Singapore - Society

Population: 4,490,000 (2008); 100% lives in urban areas; growth 1.9% p.a. 1970–90 and 2.3% p.a. 1990–2006; birth rate (2006) 9 per 1,000 people (23 in 1970); life expectancy 80 years (69 in 1970). The population is predominantly Chinese (77% in June 1996), with Malays constituting 14%, Indians 7% and small minorities (1%) of Europeans and Eurasians.

Religion: Buddhists (28%), Muslims, Christians, Taoists, Hindus, Sikhs.

Language: English, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay and Tamil are the four official languages. Several other Chinese and Indian languages are also spoken. Singaporeans are mostly bilingual, in a mother tongue and English (the administrative language).

Media: MediaCorp, owned by a state investment agency, operates TV and radio stations, including Channel 5 and Channel 8, which are entertainment-based channels, as well as the Malay-language Channel Suria and the Mandarin-language Channel U.

MediaCorp also runs more than12 radio stations, including music stations and Chinese, Malay and Indian services. The BBC World Service is available on an FM relay.

There are several daily newspapers, among which The Straits Times (founded in 1845), Business Times, The New Paper and Today are in English. Other dailies are in Chinese, Tamil or Malay.

There are 206 TV sets (2005), 620 personal computers (2004) and 700 internet users (2007) per 1,000 people.

Education: Strong policy emphasis had led by the 1990s to virtually universal primary education. There are 11 years of compulsory education starting at age six. The school year starts in January. Secondary education is streamed at three levels, according to measured ability, leading to junior college or vocational institutions.

Singapore has four universities: the National University of Singapore (NUS); Nanyang Technological University; Singapore Management University; and SIM University. Established in 1980 on the merger of University of Singapore (1905) and Nanyang University (1956), NUS is the largest university in Singapore with a total student body of more than 30,000. Nanyang Technological University was set up in 1981 to provide higher learning and research facilities in the areas of engineering and technology.

Singapore Management University is a new university set up in 2000 for tertiary business and management studies. SIM University is the country’s first and only private university; its academic programmes are geared towards adults and working professionals.

Other tertiary institutions include Singapore Polytechnic (founded 1954), Ngee Ann Polytechnic (1963), Temasek Polytechnic (1990), Nanyang Polytechnic (1992), National Institute of Education and Institute of Technical Education (1992). Co-operation between industry and technological education is well developed and retraining and education for older adults is an important goal. Illiteracy among people age 15–24 is 0.3% (2006).

Health: Private health care predominates in the primary sector; 80% of hospital care is through public provision. There are more than 20 hospitals, ten of which are government-run. Employees pay into a health insurance fund known as Medisave (which is part of the wider social welfare provision of the Central Provident Fund). The entire population uses an improved drinking water source and adequate sanitation facilities (2005). Infant mortality was 3 per 1,000 live births in 2006, the lowest rate in the world (31 in 1960).

Communications: Country code 65. Mobile telephone coverage is good, and there are roaming agreements with international phone providers. Internet cafes are available throughout Singapore. Post office branches can be found throughout the country, some open 24 hours.

There are 419 main telephone lines and 1,267 mobile phone subscriptions per 1,000 people (2007).

Public holidays: New Year’s Day, Labour Day (1 May), National Day (9 August) and Christmas Day.

Religious and other festivals whose dates vary from year to year include Chinese New Year (three days), Good Friday, Wesak (Buddha Purnima, April/May), Deepavali (Diwali, October/November), Hari Raya Puasa (End of Ramadan, three days) and Hari Raya Haji (Feast of the Sacrifice).