Singapore
Republic of Singapore
Population
6.08M
Area
719 km²
GDP
$547.39B
GDP Per Capita
$132,600
Pop. Density
8,457/km²
Quick Facts
Currency
$Singapore dollar(SGD)
Calling Code
+65
Timezone
UTC+08:00
Languages
English, Chinese, Malay +1
Driving Side
left
Demonym
Singaporean
Background
Historical Trends
GDP (USD)
↑268.3% since 2006Population
↑37.2% since 2006Life Expectancy at Birth
Latest: 82.9 yearsData source: World Bank Open Data
Geography17
Location
Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Geographic coordinates
1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references
Southeast Asia
Area
land: 709.2 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.
Land boundaries
Coastline
193 km
Maritime claims
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
Climate
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
Terrain
lowlying, gently undulating central plateau
Elevation
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
Natural resources
fish, deepwater ports
Land use
agricultural land
agricultural land: arable land
agricultural land: permanent crops
agricultural land: permanent pasture
forest
other
Irrigated land
0 sq km (2022)
Population distribution
most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas
Natural hazards
flash floods
Geography - note
focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes; consists of about 60 islands, the largest of which by far is Pulau Ujong; land reclamation has removed many former islands and created a number of new ones
People & Society35
Population
male: 3,040,862
female: 3,039,683
Nationality
adjective: Singapore
Ethnic groups
Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.)
Languages
major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)
世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)
Religions
Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.)
Age structure
15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,157,441/female 2,126,799)
65 years and over: 14.3% (2024 est.) (male 400,653/female 463,061)
Dependency ratios
youth dependency ratio: 20.5 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 21.2 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 4.7 (2025 est.)
Median age
male: 38 years
female: 40.6 years
Population growth rate
0.85% (2025 est.)
Birth rate
8.77 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Death rate
4.38 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Net migration rate
4.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Population distribution
most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas
Urbanization
rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas - population
6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023)
Sex ratio
0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female
total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
30.5 years (2015 est.)
Maternal mortality ratio
6 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Infant mortality rate
male: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births
Life expectancy at birth
male: 84 years
female: 89.5 years
Total fertility rate
1.18 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Gross reproduction rate
0.58 (2025 est.)
Drinking water source
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Health expenditure
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 18.1% of national budget (2022 est.)
Physician density
2.83 physicians/1,000 population (2022)
Hospital bed density
2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Sanitation facility access
improved: total: total: 100% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: urban: urban: 0% of population (2022 est.)
unimproved: total: total: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
6.1% (2016)
Alcohol consumption per capita
beer: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
male: 27.6% (2025 est.)
female: 3.8% (2025 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
43.8% (2020 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 18: 0.1% (2023)
Education expenditure
Education expenditure (% national budget): 12% national budget (2025 est.)
Literacy
male: 98.9% (2021 est.)
female: 96.4% (2021 est.)
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
male: 17 years (2022 est.)
female: 17 years (2022 est.)
Government23
Country name
conventional short form: Singapore
local long form: Republic of Singapore
local short form: Singapore
etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country
Government type
parliamentary republic
Capital
geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E
time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country
Administrative divisions
no first-order administrative divisions; five community development councils: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019)
Legal system
English common law
Constitution
amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in the second and third readings by the elected Parliament membership and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting sovereignty or control of the Police Force or the Armed Forces requires at least two-thirds majority vote in a referendum
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Citizenship
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore
dual citizenship recognized: no
residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years
Suffrage
21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch
chief of state
head of government
cabinet
election/appointment process
most recent election date
election results
2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote - THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (independent) 70.4%, NG Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 13.9%
2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate
expected date of next election
Legislative branch
legislature name
legislative structure
number of seats
electoral system
scope of elections
term in office
most recent election date
parties elected and seats per party
percentage of women in chamber
expected date of next election
Judicial branch
judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; judges usually serve until retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended
subordinate courts: district, magistrates', juvenile, family, community, and coroners' courts; small claims tribunals; employment claims tribunals
Political parties
Workers' Party or WPS
there are 13 additional active political parties in Singapore
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission
chancery
telephone
FAX
email address and website
consulate(s) general
consulate(s)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission
embassy
mailing address
telephone
FAX
email address and website
International organization participation
ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNOOSA, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Independence
9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
National holiday
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Flag
meaning: red stands for brotherhood and equality, and white for purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the stars represent the national ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality
National symbol(s)
lion, merlion (mythical half-lion, half-fish creature), orchid
National color(s)
red, white
National anthem(s)
lyrics/music: Zubir SAID
history: adopted 1959; the anthem is sung only in Malay; first four lines of the melody are used as a presidential salute
National heritage
selected World Heritage Site locales: Singapore Botanic Gardens
Economy29
Economic overview
high-income, service-based economy; global financial hub; business-friendly policies and open to investment and trade; inflation easing but persistent in services; public investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure; strong human capital development challenged by aging population
Real GDP (purchasing power parity)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $766.662 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $752.948 billion (2022 est.)
Real GDP growth rate
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 1.8% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 4.1% (2022 est.)
Real GDP per capita
Real GDP per capita 2023: $129,600 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $133,600 (2022 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate)
$547.387 billion (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 4.8% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 6.1% (2022 est.)
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
industry: 21.4% (2024 est.)
services: 73% (2024 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption
government consumption
investment in fixed capital
investment in inventories
exports of goods and services
imports of goods and services
Agricultural products
chicken, eggs, vegetables, pork, duck, spinach, lettuce, pork offal, cabbages, pork fat (2023)
Industries
electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, biomedical products, scientific instruments, telecommunication equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, entrepot trade
Industrial production growth rate
4.2% (2024 est.)
Labor force
3.722 million (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.5% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.6% (2022 est.)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
male: 5.6% (2024 est.)
female: 10.8% (2024 est.)
Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income
Average household expenditures
on alcohol and tobacco: 1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Remittances
Remittances 2022: 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 0% of GDP (2021 est.)
Budget
expenditures: $73.144 billion (2022 est.)
Public debt
Taxes and other revenues
13.9% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Current account balance
Current account balance 2023: $89.403 billion (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: $93.771 billion (2022 est.)
Exports
Exports 2023: $917.683 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $947.355 billion (2022 est.)
Exports - partners
Hong Kong 13%, China 11%, USA 10%, Malaysia 9%, S. Korea 6% (2023)
Exports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, machinery, vaccines, gold (2023)
Imports
Imports 2023: $728.5 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $744.364 billion (2022 est.)
Imports - partners
China 15%, Malaysia 11%, Taiwan 11%, USA 10%, S. Korea 6% (2023)
Imports - commodities
integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2023)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $359.835 billion (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $296.629 billion (2022 est.)
Exchange rates
Currency
Exchange rates 2024
Exchange rates 2023
Exchange rates 2022
Exchange rates 2021
Exchange rates 2020
Energy7
Electricity access
Electricity
consumption: 56.672 billion kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 169.447 million kWh (2023 est.)
Electricity generation sources
solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Coal
exports: 97 metric tons (2023 est.)
imports: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
Natural gas
exports: 399.452 million cubic meters (2023 est.)
imports: 13.973 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Energy consumption per capita
Communications6
Telephones - fixed lines
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2023 est.)
Telephones - mobile cellular
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 171 (2024 est.)
Broadcast media
state-controlled broadcast media; 6 domestic TV stations operated by state-owned MediaCorp; broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian stations available; satellite dishes banned; multi-channel cable TV services available; 19 domestic radio stations, including 11 for MediaCorp, 5 for state-linked Singapore Press Holdings, 2 for Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association, and 1 for BBC Radio; Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations available (2019)
Internet country code
.sg
Internet users
Broadband - fixed subscriptions
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.)
Transportation5
Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
9V
Airports
9 (2025)
Heliports
1 (2025)
Merchant marine
by type: bulk carrier 591, container ship 604, general cargo 107, oil tanker 600, other 1,300
Ports
total ports
large
medium
small
very small
ports with oil terminals
key ports
Military & Security7
Military and security forces
Ministry of Home Affairs: Singapore Police Force (SPF; includes Police Coast Guard and the Gurkha Contingent) (2025)
Military expenditures
Military Expenditures 2023: 3% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 3% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 3% of GDP (2020 est.)
Military and security service personnel strengths
information varies; approximately 55,000 active-duty Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2025)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the SAF has a diverse and modern mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems from such suppliers as France, Germany, and the US; Singapore has a small but sophisticated defense industry, which produces armaments such as armored vehicles and naval warships (2025)
Military service age and obligation
18 years of age for voluntary enlistment for men and women (16.5 for early enlistment program with parental consent); 18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 24-month conscript service obligation (2026)
Military deployments
maintains permanent training detachments of military personnel in Australia, France, and the US (2025)
Military - note
Singapore is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; Singapore also has close security ties with the US, including granting the US military access, basing, and overflight privileges
the SAF's roots go back to 1854 when the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps was formed under colonial rule; the first battalion of regular soldiers, the First Singapore Infantry Regiment, was organized in 1957; the modern SAF was established in 1965 (2025)