In the early 1800s, Singapore was merely an island in Southeast Asia marked by jungle and swampland. Before the end of the century, this island was leased and established as a trading center. Today, it is a thriving nation, consisting of one large island and more than 50 islets. It is one of the Four Asian Tigers, aptly called such because of its robust, rapid industrial growth.
Singapore is Asia's smallest nation. In fact, the city-state is only 3.5 times the size of Washington DC. Its capital city, the port of Singapore, is one of the busiest international trading centers.
Singapore has a tropical rainforest climate, with weather that is hot, humid, and rainy.
Approximately 76 percent of Singapore's 4.5 million people are Chinese. An estimated 15 percent are Malays. About 6 percent are Indian. Most of the Chinese population speak Chinese dialects, such as Mandarin and practice traditional beliefs centered on Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism. Most of the Malays speak Malay and are Muslim. The Indians speak Tamil and primarily practice Hinduism. Christians exist among the ethnic groups in smaller numbers.
Tourism is a booming industry, with over 9 million tourists in 2006. An increasing number of tourists visit Singapore to receive healthcare. Manufacturing is also a progressive industry in this business-friendly country, the world's fourth largest foreign exchange trading center.
Singapore is a republic, with a President as the head of state and a Prime Minister as head of government.
The unit of currency is the Singapore dollar and is equivalent to the Brunei dollar.
Web Sites
Catalog
Search the library's catalog for Singapore.
Databases
Enter Singapore in these databases: