Physical Features of Singapore
Singapore is located in Southeastern Asia between the islands of Indonesia and Malaysia. The Republic of Singapore is 632.6 square kilometers in total area and has 193 kilometers of coastline which is approximately 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C. This island nation is just south of the Malay Peninsula connected by a causeway over the Straits of Johore. The granite core of the island is surrounded by lower land, much of which is marshy. The climate of Singapore is hot and humid with no clear change in seasons. Rainfall averages 2.367 mm each year with the average daytime temperature being 26.6¯ and the average nighttime temperature dropping to 23.7¯.
People and Culture
In 1993 the population of Singapore was 2,873,800 with a population density of 4,480.5 per square kilometer, which is one of the highest anywhere in the world. The population growth rate was 1.06% in 1995 with a total life expectancy of 76.16 years. 2,228,600 or 77.5% of the people are Chinese, 407,600 or 14.2% are Malay, and 204,100 or 7.1% are Indian.
The four official languages of Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. Chinese is spoken by 26% of the population and English is spoken by 20%.
The unemployment rate in 1994 was 2.6% which is very low compared with other countries including the United States.
History of Singapore
The history of Singapore goes back some 2,000 years but it was not until August 9, 1965 that Singapore got its independence from Malaysia. Singapore is currently a republic within a Commonwealth.
The president of Singapore is ONG Teng Cheong. He has been in power since September 1, 1993 with the next election being held in August of 1997. ONG Teng Cheong was elected with a majority 59% of the votes in the country's first popular election for president.
Industry and Agriculture
Singapore is home to a wide variety of industries from farming to computer production. Industries that can be found in Singapore include petroleum refining, electronics, oil drilling equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, financial services, and biotechnology.
The agriculture industry can be found to some extent but it is not of great importance to the economy of Singapore. Singapore does produce its own poultry and eggs and grows various fruits and vegetables, but it must import most other food.
Currency and Exchange Rates
The currency used in Singapore is the Singapore dollar (S$). One Singapore dollar equals 100 cents. Over the past few years, the exchange rates for Singapore dollars have been as follows: In 1995 1.4524 Singapore dollars equaled one U.S. dollar. In 1994 one U.S. dollar equaled 1.5275 Singapore dollars and in 1993, one U.S. dollar equaled 1.6158 Singapore dollars.
For more Information on Singapore visit:
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