Geography
Area | : | 685 sq. km (264 sq. miles) |
Capital |
: | Singapore (country is a city-state) |
Terrain | : | Lowland |
Climate | : | Tropical |
People
Population (2006):
4.48 million (including permanent residents, foreign
workers)
Annual growth rate:
3.3%
Ethnic groups:
Chinese-77%; Malays-14%;Indians-8%
Religions:
Buddhist, Taoist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu
Languages:
English, Mandarin and other Chinese dialects, Malay, Tamil
Education:
Years compulsory-six; Attendance-94%; Literacy-94.6%
Health:
Infant mortality rate-2.11,000; Life expectancy-78 yrs (male), 82
yrs (female)
Work force (2006, 2.49 million):
Manufacturing-21%; Services-68%, Construction-10%, Others-1%
Government
Singapore, an independent republic since 1965, has a unicameral parliament which serves a term of five years after its first sitting. Elections must be held within three months of a dissolution of parliament. There is universal and compulsory suffrage. For more information, visit SINGOV (http://www.gov.sg), the official Singapore Government website.
Local Time, Business Hours, and Holidays
Singapore is twelve hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Savings or thirteen hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Normal business hours are 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday. Government of Singapore agencies and many private sector companies are closed for business on Saturday. Shops are normally open everyday from 10:00 am – 9:00 p.m.
The American Embassy closes on American and local holidays. The dates on which holidays are observed in 2007 are listed below:
January 1, Monday - Hari Raya Haji
January 2, Tuesday - New Year's Day
January 15, Monday - Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
February 18-20, Sun-Tue - Chinese New Year
February 19, Monday - Washington’s Birthday
April 6, Friday - Good Friday
Transportation
Changi Airport and Singapore's seaport are among the best facilities in the world. There is an extensive road network and a modern, efficient Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system serving major business and shopping districts as well as several residential districts.
Website
Find more information about Singapore at: http://www.sg