l point for Southeast Asian sea routes

:Singapore People

Population:
2,792,092 (July 1992), growth rate 1.3% (1992)
Birth rate:
18 births/1,000 population (1992)
Death rate:
5 deaths/1,000 population (1992)
Net migration rate:
0 migrants/1,000 population (1992)
Infant mortality rate:
6 deaths/1,000 live births (1992)
Life expectancy at birth:
73 years male, 78 years female (1992)
Total fertility rate:
1.9 children born/woman (1992)
Nationality:
noun - Singaporean(s); adjective - Singapore
Ethnic divisions:
Chinese 76.4%, Malay 14.9%, Indian 6.4%, other 2.3%
Religions:
majority of Chinese are Buddhists or atheists; Malays are nearly all Muslim
(minorities include Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Taoists, Confucianists)
Languages:
Chinese, Malay, Tamil, and English (all official); Malay (national)
Literacy:
88% (male 93%, female 84%) age 15 and over can read and write (1990 est.)
Labor force:
1,485,800; financial, business, and other services 30.2%, manufacturing
28.4%, commerce 22.0%, construction 9.0%, other 10.4% (1990)
Organized labor:
210,000; 16.1% of labor force (1989)

:Singapore Government

Long-form name:
Republic of Singapore
Type:
republic within Commonwealth
Capital:
Singapore
Administrative divisions:
none
Independence:
9 August 1965 (from Malaysia)
Constitution:
3 June 1959, amended 1965; based on preindependence State of Singapore
Constitution
Legal system:
based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
National Day, 9 August (1965)
Executive branch:
president, prime minister, two deputy prime ministers, Cabinet
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court
Leaders:
Chief of State:
President WEE Kim Wee (since 3 September 1985)
Head of Government:
Prime Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Minister
LEE Hsien Loong (since 28 November 1990); Deputy Prime Ministers ONG Teng
Cheong (since 2 January 1985) and LEE Hsien Loong
Political parties and leaders:
government:
People's Action Party (PAP), LEE Kuan Yew, secretary general;
opposition:
Workers' Party (WP), J. B. JEYARETNAM; Singapore Democratic Party (SDP),
CHIAM See Tong; National Solidarity Party (NSP), leader NA; Barisan Sosialis
(BS, Socialist Front), leader NA
Suffrage: