The Republic of Singapore consists of the main island of Singapore, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula between the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean, and 58 nearby islands.
Country lead by President: S. R. Nathan (1999)
Prime Minister: Lee Hsien Loong (2004)
Population
4,492,150 (growth rate: 1.4%); birth rate: 9.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 2.3/1000; life expectancy: 81.7; density per sq mi: 18,645
Land Area
264 sq mi (683 sq km); total area: 268 sq mi (693 sq km)
Monetary unit
Singapore dollar Language
Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000)
Ethnicity Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000)
Religion Buddhist 43%, Islam 15%, Taoist 9%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 5%, other Christian 10%, none 15% (2000)
Transportation Railways: total: 38.6 km. Highways: total: 3,066 km; paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways); unpaved: 0 km (1999). Ports and harbors: Singapore. Airports: 9 (2002).
