Singapore
Singapore is a city-state. Almost all of Singapore is urbanized--that is, covered by
buildings or city facilities such as parks. Singapore is a crowded and bustling centre of
manufacturing, trade, and finance. The main business and administrative section of the
city is on the main island. There are many modern buildings which tower above the
warehouses and docks of the port. Singapore is Southeast Asia's main port, and the
busiest port in the world in terms of shipping tonnage. Singapore is one of the most
prosperous countries in Asia.
Its people enjoy high standards of health, education,
housing, transportation, and telecommunications.
Singapore consists of the main, low-lying Singapore Island and 63 smaller islands within
its territorial waters. Urban areas comprise almost 50% of the land area, while parkland,
reservoirs, plantations and open military areas occupy 40%. Singapore Island measures
approximately 42km (26mi) east to west and 23km (14mi) north to south at its widest
points. While there are built-up, high-density areas all around the island, the main city
area is in the south, built on the shores of the Singapore River. The Central Business
District (CBD) is at the southern shore of the river's mouth. Chinatown adjoins the CBD
to the southwest. To the north of the Singapore River is the colonial district, which has
many reminders of British rule. Further north again is Little India and Arab St. Orchard
Rd runs northwest from the colonial district.
To the west of the island is Jurong, an industrial area with a sprinkling of tourist
attractions. The east coast has some of the older residential areas, a major beach park and
the international airport. The northeast is the location of huge housing developments and
the central north of the island has most of Singapore's undeveloped land and remaining
forest. A 1km (0.6mi) causeway connects Singapore with Johor Bahru in Malaysia; a
second causeway has opened on the west of the island to relieve congestion.
History
According to Malay legend, a Sumatran prince encountered a lion - considered a good
omen - on Temasek, prompting him to found Singapura, or Lion City. It mattered little
that lions had never inhabited Singapore (more likely the prince had seen a tiger); what
did matter was the establishment of the region as a minor trading post for the powerful
Sumatran Srivijaya Empire and as a subsequent vassal state of the Javanese Majapahit
empire in the mid-13th century.
People have lived on what is now Singapore Island since prehistoric times. From about
the A.D. 100's to the 1200's, the present-day city of Singapore was known as Temasek, or
sea town. The name Singapore, which means lion city in Sanskrit, has been used for the
island and the city since the 1200's. The name was probably given because of the many
tigers, mistakenly called lions that inhabited the island. During the 1200's and 1300's,
Singapore harbour served as a trading centre.
A Chinese trader, Wang Da Yuan, wrote an account of his visit to the island in 1349. He
found a settlement of Malays and Chinese on terraced hillsides protected by a defensive
wall. The wall protected the people from pirates and also from attacks by Javanese from
the kingdom of Majapahit, which sought to control Temasek.
Early trading peoples from Melaka and Johor, both in Malaysia, used Temasek as a base.
The Orang Laut, or "sea people," were a fishing group who lived in houseboats near river
mouths on the island. In the 1300's, Temasek was destroyed by Majapahit forces (see
MAJAPAHIT).
Temasek then lost its importance as a trading centre and fell into
obscurity.
In 1823, ancient ruins were recorded by the British official John Crawford. He described
the ruins of buildings on Bukit Larangan (the Forbidden Hill), which was named Fort
Canning Hill by the British. In 1928, gold ornaments dating from the 1300's or earlier
were found. The so-called Singapore Stone, containing about 50 lines of undeciphered
writing in the Kawi language, was blown up in 1845 during building work, but a few
fragments were saved. A piece is preserved in the National Museum of Singapore.
The arrival of Raffles.
Singapore might have remained a quiet backwater if not for Sir Stamford Raffles'
intervention in 1819. The British had first established a presence in the Straits of Melaka
(now called Malacca) in the 18th century when the East India Company set out to secure
and protect its line of trade from China to the colonies in India. Fearing another
resurgence of expansionism in the Dutch - which had been the dominant European
trading power in the region for nearly 200 years - Raffles argued for an increased British
presence, which he was promptly given. Under his tutelage, Singapore's forlorn
reputation as a fetid, disease-ridden colony was soon forgotten. Migrants attracted by a
tariff-free port poured in by the thousands and a flourishing colony with a military and
naval base were established.
Sir Stamford Raffles was an official of the British East India Company and arrived to set
up a trading post. At this time, the Dutch controlled the trade routes with China and the
East Indies. Raffles sought a base in the south of the Malay Peninsula, to attract trade
and so break Dutch control.
Raffles and his assistant, Major William Farquhar, landed at Singapore on Jan. 29, 1819.
They met the local Malay chief, Temenggong Abdul Rahman. This chief told them that
the island belonged to the sultan of Johor, Tengku Abdul Rahman, who was under the
control of the Dutch. Raffles decided to make another prince, the elder brother of Abdul
Rahman, sultan in his place. This prince, Tengu Hussein, was the rightful heir to the
throne. He travelled in secret to Singapore and was recognized as sultan of Johor by the
British. A treaty was signed allowing the British to build a settlement on Singapore
island.
Singapore was an instant success. It became a centre of free trade for the region. Traders
from China, India, and Indonesia came to the new settlement. It became what Raffles
had hoped for, the "emporium (marketplace) of the East." Bugis traders from Celebes
(Sulawesi, in Indonesia) collected goods such as spices, birds' nests, gold dust, elephants'
tusks, rhinoceros' horns, and tin, and took them to Singapore once a year to barter
(exchange) for manufactured goods. Chinese traders brought silk, tea, and porcelain
from south China. Chinese traders also settled in Singapore.
The town plan. By 1821, the original small population of Malay, Chinese, and Orang
Laut inhabitants had grown to 5,000. By 1824, the population had reached 11,000.
Among the immigrants who settled in Singapore were Arabs, Armenians, Chinese,
Europeans, Indians, and Malays. Chinese junks and large sailing ships from Europe
began to call at Singapore. In the riverside settlement, the people lived in rough huts and
houses, and there was much violence and disorder.
In 1822 Raffles returned for a third and last visit to Singapore. He drew up a town plan.
Each community was given a kampong, or village section, of its own. There was a
Chinese kampong, an Indian (Chulia) kampong, a Bugis kampong, a Malay kampong,
and kampongs for all other communities.
The European Town was close to the
government area on the west bank of the river. The sultan had a palace in his own
compound, with a mosque nearby. Each kampong had its own traditional trades. This
historical division lives on in modern street names such as Bencoolen Street, Chulia
Street, Carpenter Street, and Teochew Street.
Growth of trade.
The old port on the Singapore River was soon too small for
Singapore's booming trade. In the 1840's, the New Harbour, renamed Keppel Harbour in
1900, was established along the west coast.
Trade continued to grow and the importance of the port of Singapore increased after the
opening of the Suez Canal in 1869. The canal shortened the sea voyage from London to
Singapore from about 20,000 kilometres to about 12,000 kilometres. Steamships using
the Suez Canal could travel from London to Singapore in about 50 days. Singapore
became the most important port in Southeast Asia for ships trading between Europe and
Asia. New products such as tin and rubber from the Malayan mainland gave the port a
further boost. Facilities at the New Harbour included dry docks, a coaling station, and
warehouses.
The growth in trade and population prompted the British East India Company to acquire
all rights to Singapore. In 1824, the temenggong (ruler) and the sultan signed away their
sovereignty over the island to the British. Two years later, Singapore was united with
Penang and Melaka to form the Presidency of the Straits Settlements. It was ruled from
India. In 1867, Singapore became a British crown colony, ruled from London.
Piracy and crime.
Singapore's trade attracted pirates from the Sulu archipelago
and Mindanao, both in the Philippines. Some pirates even attacked ships in Singapore's
port and then traded their loot openly in town.
In 1832 and 1833, some Chinese
merchants sent armed boats to patrol outside the harbour. In 1835, the British despatched
two steamships to destroy the pirates. In the 1850's there were more attacks by pirates,
this time from China.
Violence was also widespread in the town. The small police force could not deal with the
problems of murder, theft, and Chinese secret societies. In the 1840's, a full-time police
chief was appointed. By the late 1800's the police force had about 600 officers--still an
inadequate number. The Chinese secret societies were a source of lawlessness and riots
until they were made illegal in 1890. However, they continued to be a menace until the
outbreak of World War II in 1939.
Partly to deal with the Chinese secret societies, the British established the Chinese
Protectorate in Singapore in 1877. William Pickering, the first British official to speak
several Chinese dialects, was appointed the first Protector. He was able to persuade
Chinese secret society leaders to accept him as a mediator in their disputes.
Treatment of immigrants.
Pickering also tackled the ill-treatment of free-
passage immigrants by the "coolie-agents." Poor immigrants from China would register
with a coolie-agent in China for a free passage to Singapore. The coolie-agent and the
junk captain would pack as many immigrants as they could into the small ship.
Thousands of immigrants died during the voyages because of overcrowding, hunger, and
thirst. The ill-treatment continued when the immigrants landed in Singapore. They lived
in overcrowded lodging houses and were kept as prisoners until they were "bought" by
employers. They had to work without pay for many months to pay off their passage, and
were given only food and lodging. After the establishment of the Chinese Protectorate,
officials controlled the coolie-trade.
Immigration from India was done by the indenture system. Immigrants were recruited by
an agent in India. They were required to sign a contract to work for the same employers
for five years for a fixed wage. Often they were paid low wages and worked in poor
conditions.
A fairer "kangany" system came into use from the 1870's. A senior worker in Singapore
was given money by his employer to recruit labourers from his village in India. This
system did away with the abuses of the indenture system.
Nevertheless, Indian
nationalists complained that poor Indian villagers were never given a true picture of the
hard work under harsh conditions that awaited them. The system declined during the
slump in trade known as the Great Depression of 1929 to 1932, and was abolished in
1938. Indians continued to emigrate to Singapore. After World War II (1939-1945),
Indian immigrants included merchants and professional people.
Malays did not migrate to Singapore in such large numbers as the Chinese or Indians.
For this reason, they were soon outnumbered. The original Malay community was
divided into followers of the temenggong and followers of the sultan. Each group was
given a separate location. The Orang Laut people mixed with the Malay population.
Immigrants in the 1800's came mainly from mainland Malaya, Sumatra, Java, the islands
of Bawaen, Celebes, and Riau.
Political unrest in the Malay Archipelago and the
restrictive Dutch rule in Indonesia encouraged Malays to migrate to Singapore.
Immigrants' contributions.
The immigrants of the 1800's went to Singapore
with the aim of seeking their fortune and then returning home. The British made no
provisions for the growing Asian population. Local community leaders set up religious
buildings, schools, and hospitals. Narayana Pillay, a Hindu who had arrived with Raffles,
established the first Sri Mariamman Temple in 1827. In 1844, a rich merchant, Tan Tock
Seng, paid for the first pauper hospital to help the local people. Today it is a leading
general hospital. Another merchant, Tan Kim Seng, gave funds to the government to
bring fresh water to Chinatown. This was never done, so the money was used to
construct a fountain bearing his name. The Melaka boat owner, Hajjah Fatimah, was the
first woman to build a mosque. This Islamic place of worship, constructed in the 1840's,
bears her name and still stands today.
Economic development.
Singapore's economy grew rapidly in the 1800's. The
big business houses were dominated by Europeans with connections in Europe, China,
and the Malay Archipelago. Among the well-known ones were the houses of Jardine and
Guthrie.
The Asian firms were not as big, but they played an important role as
middlemen, buying from the Europeans and distributing goods to traders from China and
the Malay Archipelago. Tan Kim Seng and Company was a leading Chinese business in
the 1800's. There were also Indian, Arab, and Malay merchants.
The close economic links with mainland Malaya formed the mainstay of Singapore's
flourishing trade. British rule had brought law and order to Malaya. Between 1874 and
1914, all the states in Malaya came under British rule.
The tin and rubber industries of Malaya gave Singapore's economy a great boost. Tin
smelting became Singapore's first industry. Tin ore was transported by rail and smelted
at Pulau Brani, an island off Singapore. Tin ingots were exported from Singapore's port,
and were one of Singapore's major exports. Another major export was sheet rubber. By
the early 1900's, nearly 70 per cent of Malaya's foreign trade passed through Singapore.
By 1903, Singapore was the world's seventh largest port in tonnage of shipping. To
modernize the port, the government took it over in 1905. Within the next ten years the
Singapore Harbour Board had constructed two large docks, one of which was the second
largest in the world. Entrepot trade, in which cargo was transferred from one ship to
another within the port, continued to be Singapore's chief earner until the 1950's.
The 1920's and 1930's.
As the economy continued to grow in the 1920's, an
unprecedented number of immigrants entered Singapore. Most were from south China.
This immigration trend was reversed when trade slumped during the economic
depression of the 1930's. The government sent thousands of people back to India and
south China, and reduced immigration numbers. Only women were allowed in without
any restrictions. A unique group of single women came as labourers from Sam-Sui in
Guangdong, south China. In their distinctive red headgear and navy blue samfoo (tunic
and trousers) they could be seen on construction sites doing heavy manual labour. Other
women worked as domestic servants. Most Indian women moved to mainland Malaya to
work in the rubber estates.
New leaders emerged.
The entrepreneur, Tan Kah Kee, stood out among the
philanthropists. He helped found schools in Singapore. Lim Boon Keng, a doctor, led a
Confucianist movement in Singapore and encouraged his fellow Chinese to learn and
study their own language and culture. Mohammed Eunos, known as "the father of Malay
journalism," used his pen to help politicize the Malays.
Most people still looked to their own homelands for political inspiration. In the 1930's,
the Japanese invasion of China resulted in a boycott of Japanese goods in Singapore and
the raising of money for an aid fund. Many young Chinese returned to China to fight the
Japanese.
World War II and the Japanese occupation (1942-1945) had a great effect on the people
of Singapore. The naval base, with its huge dry dock opened in 1938, was a symbol of
British imperial power. But it was no defence against a land invasion. The British
defenders of the island surrendered after 70 days. For Britain, the fall of Singapore was a
catastrophe. The Japanese destroyed the myth of white superiority. In Singapore, they
instituted a reign of terror and executed people who had helped the Allies against the
Japanese. Life was hard for everyone in Singapore, especially the Chinese.
Post-war political changes in India and China also affected Singapore. India became
independent in 1947 and China became Communist in 1949. These changes forced
Singaporeans of Indian and Chinese origin to look upon Singapore as their permanent
home.
Toward independence.
In 1946, Singapore was separated from Malaya and
became a crown colony. The return of the British after the war did not bring immediate
improvement.
Food shortages and soaring inflation added to people's misery.
Communists who had fought against the Japanese became more strident in their demands
for workers' rights. Strikes were common. Chinese-educated people saw themselves as
disadvantaged. Without speaking English, they could not join the civil service or the
private sector. Higher education was not available to Chinese until Tan Lark Sye, a
merchant, helped found a Chinese University. The Communists were very successful in
recruiting students. Student sit-ins and boycotts of examinations, often involving clashes
with the police, drew attention to their cause.
As the colonial government moved towards the introduction of democracy, political
parties were formed. The British-educated people formed their own parties and sought to
keep things as they were. They ignored the views of the Chinese-educated majority. The
Chinese party fought for issues such as Chinese education and citizenship for those born
in China.
Only one party in Singapore sought to bring the Chinese-educated people into
mainstream politics. This was the People's Action Party (PAP). It was led by Lee Kuan
Yew, a lawyer, who joined the Communists to fight colonialism. In 1954, he was a
founder of the People's Action Party (PAP).
Singapore set up its first legislative
assembly in 1955.
The People's Action Party, with the Cambridge-educated Lee Kuan Yew as leader, was
elected in 1959. Lee became prime minister, a position he was to hold for the next 31
years. In 1963, Singapore formed a union with Malaya (now Malaysia) but by 1965, the
nascent federation was in tatters. Singapore became independent soon after and was once
again the economic success story of the region. Shrewd and pathologically pragmatic,
Lee fashioned a government heavy on the suppression of political opposition and strict
social order.
All political parties worked for independence within a union with Malaya. Malaya
became independent in 1957. In 1959, Singapore became independent, with Lee Kuan
Yew as prime minister. The United Kingdom retained control of defence and foreign
affairs. Its economy depended on entrepot trade with Malaya, and few people believed
Singapore could exist alone.
Malaya viewed Singapore's left-wing PAP with suspicion. Eventually, there was a break
between Lee Kuan Yew and his Communist partners in the PAP, and the Communists
grew in strength. This prompted Malaya's prime minister, Tunku Abdul Rahman, to
announce the formation of Malaysia, a federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah, and
Sarawak.
Federation. Malaysia came into being on Sept. 16, 1963. However, the union was not a
happy one. The expected economic benefits did not materialize. Singapore's efforts to
industrialize to solve its unemployment problems were hampered by the federal
government's tight control. Relations worsened as Singapore's leaders tried to break into
the Malayan political arena, the preserve of Malays. Racial riots broke out in Singapore
in 1964. When relations did not improve, the Malaysian prime minister asked Singapore
to leave the federation. On Aug. 9, 1965, Singapore became independent.
Independence.
When the first Singapore parliament met in December 1965, the
opposition benches were empty. They had boycotted the opening, claiming that the
independence was "spurious." Opposition members resigned their seats, and two fled
Singapore to avoid arrest. There was no opposition in Singapore until 1981, when one
opposition member was elected.
The new government of Singapore drew up ambitious plans for the survival of the new
nation. Education was encouraged to forge a common national identity from Singapore's
mixture of peoples.
The school curriculum was geared to meet the needs of new
manufacturing industries. National service was begun, and a new housing programme set
up.
From the 1960's, industry began to replace the traditional entrepot trade as Singapore's
chief income-earner. Health and social services were improved. In 1971 the last UK
military forces were withdrawn from Singapore. Singapore's economy continued to
grow. By the 1980's, it had become one of the most stable and prosperous nations in
Asia.
In 1990, Lee Kuan Yew retired as prime minister. He was succeeded by the deputy
prime minister Goh Chok Tong. Lee remained head of the People's Action Party and
became a senior minister in Goh's Cabinet.
In 1993, Ong Teng Cheong became the first directly elected president of Singapore. He
had previously held office as deputy prime minister.
Economically, the Southeast Asian region's late-1990s downturn (a euphemism if ever
there was one) hit Singapore as hard as anywhere else - in one three-month period in late
1998, unemployment in the country doubled. The city-state is slowly bouncing back,
however, and on the street things are lively as ever, though the exodus of well-trained
professionals seeking glittering international opportunities is a growing concern.
Government
Singapore is a republic. An 81-member, one-house Parliament makes the country's laws.
A prime minister and a cabinet carry out the operations of government. A president
serves as head of state. The president has some controls over government finances and
makes key civil service appointments. Since 1993, the president has been directly elected
by the people to serve a six-year term. Elections are held every five years to choose
members of Parliament (MPs). Every citizen over 21 years of age can vote. The
president appoints as prime minister the MP who commands the confidence of the
majority of other members.
The government has a major role in Singapore's economy. There are many official
bodies which ensure the smooth development of the economy. The government decides
what benefits, such as holidays and sick pay, must be provided for workers. A national
pension or provident fund provides social security. Employees and employers contribute
monthly to a central social security fund, managed by the government.
Political parties. Singapore's largest political party is the People's Action Party (PAP). It
came to power in 1959. From 1968 to 1981, the PAP held all the seats in Parliament.
Since 1981, it has held almost all the seats. There are more than 20 other registered
political parties. In the 1988 elections, only 4 out of the 81 seats went to members of
opposition parties. From September 1992, 6 new Nominated Members of Parliament
(NMPs) were appointed as opposition members.
People
Singapore is one of the world's most densely populated countries. More than 75 percent
of Singapore's people are Chinese. Malays make up about 15 percent of the population,
and most of the rest of the people are Europeans or Indians. Singapore has four official
languages--Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil.
Singapore's ethnic groups create a
variety of cultures within the country.
Religion.
Singapore has no official religion. The country's constitution guarantees
freedom of religion.
The main religions practised are Islam, mainly by Malays;
Buddhism and Taoism, mainly by Chinese; Hinduism and Sikhism, mainly by Indians;
and Christianity, mainly by Chinese, Indians, and Eurasians. Festivals of each religious
group are observed as public holidays.
Education.
About 90 per cent of the people of Singapore can read and write. This is
one of the highest literacy rates in Southeast Asia. Children attend school from the age of
6, and many continue until 16. Primary education is free for six years for all children
who are citizens of Singapore. Besides English, children also learn one other official
language. About 50 per cent are literate in two to three languages. Colleges of higher
education include the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological
University, and several polytechnics.
The city of Singapore lies on the southern coast of Singapore island. More than 90 per
cent of the country's people live in the city.
The city is built around its harbour.
Singapore is the world's busiest port in terms of tonnage. Warehouses and concrete
docks line the port. Singapore is a free port--that is, goods can be unloaded, stored, and
reshipped without payment of import duties. In the crowded commercial district, modern
skyscrapers tower over traditional Chinese shops. Singapore's oldest buildings date from
the 1800's. One example is the National Museum.
Like many other cities with a colonial history, Singapore developed around its harbour.
The British began the development of Singapore's port in the early 1800's. Immigrants
settled around the port area. Colonial planners allocated a separate section of the city to
each of the major ethnic groups.
Housing. In Chinatown and in other ethnic sections, people built shophouses. These
buildings, usually two storeys high, were built on long narrow plots of land. The ground
floor was used for business purposes--the shop--and the upper floor as living space--the
house. From this comes the name--"shophouse." The shop had a narrow front opening
onto the street. The rest of the building stretched back as much as 65 metres, and was
used for storage. Many shophouses can still be seen.
During the late 1800's and 1900's, Singapore's trade expanded. More and more migrants
arrived in the country. Many of these new settlers crowded into the central area. People
added extra rooms on top of or on either side of existing shophouses. They divided up
their living space into tiny cubicles. In this way, a building designed for one family
became home to as many as seven families. This overcrowding caused public health and
sanitation problems.
People in rural districts traditionally lived in kampongs (small villages). At one time,
they lived in wooden houses with roofs of palm thatch, called attap. Later roofs were
made of zinc metal sheets instead of thatch. Many of these country people made a living
in market gardening or fishing.
By the late 1940's, overcrowding in the central area had spilled over into surrounding
districts. Singapore had one of the world's worst slum problems. Squatter settlements
sprang up around the city centre. Wealthy residents moved out of the city centre and
built new homes in outlying districts. There was no low-cost public housing for poorer
residents.
In 1960, the Singapore government set up the Housing and Development Board to
provide low-cost public housing for people resettled from slum squatter housing in the
central area of the city. The new homes were in high-rise estates, designed on the
"neighbourhood" concept, like the new towns built in some European countries in the
1950's. Each neighbourhood housed from 1,000 to 5,000 families. Each of these estates
had its own schools, markets, shops, and playgrounds. These estates were within about
30 minutes' commuting distance of the main employment zones within the central area of
the city.
Singapore has continued to build high-rise public housing, at costs below the market
price of private homes. The later new towns have better facilities. Flats are constructed
to higher standards and with better materials. Estates are served by public transportation,
through buses and the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) rail system. Many estates have light
industries close by. Almost 87 per cent of Singapore's citizens live in public housing
estates or new towns, located in every part of the island.
Central Singapore was redeveloped as a commercial centre as slums were cleared. The
central area is known locally as the Golden Shoe. The port area, with its warehouses and
docks, is nearby. The main shopping and hotel district is in a separate section. Tall
office buildings, shopping complexes, and luxury apartments are found throughout the
central area. Cultural activities such as drama, ballet, and concerts are held frequently
within the city. The traditional wayang theatre is also popular
Industrial areas. Many major industries have moved to Jurong, a large industrial estate
on the southwestern coast. There are smaller industrial estates, and research and office
parks in suburban areas around Singapore.
Land
Most of the land of the islands of Singapore lies near sea level. The highest point, Bukit
Timah Hill, is only 177 metres above sea level. Almost 50 per cent of the total land area
is built upon. About 40 per cent is made up of open spaces such as parks, quarries,
military bases, inland waters, and unused land. Only 2 per cent of Singapore's land area
is given over to farming. Many local farmers are adopting high-technology methods,
such as hydroponics--growing plants in chemical solutions without soil--to boost food
production.
Igneous rock is found in the hilly central and north-central region. Sedimentary rocks are
found in the west and south. There are sand and gravel deposits in the flatter eastern
region. More recent layers of rocks lie over all three of these ancient rock types.
Plants and animals.
Vegetation in Singapore has been altered by human
settlement. Rainforests once covered most of the main island. But most of the forest was
cut down as Singapore grew into a prosperous British trading settlement. Trees were
removed first to make way for crops such as nutmeg, cloves, and pepper, and gambier, a
tropical plant used to make dye. Later, rubber and coconut plantations were established.
Large wild animals such as tigers, wild boar, mousedeer, and anteaters that used to roam
Singapore's forests are no longer found. Small mammals include monkeys, squirrels, and
civet cats. Birds and reptiles, including monitor lizards, pythons, and cobras, are also
common.
Climate.
Singapore is one giant sauna. It's hot and humid year-round, with the
temperature almost never dropping below 20°C (68°F), even at night, and usually
climbing to 30°C (86°F) during the day. Humidity is high, hovering around the 75%
mark. Singapore is wettest from November to January and at its driest from May to July -
the difference between the two, however, is slight. And due to Singapore's proximity to
the equator, it receives a steady diet of sunshine all year.
The average annual temperature is about 27 °C. However, sea breezes cool the country so
day temperatures seldom rise above 31 °C. Rainfall averages about 2,400 millimetres a
year. The monsoons control the seasons. The wettest months are from November to
March, when the northeast monsoon is blowing. The dry season is from June to October
during the southeast monsoon. Thunderstorms are common in the months between the
monsoons.
Although rainfall is plentiful, Singapore is not able to supply enough water to meet all its
demands. The country buys water from the state of Johor in Malaysia to supplement
stocks in its own reservoirs. Water supplies are tested daily.
Economy
Singapore has a highly developed economy.
Before the 1960's, the country was
essentially a trading nation. Since then, it has developed a more varied economy. It has
become an important financial, trade, and transportation centre.
Tourism is also
important. The country's annual income per capita (per person) is one of the highest in
Asia. The people of Singapore enjoy a high standard of living and welfare services.
There is one doctor for every 837 people, and one government hospital bed for every 269
people.
Singapore has few natural resources. Its main resource is its people. Unemployment is
low, about 2 per cent. About 28 per cent of employed people in Singapore work in
manufacturing; about 23 per cent in commerce; 22 per cent in community, social, and
personal services; and 10 per cent in transport, storage, and communications.
Trade.
Since Singapore was founded as a trading station in the 1800's, its economy
has been based on trade. It has a natural, deepwater harbour. It is situated in a strategic
location on major trade routes between East and West. Singapore practises free trade. It
is an entrepot port, serving as a centre for the import and re-export of goods. It is also a
warehousing and distribution centre for the Asian and Pacific regions.
In terms of shipping tonnage, Singapore's port is the busiest in the world. Singapore's
main trading partners are the European Union, Japan, Malaysia, and the United States.
Singapore imports a wide range of goods, including electronic and electrical goods,
foodstuffs, iron and steel, petroleum, plastics, and rubber. Singapore exports, or reexports,
clothing,
electronic
components,
petroleum
products,
rubber,
and
telecommunications equipment.
Manufacturing.
Singapore is also a major manufacturing centre. Its factories
produce chemicals, clothing and textiles, electrical and electronic equipment, household
appliances, machinery, optical and scientific apparatus, and rubber and plastic products.
It is also a major centre for food processing, petroleum refining, and shipbuilding and
repairing.
Since the early 1960's, industrialization has proceeded rapidly. Singapore set up the
Economic Development Board in 1961 to promote industry as the key to economic
growth. The Jurong industrial estate was opened in the western part of the island. It and
some 20 other industrial estates are run by the Jurong Town Corporation, set up in 1968.
In the beginning, the industrial programme focused on labour-intensive manufacturing to
help solve unemployment problems in the early 1960's. After this programme succeeded,
Singapore moved into higher-skill industries, and since the 1980's has concentrated on
high-technology industries.
Agriculture
has a minor role in Singapore's economy. Most farming is intensive,
and uses the latest technology.
Farmers produce poultry and eggs, and fruit and
vegetables for the local market. Orchids are grown for export. Pig farming is being
phased out because of the environmental damage caused by the waste from pig farms.
Sea fish farming along the coastal waters of Singapore is increasing in importance.
Aquarium fish are also produced for export.
Tourism
is a major industry. About 5.5 million tourists arrive in Singapore each
year--more than the country's population. Tourists come mainly from Japan, Australia,
Southeast Asia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The Singapore Tourist
Promotion Board was set up in 1964. The country has a wide range of hotels, with many
major international hotel chains having branches there. Tourism is the country's third
largest earner of foreign exchange.
Transportation and communication.
Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit
(MRT), which began working in 1987, offers a fast and efficient local railway service.
Two lines cross the city centre linking 42 stations.
The system spans nearly 70
kilometres and can handle up to 800,000 passengers a day. Buses also provide valuable
transport for city workers. A causeway linking Singapore Island to the nearby tourist
island of Sentosa opened in December 1992.
Singapore's roads are crowded because of the large number of cars. Drivers must pay a
fee to enter the city during peak periods on weekdays. This system is called the area
licensing scheme and has helped reduce traffic congestion at busy periods.
Singapore also has well developed transportation links with other countries. A railway
links Singapore with Malaysia. Changi International Airport, at the eastern end of the
island, is the nation's chief airport and one of the most modern airports in the world.
About 50 airlines provide flights to more than 100 cities in over 50 countries around the
world. Seletar Airport, which like Changi Airport is managed by the Civil Aviation
Authority of Singapore, is used for charter and training flights.
There is one television set for every five people. The country has one telephone for every
two people. It is an important telecommunications centre.
Educational development. Raffles encouraged the construction of the first school, The
Institution, in 1823. It was renamed Raffles Institution in 1868. Private philanthropists
and missionaries set up schools for the various ethnic groups. Toward the end of the
1800's, the government established British and Malay schools.
Chinese schools
continued to be built and supported by the Chinese communities until the 1900's, when
they were offered government grants.
At first, few parents thought it was necessary to educate their daughters. Nor was every
boy sent to school. Poor parents kept their children at home to help them in their work.
Later, wealthy people sent their children to British schools, so they could learn the
English language. Chinese schools taught Chinese culture and traditions, and therefore
were the choice of China-born parents. Very few Malay or Tamil schools were built.
The education system in colonial Singapore separated the different groups in the Asian
population. The British-educated people had better jobs and enjoyed a higher status in
society. The rest, particularly the large numbers of Chinese-educated people, ended up as
labourers or poorly paid teachers. This division of society had an impact on the politics
of modern Singapore.