Singapore

A Malay trading port known as Temasek existed on the island of Singapore by the 14th century. The settlement changed hands several times in the ensuing centuries and was eventually burned in the 17th century, falling into obscurity. In 1819, the British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the same site and granted it full internal self-government for all matters except defense and foreign affairs in 1959. Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but was ousted two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world’s most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links and per capita GDP among the highest globally. The People’s Action Party has won every general election in Singapore since the end of the British colonial era, aided by its success in delivering consistent economic growth, as well as the city-state’s fragmented opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the ruling party.TipVisit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.Definitions and Notes

Geography

Location

Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia

Geographic coordinates

1 22 N, 103 48 E

Map references

Southeast Asia

Area

total : 719 sq km

land: 709.2 sq km

water: 10 sq km

comparison ranking: total 190

Area – comparative

slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, D.C.

Area comparison map:

Land boundaries

total: 0 km

Coastline

193 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 3 nm

exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice

Climate

tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons – northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon – frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms

Terrain

lowlying, gently undulating central plateau

Elevation

highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m

lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m

Natural resources

fish, deepwater ports

Land use

agricultural land: 0.9% (2022 est.)

arable land: 0.8% (2022 est.)

permanent crops: 0.1% (2022 est.)

permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.)

forest: 21.2% (2022 est.)

other: 77.9% (2022 est.)

Irrigated land

0 sq km (2022)

Population distribution

most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas

Natural hazards

flash floods

Geography – note

focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes; consists of about 60 islands, the largest of which by far is Pulau Ujong; land reclamation has removed many former islands and created a number of new ones

People and Society

Population

total: 6,028,459 (2024 est.)

male: 3,013,630

female: 3,014,829

comparison rankings: total 114; female 114; male 114

Nationality

noun: Singaporean(s)

adjective: Singapore

Ethnic groups

Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.)

note: data represent population by self-identification; the population is divided into four categories: Chinese, Malay (includes indigenous Malays and Indonesians), Indian (includes Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, or Sri Lankan), and other ethnic groups (includes Eurasians, Caucasians, Japanese, Filipino, Vietnamese)

Languages

English (official) 48.3%, Mandarin (official) 29.9%, other Chinese dialects (includes Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka) 8.7%, Malay (official) 9.2%, Tamil (official) 2.5%, other 1.4% (2020 est.)

major-language sample(s):
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information. (English)

世界概況 – 不可缺少的基本消息來源 (Mandarin)

note: data represent language most frequently spoken at home

Mandarin audio sample:

Religions

Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 14.6% (male 455,536/female 424,969)

15-64 years: 71.1% (male 2,157,441/female 2,126,799)

65 years and over: 14.3% (2024 est.) (male 400,653/female 463,061)

2024 population pyramid:

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 40.7 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio: 20.6 (2024 est.)

elderly dependency ratio: 20.2 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio: 5 (2024 est.)

Median age

total: 39.4 years (2024 est.)

male: 38 years

female: 40.6 years

comparison ranking: total 68

Population growth rate

0.87% (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 105

Birth rate

8.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 203

Death rate

4.3 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 209

Net migration rate

4.2 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 24

Population distribution

most of the urbanization is along the southern coast, with relatively dense population clusters found in the central areas

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas – population

6.081 million SINGAPORE (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

0-14 years: 1.07 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.87 male(s)/female

total population: 1 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother’s mean age at first birth

30.5 years (2015 est.)

note: data represents median age

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

comparison ranking: 157

Infant mortality rate

total: 1.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)

male: 1.7 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 1.4 deaths/1,000 live births

comparison ranking: total 226

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 86.7 years (2024 est.)

male: 84 years

female: 89.5 years

comparison ranking: total population 2

Total fertility rate

1.17 children born/woman (2024 est.)

comparison ranking: 225

Gross reproduction rate

0.57 (2024 est.)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Health expenditure

5.6% of GDP (2021)

18.1% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

2.83 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Hospital bed density

2.6 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved:

urban: 100% of population

rural: NA

total: 100% of population

unimproved:

urban: 0% of population

rural: NA

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

Obesity – adult prevalence rate

6.1% (2016)

comparison ranking: 170

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 1.81 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

beer: 1.26 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine: 0.27 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits: 0.24 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols: 0.04 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

comparison ranking: total 132

Tobacco use

total: 16.2% (2025 est.)

male: 27.6% (2025 est.)

female: 3.8% (2025 est.)

comparison ranking: total 97

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

54.3% (2023 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 0% (2023)

women married by age 18: 0.1% (2023)

Education expenditure

2.2% of GDP (2024 est.)

10.8% national budget (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: Education expenditure (% GDP) 181

Literacy

total population: 98% (2021 est.)

male: 99% (2021 est.)

female: 96% (2021 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 17 years

male: 16 years

female: 17 years (2020)

Environment

Environment – current issues

water pollution; industrial pollution; limited freshwater resources; waste disposal problems from limited land availability; air pollution; deforestation; seasonal smoke/haze from forest fires in Indonesia

Environment – international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution

signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Climate

Land use

Urbanization

urban population: 100% of total population (2023)

rate of urbanization: 0.74% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Air pollutants

particulate matter emissions: 13.33 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

carbon dioxide emissions: 37.54 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions: 4.4 megatons (2020 est.)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually: 7,704,300 tons (2017 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually: 4,699,623 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 61% (2015 est.)

Total water withdrawal

municipal: 300 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial: 340 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

agricultural: 30 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total renewable water resources

600 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Government

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Singapore

conventional short form: Singapore

local long form: Republic of Singapore

local short form: Singapore

etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country

Government type

parliamentary republic

Capital

name: Singapore

geographic coordinates: 1 17 N, 103 51 E

time difference: UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

etymology: name derives from the Sanskrit words simha (lion) and pur (city); according to Malayan folklore, an Indian prince visited Singapore in the 7th century and mistook the first animal he saw for a lion, which is not native to the country

Administrative divisions

no first-order administrative divisions; five community development councils: Central Singapore Development Council, North East Development Council, North West Development Council, South East Development Council, South West Development Council (2019)

Legal system

English common law

Constitution

history: several previous; latest adopted 22 December 1965

amendment process: proposed by Parliament; passage requires two-thirds majority vote in the second and third readings by the elected Parliament membership and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting sovereignty or control of the Police Force or the Armed Forces requires at least two-thirds majority vote in a referendum

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent must be a citizen of Singapore

dual citizenship recognized: no

residency requirement for naturalization: 10 years

Suffrage

21 years of age; universal and compulsory

Executive branch

chief of state: President THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (since 14 September 2023)

head of government: Prime Minister Lawrence WONG (since 15 May 2024)

cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister; responsible to Parliament

election/appointment process: president directly elected by simple-majority popular vote for a 6-year term (no term limits); following legislative elections, the president appoints the leader of the majority party or majority coalition as prime minister; deputy prime ministers also appointed by the president

most recent election date: 1 September 2023

election results:
2023: THARMAN Shanmugaratnam elected president; percent of vote – THARMAN Shanmugaratnam (independent) 70.4%, NG Kok Song (independent) 15.7%, TAN Kin Lian (independent) 13.9%

2017: HALIMAH Yacob declared president on 13 September 2017, being the only eligible candidate

expected date of next election: 2029

Legislative branch

legislature name: Parliament

legislative structure: unicameral

number of seats: 108 (97 directly elected; 9 appointed)

electoral system: plurality/majority

scope of elections: full renewal

term in office: 5 years

most recent election date: 5/3/2025

percentage of women in chamber: 32.3%

expected date of next election: May 2030

Judicial branch

highest court(s): Supreme Court (number of judges varies but includes judicial commissioners, judges of appeal, and international judges); the court is organized into an upper-tier Appeal Court and a lower-tier High Court

judge selection and term of office: judges appointed by the president from candidates recommended by the prime minister after consultation with the chief justice; judges usually serve until retirement at age 65, but terms can be extended

subordinate courts: district, magistrates’, juvenile, family, community, and coroners’ courts; small claims tribunals; employment claims tribunals

Political parties

People’s Action Party or PAP
Progress Singapore Party or PSP
Workers’ Party or WP

note: the PAP has won every general election since the end of the British colonial era in 1959

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador LUI Tuck Yew (since 30 June 2023)

chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100

FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://www.mfa.gov.sg/washington/

consulate(s) general: San Francisco

consulate(s): New York

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Casey K. MACE (since January 2025)

embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508

mailing address: 4280 Singapore Place, Washington DC 20521-4280

telephone: [65] 6476-9100

FAX: [65] 6476-9340

email address and website:
[email protected]

https://sg.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ADB, AOSIS, APEC, Arctic Council (observer), ARF, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, EAS, FAO, FATF, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OPCW, Pacific Alliance (observer), PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)

National holiday

National Day, 9 August (1965)

Flag description

two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band is a vertical white crescent partially enclosing a circle of five white five-pointed stars; red stands for brotherhood and equality, and white for purity and virtue; the waxing crescent moon symbolizes a young nation on the ascendancy; the stars represent the national ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice, and equality

National symbol(s)

lion, merlion (mythical half-lion, half-fish creature), orchid

National color(s)

red, white

National anthem

name: “Majulah Singapura” (Onward Singapore)

lyrics/music: ZUBIR Said

note: adopted 1965; first performed in 1958 at the Victoria Theatre, the anthem is sung only in Malay

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (cultural)

selected World Heritage Site locales: Singapore Botanic Gardens

Economy

Economic overview

high-income, service-based economy; global financial hub; business-friendly policies and open to investment and trade; inflation easing but persistent in services; public investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure; strong human capital development challenged by aging population

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

$754.758 billion (2023 est.)
$746.73 billion (2022 est.)
$719.13 billion (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 36

Real GDP growth rate

1.08% (2023 est.)
3.84% (2022 est.)
9.69% (2021 est.)

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 165

Real GDP per capita

$127,500 (2023 est.)
$132,500 (2022 est.)
$131,900 (2021 est.)

note: data in 2021 dollars

comparison ranking: 2

GDP (official exchange rate)

$501.428 billion (2023 est.)

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

2.4% (2024 est.)
4.8% (2023 est.)
6.1% (2022 est.)

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

comparison ranking: 76

GDP – composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 0% (2023 est.)

industry: 22.4% (2023 est.)

services: 72.4% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

comparison rankings: services 31; industry 123; agriculture 213

GDP – composition, by end use

household consumption: 31.3% (2023 est.)

government consumption: 10.2% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital: 22.2% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories: -1.2% (2023 est.)

exports of goods and services: 174.3% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services: -136.9% (2023 est.)

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Agricultural products

chicken, eggs, vegetables, pork, duck, spinach, lettuce, pork offal, cabbages, pork fat (2023)

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Industries

electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, biomedical products, scientific instruments, telecommunication equipment, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, entrepot trade

Industrial production growth rate

-2.89% (2023 est.)

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

comparison ranking: 190

Labor force

3.672 million (2024 est.)

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

comparison ranking: 98

Unemployment rate

3.2% (2024 est.)
3.4% (2023 est.)
3.6% (2022 est.)

note: % of labor force seeking employment

comparison ranking: 53

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 7.8% (2024 est.)

male: 5.6% (2024 est.)

female: 10.8% (2024 est.)

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

comparison ranking: total 149

Gini Index coefficient – distribution of family income

45.9 (2017)

comparison ranking: 18

Average household expenditures

on food: 7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on alcohol and tobacco: 1.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 1.6%

highest 10%: 27.5% (2017)

Remittances

0% of GDP (2023 est.)
0% of GDP (2022 est.)
0% of GDP (2021 est.)

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Budget

revenues: $80.855 billion (2022 est.)

expenditures: $75.448 billion (2022 est.)

note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenses converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Public debt

177% of GDP (2023 est.)

note: central government debt as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 3

Taxes and other revenues

14% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

comparison ranking: 145

Current account balance

$96.015 billion (2024 est.)
$89.403 billion (2023 est.)
$93.771 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

comparison ranking: 7

Exports

$978.597 billion (2024 est.)
$917.683 billion (2023 est.)
$947.355 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – exports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 7

Exports – partners

Hong Kong 13%, China 11%, USA 10%, Malaysia 9%, S. Korea 6% (2023)

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

Exports – commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, machinery, vaccines, gold (2023)

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports

$786.02 billion (2024 est.)
$728.5 billion (2023 est.)
$744.364 billion (2022 est.)

note: balance of payments – imports of goods and services in current dollars

comparison ranking: 9

Imports – partners

China 15%, Malaysia 11%, Taiwan 11%, USA 10%, S. Korea 6% (2023)

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Imports – commodities

integrated circuits, refined petroleum, crude petroleum, gold, gas turbines (2023)

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$365.494 billion (2024 est.)
$359.835 billion (2023 est.)
$296.629 billion (2022 est.)

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

comparison ranking: 10

Exchange rates

Singapore dollars (SGD) per US dollar –

Exchange rates:
1.336 (2024 est.)
1.343 (2023 est.)
1.379 (2022 est.)
1.343 (2021 est.)
1.38 (2020 est.)

Energy

Electricity access

electrification – total population: 100% (2022 est.)

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 13.134 million kW (2023 est.)

consumption: 56.672 billion kWh (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses: 169.447 million kWh (2023 est.)

comparison rankings: transmission/distribution losses 60; consumption 48; installed generating capacity 58

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 94.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar: 2% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

biomass and waste: 3.1% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal

consumption: 1.153 million metric tons (2023 est.)

exports: 97 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports: 1.326 million metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 1.514 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption: 13.134 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

exports: 399.452 million cubic meters (2023 est.)

imports: 13.973 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

238.962 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from coal and metallurgical coke: 2.338 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids: 210.859 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas: 25.765 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total emissions 28

Energy consumption per capita

643.259 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: 2

Communications

Telephones – fixed lines

total subscriptions: 1.912 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 33 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 52

Telephones – mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 9.65 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 156 (2022 est.)

comparison ranking: total subscriptions 95

Broadcast media

state-controlled broadcast media; 6 domestic TV stations operated by state-owned MediaCorp; broadcasts from Malaysian and Indonesian stations available; satellite dishes banned; multi-channel cable TV services available; 19 domestic radio stations, including 11 for MediaCorp, 5 for state-linked Singapore Press Holdings, 2 for Singapore Armed Forces Reservists Association, and 1 for BBC Radio; Malaysian and Indonesian radio stations available (2019)

Internet country code

.sg

Internet users

percent of population: 94% (2023 est.)

Broadband – fixed subscriptions

total: 1.57 million (2023 est.)

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 27 (2023 est.)

comparison ranking: total 69

Transportation

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

9 (2025)

comparison ranking: 164

Heliports

1 (2025)

comparison ranking: 164

Merchant marine

total: 3,202 (2023)

by type: bulk carrier 591, container ship 604, general cargo 107, oil tanker 600, other 1,300

comparison ranking: total 8

Ports

total ports: 5 (2024)

large: 2

medium: 1

small: 1

very small: 1

ports with oil terminals: 3

key ports: Jurong Island, Keppel – (East Singapore), Pulau Bukom, Pulau Sebarok

Military and Security

Military and security forces

Singapore Armed Forces (SAF; aka Singapore Defense Force): Singapore Army, Republic of Singapore Navy, Republic of Singapore Air Force (includes air defense), Digital and Intelligence Service

Ministry of Home Affairs: Singapore Police Force (SPF; includes Police Coast Guard and the Gurkha Contingent) (2025)

note 1: the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force (GCSPF) is a paramilitary unit for riot control and acts as a rapid reaction force

note 2: the Navy includes the multi-agency standing Maritime Security Task Force (MSTF), which assists the Police Coast Guard in conducting maritime security operations

Military expenditures

3% of GDP (2024 est.)
3% of GDP (2023 est.)
3% of GDP (2022 est.)
3% of GDP (2021 est.)
3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

information varies; approximately 55,000 active-duty Armed Forces (40,000 Army; 7,000 Navy; 8,000 Air Force) (2025)

note: the Army is comprised mostly of conscripts and reservists with a small core of professional soldiers, while the Air Force and Navy are staffed mainly by professional personnel

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the SAF has a diverse and largely modern mix of domestically produced and imported Western weapons systems; in recent years, France, Germany, and the US have been among the top suppliers of arms; Singapore has the most developed arms industry in Southeast Asia and is also its largest importer of weapons (2024)

Military service age and obligation

18-21 years of age for compulsory military service for men; 16.5 years of age for voluntary enlistment (with parental consent); 24-month conscript service obligation, with a reserve obligation to age 40 (enlisted) or age 50 (officers); women are not conscripted, but they are allowed to volunteer for all services and branches, including combat arms (2025)

note 1: all male Singaporean citizens and permanent residents, unless exempted, are required to enter National Service (NS) upon attaining the age of 18; most NS conscripts serve in the Armed Forces, but some go into the Police Force or Civil Defense Force; conscripts comprise over half of the defense establishment

note 2: as of 2022, women made up about 8% of the regular force

note 3: the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) also has a uniformed volunteer auxiliary branch known as the Volunteer Corps (SAFVC); the SAFVC allows citizens and residents not subject to the National Service obligation, including Singaporean women, first generation permanent residents, and naturalized citizens, to contribute towards Singapore’s defense; the volunteers must be 18-45 and physically fit

note 4: members of the Gurkha Contingent (GC) of the Singapore Police Force are mostly recruited from a small number of hill tribes in Nepal; the GC was formed in 1949 originally from selected ex-British Army Gurkhas

Military deployments

maintains permanent training detachments of military personnel in Australia, France, and the US (2025)

Military – note

the SAF’s primary responsibility is external defense, but it has trained for certain domestic security operations, including joint deterrence patrols with police in instances of heightened terrorism alerts; the Army includes a “people’s defense force,” which is a divisional headquarters responsible for homeland security and counterterrorism

the SAF’s roots go back to 1854 when the Singapore Volunteer Rifle Corps was formed under colonial rule; the first battalion of regular soldiers, the First Singapore Infantry Regiment, was organized in 1957; the modern SAF was established in 1965 and is today widely viewed as the best equipped military in Southeast Asia

Singapore is a member of the Five Powers Defense Arrangements (FPDA), a series of mutual assistance agreements reached in 1971 embracing Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, and the UK; the FPDA commits the members to consult with one another in the event or threat of an armed attack on any of the members and to mutually decide what measures should be taken, jointly or separately; there is no specific obligation to intervene militarily; Singapore also has close security ties with the US, including granting the US military access, basing, and overflight privileges (2025)

Transnational Issues

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons: 1,109 (2022)

Illicit drugs

drug abuse limited because of aggressive law enforcement efforts, including carrying out death sentences; as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, as a venue for money laundering