Geography
- Full country name: Republic of Singapore
- Population: 5.18 million (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2011)
- Border countries: Singapore is an island in South East Asia, with Malaysia to the north and Indonesia to the south.
- Climate: tropical with hot, humid weather all year round. Singapore has two distinct monsoon seasons, the north-eastern season (December to March) and the south-western season (June to September). November to December are the wettest months.
- Terrain: generally flat lowland.
- Natural hazards: unrestricted burning in neighbouring Indonesia periodically causes atmospheric pollution to rise to unhealthy levels. Localised flash flooding can occur occasionally.
Living in Singapore
- Cost of living: rent in Singapore is more expensive than in many other Asian countries and is comparable with UK prices. Food prices are very low compared to the UK, as are entertainment costs.
- Utilities: utility costs are comparable to UK prices.
- Internet domain: .sg
- Health: healthcare is excellent but also very expensive and medical insurance is advised. Avoid poorly cooked food, particularly seafood, and be cautious of certain types of fish that contain biotoxins, even if cooked. There is a risk of dengue fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. There is no commercially available vaccine, so taking the usual precautions against mosquitoes is important.
- Laws and customs: there are severe penalties for all drug offences and the death penalty is imposed for those found guilty of drug trafficking. A wide range of offences, including vandalism and visa overstaying, can carry a penalty of corporal punishment. On-the-spot fines are very common and are issued for offences such as smoking in public places, jaywalking and littering.
Economy and finance
- Currency: Singapore Dollar (SGD or S$).
- Type of economy: free market economy.
- Health of economy: although Singapore has been affected by the global economic downturn, its strong economy is recovering. More than half of its domestic production is exported and it relies heavily on its export partners to keep its economy buoyant. The government has set out plans to protect jobs, stimulate bank lending, enhance business cash flow and competitiveness and develop infrastructure.
- Unemployment rate: 2.1% (Department of Statistics Singapore, 2011).
- Main exports: machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, pharmaceuticals and other chemicals, mineral fuels.
Culture
- People: Chinese, Malays, Indian.
- Major religion: Singapore is a multi-religious society with a Buddhist majority (42.5%). Other religions include Islam, Taoism, Christianity and Hinduism (World Factbook, 2011).
- History: see BBC Timeline: Singapore
.
- Local etiquette: introductions are always done in order of age or status. Gifts are not opened when received. Do not give alcohol as a gift. Chinese, Indian and Malay gift-giving traditions are different. Personal relationships are the cornerstone of all business relationships and take time to develop. Business links are often based on ethnicity, education or working for the same company. Punctuality is vital.
Politics
- Type of government: republic and parliamentary democracy.
- Major political parties: People's Action Party (PAP) won 60.1% of the vote at the last election and holds 81 seats in parliament. Opposition parties include the National Solidarity Party (NSP), Workers' Party (WP), Singapore Democratic Alliance (SDA) and Singapore Democratic Party (SDP).
Travel advice
Find the latest travel advice and a traveller’s checklist on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
website.
