| Kingdom of Singapore 3 other names Kerajaan Singapura (Malay) | ||||||
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| Anthem: "Majulah Singapura" |
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 Location of Singapore in Southeast Asia
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| Capital | Singapore | |||||
| Official languages | Malay, Chinese, English, Tamil | |||||
| Religion | Buddhism | |||||
| Demonym(s) | Singaporean | |||||
| Government | Unitary parliamentary monarchy | |||||
| - | King | Eshin V | ||||
| - | Prime Minister | Lee Hsien Loong | ||||
| Area | ||||||
| - | Total | 728 km2 281 sq mi |
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| Population | ||||||
| - | Estimate | 5,703,600 (103rd) | ||||
| - | Density | 7777.51/km2 (2nd) 20,143.7/sq mi |
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| Drives on the | left | |||||
Singapore, officially the Kingdom of Singapore, is a sovereign city-state located on the island of Singapore, at the tip of the Malay Peninsula. Singapore borders Malaysia on all sides, due to its position in the middle of the Malay Archipelago.
With a surface area of only 728 square kilometers and a population of 5.7 million inhabitants, Singapore is Asia's third-smallest and seventh-least populous country. Globally, it ranks only 143rd by area and 103rd by population.
Singapore was founded in 1965, when the Empire of Malaysia "kicked" the city-state out of the federation. The separation was the result of deep political and economic differences between the ruling parties of Singapore and Malaysia, which created communal tensions that resulted in racial riots in July and September 1964. As a result of the separation, the monarch of Johor, a state in Malaysia, was invited to rule Singapore. However, this situation ended with a bitter monarchical schism that lasts to this day. The Raja of Johor refused the offer, but the Crown prince, the brother of the Raja, accepted. The House of Johor split into two, one ruling from Johor, and one ruling from Singapore.
After the independence of Singapore, the small nation had to become self-sufficient, and faced problems including mass unemployment, housing shortages and lack of land and natural resources. During the long rule of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew, his administration curbed unemployment, raised the standard of living and implemented a large-scale public housing program. The country's economic infrastructure was developed, racial tension was eliminated and an independent national defense system was created. Singapore evolved from a dying nation to first world status towards the end of the 20th century.
Today, Singapore is a First World nation with high living standards and democratic elements in the nation. The small nation has one of the best economies in all of East Asia, and towers over Malaysia in terms of GDP. Although Singapore is a bustling nation with large landmarks, such as the Marina Bay Sands, the Jewel, and much more, an average Singaporean lives in a crammed 1 bedroom apartment. However, future developments have increased housing and have allowed Singaporeans to move to better houses.
The government of Singapore is a parliamentary monarchy with the King of Singapore, Eshin V, as the Head of State and the national symbol. The Royal family, alike the one in the UK or in Spain, is powerless, and holds no position in politics. However, the royal family has gained popularity among the citizens of Singapore.
The Prime Minister of Singapore is the Head of Government in Singapore. Along with the parliament, the Prime Minister makes the laws and can control the nation. The tenure has been held by the Lee family, who have served as the Prime Ministers since the foundation of the nation. Similar to the Royal family, the Lee family gets a lot of respect and recognition.
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