployment, raised the standard of living, and implemented a large-scale public housing programme. The country's economic infrastructure was developed, the threat of racial tension was curbed, and an independent national defence system, centering around compulsory male military service, was created.
In 1990, Goh Chok Tong succeeded Lee as Prime Minister. During his tenure, the country tackled the impacts of the 1997 Asian financial crisis, the 2003 SARS outbreak, and terrorist threats posed by the Jemaah Islamiyah group post-September 11.
In 2004, Lee Hsien Loong, the eldest son of Lee Kuan Yew, became the third prime minister.^[13] Amongst his more notable decisions is the plan to open two Integrated Resorts (which include legalised casinos) to attract more foreign tourists.

Politics and government

Main articles: Politics of Singapore

Singapore is a republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing different constituencies. The bulk of the executive powers rests with the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister. 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.^[14] 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.
Parliamentary elections in Singapore are plurality-based for group representation constituencies since the Parliamentary Elections Act was modified in 1991.^[15]
Singaporean politics have been controlled by the People's Action Party (PAP) since self-government was attained.^[16] 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. Many analysts consider Singapore to be more of an illiberal or procedural democracy than a true democracy. The Economist Intelligence Unit lists Singapore as a country with a "hybrid" system comprised of democratic and authoritarian elements. Freedom House ranks the country as "partly free".^[17] 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. Francis Seow, the exiled former solicitor-general of Singapore, is a prominent critic. 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.^[18]
Singapore has a highly successful and transparent market economy. Government-linked companies are dominant in various sectors of the local economy, such as media, utilities, and public transport. Singapore has consistently been rated as the least-corrupt country in Asia and among the world's ten freest from corruption by Transparency International.^[19]

Singapore is divided into 55 urban planning areas, grouped into 5 regions.

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. 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.^[20] 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. Amnesty International has criticised Singapore for having "possibly the highest execution rate in the world" per capita.^[21] 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.^[22] However, despite restrictions on public gatherings in Singapore, a small group of activists has organised events in 2005 and 2006 protesting against the country's use of the death penalty.^[23]

Geography and climate

Main articles: Geography and climate of Singapore

Singapore consists of 63 islands, including the main island itself. There are two connections to Johor — the man-made Johor-Singapore Causeway in the north, and the Tuas Second Link in the west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of Singapore's many smaller islands. The highest natural point of Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill (166 metres, 538 ft).
The urban area used to only be concentrated on the south of Singapore, around the mouth of the Singapore River and what is now the Downtown Core, while the rest of the land was undeveloped tropical rainforest or used for agriculture. 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 is the government agency responsible for urban planning.
Singapore has an on-going land reclamation project with earth obtained from its own hills, the sea-bed, and neighbouring countries. As a result, Singapore's land area grew from 581.5 square kilometres (224.5 sq mi) in the 1960s to 699.3 square kilometres (269.1 sq mi) today, and may grow by another 100 square kilometres (38.6 sq mi) by 2030.^[24] Many of the smaller islands have been expanded and joined together through land reclamation in order to form larger, more functional islands, such as in the case of Jurong Island.

Under the Köppen climate classification system, Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate with no distinct seasons. Its climate is characterized by uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures range from 22 °C to 34 °C (72°–93 °F). On average, the relative humidity is around 90 percent in the morning and 60 percent in the afternoon. During prolonged heavy rain, relative humidity often reaches 100 percent.^[25] The lowest and highest temperatures recorded in its maritime history are 18.4 °C (65.1 °F) and 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) respectively. The highest wind speed recorded is 150 km/h on 26 May, 2007. June and July are the hottest months, while November and December make up the wetter monsoon season. From August to October, there is often haze, sometimes severe enough to prompt public health warnings, due to bushfires in neighbouring Indonesia. 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.^[26] Urbanization has eliminated many areas of former primary rainforest, with the only remaining area of primary rainforest being Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. A variety of parks are maintained with human intervention, such as the Singapore Botanic Gardens.
Without natural freshwater rivers and lakes, the primary domestic source of water supply in Singapore is rainfall, collected in reservoirs or catchment areas. Rainfall supplies approximately 50 percent of Singapore's water; the remainder is imported from Malaysia or obtained from recycled water facilities and desalination plants. More NEWater and desalination plants are being built or proposed to reduce reliance on foreign supply.^[27]

Economy

Main articles: Economy of Singapore, Tourism in Singapore


Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy, which historically revolves around extended entrepot trade. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on exports refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing. Manufacturing constitutes 28 percent of Singapore's GDP in 2005. The manufacturing industry is well-diversified into electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences manufacturing. Singapore is the busiest port in the world in terms of tonnage shipped. ^[28] Singapore is the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading centre after London, New York City and Tokyo.^[29]
Singapore has been rated as the most business-friendly economy in the world, with thousands of foreign expatriates working in multi-national corporations. ^[30] The city-state also employs tens of thousands of foreign blue-collared workers from around the world.

In 2001, a global recession and slump in the technology sector caused the GDP to contract by 2.2 percent. The Economic Review Committee (ERC), set up in December 2001, 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 ^[31] and 7.9 percent in 2006.^[32] 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. ^[33] 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 2005 was US$26,833^[34] and the unemployment rate was 2.4 percent as of 31 July 2007, a record six year low. ^[35] In 2006, there were 173,000 new jobs being created, a record high. In the first half of Year 2007, 111,000 new jobs were created, reaching another breaking record.

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$1.6 billion and stabilizing government finances.^[36] The taxable GST was increased to 4 percent in 2003, to 5 percent in 2004,^[37]and to 7 percent on 1st July 2007.^[38]
Singapore is a popular travel destination, making tourism one of its largest industries. About 9.7 million tourists visited Singapore in 2006.^[39] The Orchard Road district is the centre of shopping hub in Singapore. To attract more tourists, the government decided in 2005 to legalise gambling and to allow two Integrated Resorts to be developed at Marina South and Sentosa.^[40] To compete with its many rivals such as Hong Kong, Tokyo and Shanghai, the government has announced that the city area would be transformed into a more vibrant and exciting place with more buzz by lighting up the city completely. Other than the Integrated Resort, about 15 new developments are coming up, which include the Singapore Flyer, which would be the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the Gardens by the Bay and a 280-metre Double Helix Bridge. Cuisine has been heavily promoted as an attraction for tourists, with the Singapore Food Festival in July organized annually to celebrate Singapore's cuisine.
Singapore is also growing its medical tourism sector. In 2003, 230,000 foreigners sought medical care in the country, and Singapore Medical services are aiming to serve one million foreign patients annually by 2012, and in doing so generate $3 billion in revenue and create at least 13,000 new jobs within the health industries [2]. Singapore hospitals are actively engaged in international healthcare accreditation, at least partly as a by-product of this desire to grow the income from medical tourism.
Under the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), Wireless@SG is a government-initiated initiative to build Singapore's Infocomm infrastructure. Working through IDA's Call-for-Collaboration, SingTel, iCell and QMax will deploy a wireless network throughout Singapore where users can enjoy free wireless access through Wi-Fi under the "basic-tier" package offered by all three operators.

Military

Main articles: Military of Singapore, Total Defence


The military of Singapore serves primarily as a deterrent to potential invaders of the island as well as to frequently provide humanitarian assistance to other countries. Singapore has mutual defence pacts with several countries, most notably the Five Power Defence Arrangements. The country subscribes to a philosophy of Total Defence, which identifies five aspects of a holistic national defence.
The military of Singapore includes the Singapore Army, the Republic of Singapore Navy, and the Republic of Singapore Air Force, collectively known as the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) oversees its functioning, with some private companies also playing a supporting role. Singapore requires that all males from 18 to 40 years of age (50 for commissioned officers), except those with certain medical or other exemptions, to become reservists after completing mandatory National Service duty. More than 350,000 men serve as operationally-ready servicemen assigned to reservist combat units, another 60,000 men form the full-time national service and regular core.
The recent rise in unconventional warfare and terrorism has cast increasing emphasis on the non-military aspects of defence. The Gurkha Contingent, part of the Singapore Police Force, is also a counter-terrorist force. 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 both passengers and SOF personnel. A current concern is Jemaah Islamiyah, a militant Islamic group whose plan to attack the Australian High Commission was ultimately foiled in 2001.
Singapore's defence resources have been used in international humanitarian aid missions, including United Nations peacekeeping assignments in Kosovo, Kuwait and East Timor,^[41] and participating in the multinational force in Iraq.^[42] 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. In the recent Tsunami, the RSAF deployed 3 landing ship tanks, 12 Super Puma and 8 Chinook helicopters to various countries for relief operations.

Demographics

Population

Main articles: Demographics of Singapore

Singapore is the second-most densely populated country in the world, not including Macau and Hong Kong, which have now become parts of the People's Republic of China. While the total population living in Singapore as of June 2006 is about 4.5 million, official demographic breakdowns and statistical analysis are only released for the 3.6 million who are Singaporean citizens and permanent residents (termed 'Singapore Residents').
After two decades of a successful family planning policy, Singapore is now facing an aging population and declining birth rate. The government is encouraging Singaporeans to have more children through the provision of financial incentives for the first to fourth child of each family.^[43]
In 2006, 38,232 babies were born, compared to around 37,600 in 2005. The number, however, is still not sufficient to maintain the population. Singapore's large number of immigrants has kept Singapore's population from declining.^[44]

Religion

Main articles: Religion in Singapore

Singapore is also a multi-religious country. Around 51 percent of Singaporeans practice Buddhism and Taoism. About 15 percent, mostly Chinese and Indians, practice Christianity. Muslims constitute 16 percent, of whom Malays account just over 13 percent. Smaller minorities practise Sikhism, Hinduism, and others, according to the 2000 census.^[45] About 15 percent of the population have no religious affiliation.

Languages

Main articles: Languages of Singapore

The national language of Singapore is Malay for historical reasons, and it is used in the national anthem, "Majulah Singapura". The official languages are English, Mandarin, Malay and Tamil. English has been promoted as the country's language of administration since independence, and it is spoken by the majority of the population, especially the young. Public signs and official publications are in English, although there are usually translated versions in the other official languages.
The English used is primarily British English, with some American English influences. The local colloquial dialect of English is Singlish, which has many creole-like characteristics, having incorporated vocabulary and grammar from various Chinese dialects, Malay, and Indian languages. Singlish is spoken commonly on the streets, but the government frowns upon its use in official contexts. 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.

Architecture

Main articles: Architecture of Singapore


The architecture of Singapore is varied, reflecting the ethnic build-up of the country. Singapore has several ethnic neighbourhoods, including Chinatown and Little India. These were formed under the Raffles Plan to segregate the immigrants, but now have a more diverse patronage. 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. Work is now underway to preserve these religious sites as National Monuments of Singapore.
Due to the lack of available space, few historical buildings remain in the centre of the Central Business District (CBD) of Singapore - the Fullerton Hotel and the previously-moved Lau Pa Sat being some exceptions. 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. Many classical buildings were destroyed during the post-war decades, up until the 1990s, when things completely changed and the government started very strict programs to conserve the many remaining buildings and whole areas that are of historic and aesthetic 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. Singapore has also become a centre for modern, or more correctly, postmodern 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 famous tourist attraction in Singapore. Plans for tall buildings must be reviewed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.^[46] No building in Singapore may be taller than 280 metres.^[47] The three tallest buildings in Singapore, namely Republic Plaza, UOB Plaza One and OUB Centre, are all 280 metres in height.
In addition, some interesting signs of Singapore's colonial past remain in the form of "Black and White Houses". These large houses are situated further away from the CBD and were built in the early to mid 19th century. These homes were built to house the British generals and governors when Britain occupied the country. Later, they became home to many Japanese generals after the fall of Singapore during World War II.

Culture

Main articles: 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.^[48] There also exist significant Eurasian and ''Peranakan'' (known also as 'Straits Chinese') communities. Singapore has also achieved a significant degree of cultural diffusion.

Cuisine

Main articles: 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. In Singapore's hawker centres traditionally Malay hawker stalls selling halal food may serve halal versions of traditionally Tamil food. 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. 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.

Performing arts

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'.^[49]
The highlight of these efforts was the construction of Esplanade, a centre for performing arts that opened on October 12, 2002.^[50]
An annual arts festival is also organised by the National Arts Council that incorporates theatre arts, dance, music and visual arts, among other possibilities.
A first Singapore Biennale took place in 2006 to showcase contemporary art from around the world. The next one will be in 2008 which will feature Southeast Asian works.

Sport and recreation

Main articles: Sports in Singapore

Singaporeans participate in a wide variety of sports and recreational activities. Favorite sports include soccer, swimming, badminton, basketball, rugby union and table tennis. Most people lived in public residential areas that often provide amenities including swimming pools, outdoor basketball courts as well as indoor sport centres that can be used for badminton, table tennis, volleyball among others. As one might expect on an island, watersports are very popular, including sailing, kayaking and waterskiing. Scuba diving is another popular recreation, particularly around the southern island of Pulau Hantu, which is known for its rich coral reefs.
Singaporean sportspersons, have performed relatively well in regional as well as international competitions in sports such as table tennis, badminton, bowling, sailing, silat, swimming and water polo. Sportspersons and athletes such as Fandi Ahmad, Ang Peng Siong, Li Jiawei and Ronald Susilo have become household names in the country.
Beginning in 2008, Singapore will host a round of the Formula One World Championship. The race will be staged at the Singapore Street Circuit in the Marina Bay area and may become the first race to be held at night.
In 2007, Singapore had announced it will bid to host the Youth Olympic Games in 2010. This event is expected to inspire youths in Singapore to take up sports.^[51]

Education

Main articles: Education in Singapore

Primary education in Singapore is compulsory since 2000. The literacy rate is one of the highest in Asia, at 95 percent.^[52]
The standard for the school curriculum is set by the Ministry of Education with a mix of private schools and public schools. 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".^[53] In addition, international schools catered to expatriate students, which sometimes admit local students.
There have also been complaints about excessive educational streaming at a young age; a popular local film, ''I Not Stupid'', highlights the competitiveness of the system and social stigma that students struggling with studies have to face.
After primary education, students take the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE). After secondary education, a further set of examinations are taken which determine their individual subject mastery and which kind of tertiary education they can pursue, such as junior colleges or Millennia Institute, which provide a 2-year or 3-year pre-university education route to the universities, or polytechnics, where students will graduate with a diploma. There are currently four universities; National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Management University and SIM University. There are also five polytechnics (Temasek Polytechnic, Singapore Polytechnic, Ngee Ann Polytechnic, Nanyang Polytechnic and Republic Polytechnic) in the country.
In 2004, a programme called Integrated Programme was created to remove the necessity of taking O-level examinations at Secondary 4, for more academically inclined students at certain secondary schools.
Other institutes include a teaching college to train teachers, various management institutes, and vocational education institutes such as the Institute of Technical Education (ITE). INSEAD, one of the leading business school in the world, has opened a second campus in Singapore in 2001. In parallel to the original France based campus, it offers MBA and Executive-MBA courses.
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$4.5 billion. ^[54] 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.^[55]

Transport

Main articles: Transport in Singapore

International

Singapore is a major Asian transportation hub, strategically lying on the midpoints of certain sea and air trade routes. The transportation industry comprises over 10 percent of Singapore's GDP despite an increasingly diversified economy.
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 1.15 billion gross tons, and in terms of containerised traffic, at 23.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). It was also the world's second busiest in terms of cargo tonnage, coming behind Shanghai with 423 million tons handled. In addition, the Port is the world's busiest for transhipment traffic and the world's biggest ship refuelling center.^[56]
Singapore is an aviation center, acting as a stopover point for the 'Kangaroo route' between Australasia and Europe. Singapore Changi Airport has a network of 81 airlines connecting Singapore to 179 cities in 57 countries (2005). It has been consistently rated as one of the best international airports by numerous international travel magazines. It was rated as the world's best airport in 2006 by Skytrax. The airport currently has two passenger terminals, with a third under construction, and there are plans for a fourth terminal. The national carrier is Singapore Airlines (SIA).
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. 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. The public road system is served by the nation's bus service and a number of licensed taxi-operating companies.
Since 1987, the heavy rail passenger Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) metro system has been in operation. MRT has been further augmented by the Light Rapid Transit (LRT) light rail system, which provides service to housing estates. The EZ-Link system allows contactless smartcards to serve as stored value tickets for use in the public transport systems.
More than 2.78 million people use the bus network daily, while more than 1.3 million people use either the LRT or MRT as part of their daily routine.^[57] Approximately 991,000 people use the taxi services daily. Private vehicle use in the Central Area is discouraged by tolls implemented during hours of heavy road traffic, through an Electronic Road Pricing system. Private vehicle ownership is discouraged using high vehicle taxes and imposing quotas on vehicle purchase.

Major International rankings

Downtown business district taken from East Coast Parkway heading west

;Economic

★ Doing Business project 2006 @ International Finance Corporation, World Bank, ranked 1 out of 175 economies

★ IMD International: [World Competitiveness Yearbook] [3], ranked 3 out of 60 economies in 2006 (countries and regions)

★ World Economic Forum: Global Competitiveness Report2006-2007 - Growth Competitiveness Index Ranking, ranked 5 out of 124 economies

★ A.T. Kearney/Foreign Policy Magazine: Globalization Index 2005, ranked 1 out of 62 countries

★ Heritage Foundation/The Wall Street Journal: 2007 Index of Economic Freedom, ranked 2 out of 155 countries [4]

★ The Economist: The World in 2005 - Worldwide quality-of-life index, 2005, ranked 11 out of 111 countries

★ Economist Intelligence Unit: 2006 e-readiness rankings, ranked 13 out of 68 economies

★ Transparency International: Bribe Payers Index 2006, ranked 12 out of 30 leading exporting economies

★ MasterCard: Leading Centers of Commerce [5], ranked 6 out of 50 cities

★ ECA International: World's most expensive city for rental accommodation [6], ranked 15 out of 92 countries

★ World Economic Forum: Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index [7], ranked 8 out of 124 countries

★ Mercer Human Resource Consulting: [8], ranked 14 out of 143 cities
;Educational

★ International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study, ranked 1 out of 46 economies in all four criteria

★ Educational Testing Service: 2003-2004 TOEFL Test Year Data Summary, ranked 4 out of 227 economies
;Political

★ Transparency International: Corruption Perceptions Index 2006, ranked 5 out of 163 countries and economies

★ Freedom in the World 2006 ranked Singapore 5 out of 7 for political freedom, and 4 out of 7 for civil liberties (where 1 is the most free), for an overall ranking of "partly free". Freedom House did not qualify Singapore as an "electoral democracy".

★ The Economist: The World in 2007 - Index of Democracy, ranked 84 out of 167 countries/territories
;Social

★ United Nations Development Programme: Human Development Index 2004, ranked 25 out of 177 countries

★ Reporters Without Borders: Press Freedom Index 2006, ranked 146 out of 168 countries

★ Save the Children: State of the World's Mothers 2004, ranked 16 out of 119 countries (tied with Argentina, Republic of Korea, and Uruguay)

★ Accenture: Leadership in Customer Service: [9] ranked 1 out of 22 countries

★ Reader's Digest: Manners - 31st out of 35 cities (see http://www.rd.com/content/good-manners/2/)
;Transportation

★ Skytrax: Worlds Best Airports 2007, Singapore Changi Airport ranked 2 out of 155 airports

★ Skytrax: World Airline Awards 2007, Singapore Airlines, ranked Airline of the Year

★ AAPA: World's busiest container ports, ranked 1

Notes

1. Flavours of Singapore
2.
List of GDP per capita by country Singapore is 44th (as on 2006).
3. KeyStats - Annual Statistics
4. CIA - The World Factbook - Singapore
5. Country Report: Singapore
6. Singapore
7. Early History
8. Country Studies
9. Singapore - Precolonial Era
10. Founding of Modern Singapore
11. Fall of Malaya and Singapore Ron Taylor
12. Road to Independence
13. Country profile: Singapore
14. The Presidency in Singapore
15. Parliamentary Elections Act
16. Worthington (2002), Mauzy and Milne (2002).
17. Country Report: Singapore
18. Worldwide Press Freedom Index
19. Transparency International - Corruption Perceptions Index 2006
20. Third racist blogger sentenced to 24 months supervised probation
21. Amnesty International
22. The Singapore Government's Response To Amnesty International's Report "Singapore - The Death Penalty: A Hidden Toll Of Executions"
23. Singapore forum against death penalty
24. Towards Environmental Sustainability, State of the Environment 2005 Report (PDF)
25. Climate of Singapore
26. Earthtrends country profile
27. Clean Water
28. 2006 shipping figures
29. MAS Annual Report 2005/2006
30. Singapore is ranked first in the Doing Business Report 2006 by World Bank
31. Performance of the Singapore Economy in 2005 (PDF), Ministry of Trade and Industry
32. Singapore's economy grows by 7.7 percent in 2006
33. PM Lee calls on Singaporeans to make country a special home
34. Per Capita GDP at Current Market Prices
35. Singapore's Q2 jobless rate at six-year low of 2.4 percent
36. FY 1996 Budget, Revenue And Tax Changes
37. Policy Digest: Phased GST increase
38. GST rate to rise to 7 percent from July 1
39. Record Year As Tourism Exceeds 2006 Targets With S.4 Billion Tourism Receipts And 9.7 Million Visitor Arrivals
40. Proposal to develop Integrated Resorts - Ministerial Statement by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on 18 April 2005
41. Peacekeepers :: In the Service of Peace
42. Singapore to send 192 military personnel to Iraq
43. Baby Bonus
44. Singapore's birth trend outlook remains dismal
45. Census of Population 2000 by religion, ethnic group, and gender
46. Building Height Restriction Map
47. Liechtenstein – Singapore: a comparison
48. In reality, there are very few people in Singapore who can claim to be truly indigenous to the island of Singapore. Other than people who can trace their ancestry to the small number of Orang Laut and Malay fisherfolk living on the island then, the peoples of Singapore {including the Malays} are basically descendants of immigrants who came to Singapore to take advantage of the economic opportunities made available by the founding of modern Singapore by Raffles.
49. Renaissance City Report: Culture and the Arts in Renaissance Singapore (Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts)
50. Virtual Tourist: Reviews of Esplanade (Theatres by the Bay)
51. Youth Olympic Games 2010 (Singapore)
52. Singapore in Brief 2006, Singapore Department of Statistics
53. Education System:Secondary
54. Programme For Rebuilding and Improving Existing schools (PRIME)
55. Eight More Schools to Benefit from Upgrading
56. Singapore remains world's busiest port
57. 2006 Average Daily Ridership

References

★ Singapore Politics: Under the People's Action Party, Diane K. Mauzy & R. S. Milne, , , Routledge, 2002, ISBN 0-415-24653-9

★ Governance in Singapore, Worthington, Ross, , , Routledge/Curzon, 2002, ISBN 0-7007-1474-X

★ Census 2000

★ Key Facts & Figures

★ Nation's History

★ MOE-PRIME

★ Press Releases
''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).''

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
'Travel'

★

★ Singapore Tourist Guide
'Maps'

★ WikiSatellite view of Singapore at WikiMapia