Country Report on Singapore

Submitted To: Submitted By-

Mr. Ashu Jain Nitin Gupta Ms. Vandana Gupta Batch Delta

Table of Contents

S.NoPARTICULARS

1.Introduction

2.History

3.Geography

4.Government and Politics

5.Military

6.Foreign Relations

7.Economy

8.Demographics

9.Culture

10.Tourism

11.Facts & Figures

12.Business Etiquette & Protocol

13.India-Singapore Relations

INRODUCTION: Singapore

Singapore officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city- state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. Singapore is highly urbanized but almost half of the country is covered by greenery. More land is being created for development through land reclamation.

Singapore had been a part of various local empires since it was first inhabited in the second century AD. Modern Singapore was founded as a trading post of the East India Company by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 with permission from the Sultanate of Johor. The British obtained full sovereignty over the island in1824 and Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements in 1826. Singapore was occupied by the Japanese in World War II and reverted to British rule after the war. It became internally self-governing in 1959. Singapore united with other former British territories to form Malaysia in 1963 and became a fully independent state two years later after separation from Malaysia. Since then it has had a massive increase in wealth, and is one of the Four Asian Tigers. The economy depends heavily on the industry and service sectors.

Singapore is a world leader in several areas: It is the world's fourth- leading financial centre, the world's second-biggest casino gambling market, and the world's third-largest oil refining centre. The port of Singapore is one of the five busiest ports in the world, most notable for being the busiest transhipment port in the world. The country is home to more US dollar millionaire households per capita than any other country. The World Bank notes Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business. The country has the world's third highest GDP PPP per capita of US$59,936, making Singapore one of the world's wealthiest countries.Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government. The People's Action Party (PAP) has won every election since the British grant of internal self- government in 1959. The legal system of Singapore has its foundations in the English common law system, but modifications have been made to it over the years, such as the removal of trial by jury. The PAP's popular image is that of a strong, experienced and highly qualified government, backed by a skilled Civil Service and an education system with an emphasis on achievement and meritocracy; but it is perceived by some voters, opposition critics and international observers as being authoritarian and too restrictive on individual freedom.The national flag of Singapore was first adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965. The design is a horizontal bicolour of red above white, overlaid in the canton (upper-left quadrant) by a white crescent moon facing a pentagon of five small white five-pointed stars. The elements of the flag denote a young nation on the ascendant, universal brotherhood and equality, and national ideals.

Some 5 million people live in Singapore, of who 2.91 million were born locally. Most are of Chinese, Malay or Indian descent. There are four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. One of the five founding members of the Association of South East Asian Nations, Singapore also hosts the APEC Secretariat, and is a member of the East Asia Summit, the Non- Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth.

History

Singapore is situated in Southeast Asia and is surrounded by Malaysia from the north and Indonesia from the southwest. Singapore is a small country which has a land area of 715,8 square kilometers. Total population of the country is 5 312 400 inhabitants (Statistics Singapore 2012). Being geographically just a small dot on the map, the country has the 3rd place on the list made by the Forbes Magazine of the wealthiest countries in the world (Greenfield 2012). One popular US investor, Jim Rogers, said about Singapore: Singapore 40 years ago was a swamp with a half a million people. Singapore now, 40 years later, is the country with the largest foreign currency reserve per capita of any country in the worldIt is astonishing to come to Singapore and see that everything works (Why choose Singapore). Jim Rogers said that Singaporean economy is a wonder. It is always interesting to know how this great success was achieved because in the beginning of its existing the country wasnt prosperous and successful at all (A Brief History of Singapore).The history of Singapore begins in the year of 1818 when the British Lieutenant General Sir Stamford Raffles received an order to find a place which would help Britain to enlarge their trade opportunities with China. By the year 1819, after long searching, Sir Stamford Raffles with the British East India Company chose Singapore. In a few years time Singapore became a commercial and military center for the Great Britain in Asia. In 1862, together with the Malay Peninsula and Malacca they formed the Straights Settlements and they were controlled by British India. After this in 1867, the Straights Settlements were reformed in a Crown Colony and were ruled by the Colonial Office in London (A Brief History of Singapore).During the Second World War the Japanese occupied the country. After the war, Singapore was a miserable country with very strong problems such as poor growth of economy, unemployment, the destroyed infrastructure and political instability. On the other hand, that situation provided the inhabitants of the country the desire to get independence. It was achieved in the following years. First, the country became independent from the Great Britain in August 1963 and became a part of Malaysian Federation. After some conflicts with the Malaysian governments, on 9 August 1965 Singapore gained its independence and proclaimed itself as the Republic of Singapore. On this day the country has its National day celebration (A Brief History of Singapore).In the year, when the country got its independence, the GDP per capita was only US$512 (Mun & Ying 2009, p. 4). Compared to 2011 this number has increased more than 100 times and became US$ 60 500 (IndexMundi 2011). The figures have changed dramatically and the country has managed to become one of the richest countries in the world. What are the main reasons for this success?First of all, after receiving the independence, the country set up five important goals. The government understood that the country needed an accurate path. These five important issues for developing the country included changes and innovations in transportation, health care, education, tourism and financial systems. (Mum & Ying 2009, p. 8.)One of the goals was to become the hub of the international transportation and logistics. The country achieved this aim by building the port. This port has become the second biggest container port in the world (World Shipping Council 2012). International companies relocate their businesses to Singapore to enjoy this advantage. Moreover, approximately 50 percentages of the worlds oil, one third of the global trade and more than 50 000 ocean-going ships per year are going through the port of Singapore. (Mum & Ying 2009, p. 16.) The result is very impressive and it can be concluded that the goal which was set in 1963 was achieved.One more way of developing the country was to make Singapore a financial entereport. This goal was also achieved. For example, in the year of 2007 the amount of financial transactions per day was US$159 billion and US$3,3 trillion per month. Also, the country has become a creditor nation and is not receiving high standards of living by increasing the amount of the foreign debts like, for example, the US government is doing. (Mum & Ying 2009, p. 11.)The third goal, which was set after receiving the independence from Malaysia, was to become the International center of tourism. Likewise, this goal was achieved. In 2011 it was calculated that approximately 13,171.3 thousands tourists are visiting the country annually. Most of them are from China and Hong Kong (International Visitor Arrivals 2011). For achieving this goal the country has built a lot of tourist attractions, which makes the life in Singapore very exciting.The other goal was to become the education hub. The country was developingvery fast and that goal was also achieved. For example, according to The Times Higher Education World University Rankings made by Thomson Reuters, National University of Singapore is on the 40th place out of 400 best international universities (World University Ranking 2012).In addition, according to the report U21 Ranking of National Higher Education Systems, made by Universitas 21, Singapore has the 11th place on the list of worlds best suppliers of high education. Furthermore, one specialist had called Singapore as fast becoming the education hub where Singapores unique East meets West character. Moreover, according to the study made by Business Standard, the education in Singapore is described as more affordable than in the USA and United Kingdom. The prices are approximately 20-25 per cent cheaper in Singapore. (Rikvin 2012.)The last goal concentrated on becoming the health care hub of Asia. Likewise, this goal was achieved. The amount of international patients in Singapore is increasing from year to year. They come for different kinds of care like cardiology, neurology, organ transplantation and others. The country is the leading county in Asia in providing health care services. Also, there are a lot of international health care companies which are establishing their business in Singapore and help to develop the medical services locally. (Singapore Medicine.) Moreover, Singaporean Ministry of Health controls all hospitals, clinics, laboratories and nursing homes. This is done to ensure that the provided services are corresponding to the high quality. Furthermore, the government wants to control the prices for the services. It wants them to be affordable by the people in the country. (Mum & Ying 2009, p. 88.)Based on its history of success, the country has become one of the most potential places in the world for establishing and developing business. All these five goals which were set after receiving the Independence gave the country a push for development and growth. The main paths for success were established. It can be concluded that the goals were achieved but the country still has a lot of potential for improving.

Geography

Singapore is located at the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula between Malaysia and Indonesia and has a total land area of 699 km. At present, Singapore has over 60 smaller islands around the main island.Singapore consists of 63 Islands, including the main island, widely known as Singapore Island but also as Pulau Ujong.There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia: the johor-Singapore causeway in the north, and the Tuas Second Link in the west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong , pulau Ubin and Sentosa are the largest of Singapore's smaller islands. The highest natural point is Bukit Timah Hill at 166m (545ft).

Outline of SingaporeThere are ongoing Land reclamation projects, which have increased Singapore's land area from 581.5km2 (224.5sqmi) in the 1960s to 716.1km2 (276.5sqmi) today; it may grow by another 100km2 (40sqmi) by 2030.Some projects involve land reclamation to form larger, more functional islands, as with Jurong Island. 5% of Singapore's land is set aside as nature reserves. Urbanisation has eliminated most primary rainforest on the main island, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve being the only significant remaining forest. There are only about 250 acres (101ha) of farmland remaining in Singapore.

Government and Politics

Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing constituencies. Its constitution establishes representative democracy as its political system. Freedom House ranks Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and The Economist ranks Singapore as a "hybrid regime", the third rank out of four, in its "Democracy Index". Singapore is consistently rated one of the least corrupt countries in the world by Transparency International.

Executive power rests with the Cabinet, led by the Prime Minister, and the President. The president is elected through popular vote, and has some veto powers for a few key decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judges, but otherwise occupies a ceremonial post.

The Parliament serves as the legislative branch of government. Members of Parliament (MPs) consist of elected, non-constituency and nominated members. Elected MPs are voted into parliament on a "first-past-the-post" (plurality) basis and represent either single-member or group-representation constituencies. The People's Action Party has won control of Parliament with large majorities in every election since self-governance was secured in1959. However, in the most recent parliamentary elections in 2011, the opposition, led by the Workers' Party, made significant gains and increased its representation in the House to 6 elected MPs.

The legal system of Singapore is based on English common law, albeit with substantial local differences. Trial by jury was entirely abolished in 1970 leaving judicial assessment performed wholly by judgeship. Singapore has penalties that include judicial corporal punishment in the form of caning for rioting, vandalism, and some immigration offences. There is a mandatory death penalty for murder, and for certain drug-trafficking and firearms offences. Amnesty International has said that some legal provisions conflict with the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty and that Singapore has "possibly the highest execution rate in the world relative to its population". The government has disputed Amnesty's claims. In a 2008 survey, international business executives believed Singapore,along with Hong Kong, had the best judicial system in Asia. In 2010, Singapore

was ranked first for "access to civil justice" and "order and security" by the World

Justice Project Rule of Law Index.

In Singapore, under the Public Order Act 2009, outdoor public processions or assemblies require police permits. Without police permits, such outdoor assemblies are illegal Indoor assemblies, however, can be held freely without the need to apply for police permits. The only place in Singapore where outdoor public assemblies do not require police permits is at the Speakers' Corner which is modelled on Hyde Park, London. However, one must still register one's personal details with the National Parks Board online before speaking or protesting at the Speakers' corner, and there are also many CCTVs in the park, a situation that had some Singaporeans and Singaporean MPs complaining.

Military

The Singaporean military is arguably the most technologically advanced in Southeast Asia. It comprises the Army, Navy, and Air Force. It is seen as the guarantor of the country's independence. The nation's philosophy of defense is one of diplomacy and deterrence. This principle translates into the culture, involving all citizens in the country's defense. The government spends 4.9% of the country's GDP on the military and one out of every four dollars of government spending is spent on defense.

On independence, Singapore had two infantry regiments commanded by British officers. This force was considered too small to provide effective security to the new country, so the development of the military became a priority. Britain pulled its military out of Singapore in October 1971, leaving behind only a small British, Australian and New Zealand force as a token military presence. The last British soldier left Singapore in March 1976. New Zealand troops were the last to leave, in 1989.

The Singaporean army was initially established with help from Britain and Israel, a country that is not recognized by neighboring Islamic Malaysia, Indonesia or Brunei. The main fear after independence was an invasion by Malaysia and/or Indonesia. Israel Defense Forces commanders were tasked with creating the Singapore Armed Forces from scratch, and Israeli instructors were brought in to train Singaporean soldiers.

Military courses were conducted according to the Israel Defence Forces' format, and Singapore adopted a system of conscription and reserve service based on theIsraeli and Swiss models, which remain in effect. Singapore still maintains strong

security ties with Israel and is one of the biggest buyers of Israeli arms and weapons systems. The MATADOR is one example of recent Singapore-Israeli collaboration.

The SAF is being developed to respond to a wide range of issues, in both conventional and unconventional warfare. The Defense Science and Technology Agency is responsible for procuring resources for the military. The geographic restrictions of Singapore mean that the SAF must plan to fully repulse an attack, as they cannot fall back and re-group. The small size of the population has also affected the way the SAF has been designed, with a small active force but a large number of reserves.Foreign Relations

Singapore's foreign policy is directed to maintaining a secure environment in Southeast Asia as well as the surrounding territories. An underlying principle is political and economic stability in the region. It has diplomatic relations with 175 other sovereign states. As one of the five founding members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the country is a strong supporter of the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the ASEAN Investment Area, because Singapore's economic growth is closely linked with the economic progress of the region as a whole.

Former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong proposed the formation of an ASEAN Economic Community, a step beyond the current AFTA bringing it closer to a common market. This idea was agreed to in 2007 for implementation by 2015. Other regional organizations are also important to Singapore, and it is the host of the APEC Secretariat. Singapore also maintains membership in other regional organizations, such as Asia-Europe Meeting, the Forum for East Asia-Latin American Cooperation, and the East Asia Summit. It is also a member of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Commonwealth.

In general, bilateral relations with other ASEAN members are strong; however, disagreements have arisen, and relations with neighboring Malaysia and Indonesia have historically been very strained and difficult. Malaysia has often clashed with Singapore over the delivery of fresh water to Singapore, and the Singaporean government has threatened to send troops into Malaysia should the Malaysians break water contracts signed with Singapore and unilaterally cut off the water supply to Singapore.Conflicts have also arisen over the Singapore Armed Forces entering Malaysian airspace, the sovereignty of Pedra Branca, the relocation of Tanjong Pagar

railway station, and many other ideological and cultural issues. Border issues exist with both Malaysia and Indonesia, and both have banned the sale of marine sand to Singapore over disputes about Singapore's land reclamation. Some previous disputes have been resolved by the International Court of Justice. Piracy in the Malacca Strait has been a cause of concern for all three countries. Close economic ties exist with Brunei, and the two shares a pegged currency value.

Singapore and the United States share a long-standing and strong relationship, in particular in defense, the economy, health and education. The U.S. was Singapore's third largest trading partner in 2010, behind the People's Republic of China and the European Union. The two countries have a free-trade agreement signed in 2003.

Singapore routinely hosts American ships and American fighter aircraft. More than 100 American Navy warships call at Singapore annually and there is a modest presence of less than 200 US military personnel based permanently in Singapore. Several naval bases in Singapore were built to US specifications, so as to allow American ships, especially carriers, to dock. In 2011, the US Navy announced plans to station several of its new Littoral combat ships in Singapore permanently.

The Singapore government believes that regional security, and by extension Singapore's security, will be affected if the United States loses its resolve in Iraq. Singapore faces the threat of terrorism itself, as evidenced by the Singapore embassies attack plot.

Singapore has pushed regional counter-terrorism initiatives, with a strong resolve to deal with terrorists inside its borders. To this end it has given support to the US-led coalition to fight terrorism, with bilateral cooperation in counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation initiatives, and joint military exercises.

Relations with the United States have expanded in other areas, and the two countries take part in joint policy dialogues.

Relations with the People's Republic of China were established in the 1970s, and since then the two countries have enjoyed a strong relationship, being majorplayers in strengthening the ASEANChina relationship.

Singapore has also co-created the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city and Suzhou Industrial Park in China. Singapore sees the United States as a counterweight to balance China's rise in the region, and has encouraged more American involvement and presence in the region to maintain peace and security.

Economy

Before independence in 1965, Singapore was the capital of the British Straits Settlements, a Crown Colony. It was also the main British naval base in East Asia. Because of its status as the main British naval base in the region, as well as hosting the largest dry dock in the world at that time in the form of the Singapore Naval Base, it was described in the press as the 'Gibraltar of the East'. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 caused global trade to boom, and Singapore became a major world trade node, and the Port of Singapore became one of the largest and busiest ports in the world. Before independence in 1965, Singapore had a GDP per capita of $511, then the third-highest in East Asia. After independence, foreign direct investment and a state-led drive for industrialization based on plans by Goh Keng Swee and Albert Winsemius created a modern economy.

Today, Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy, based historically on trade. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the original Four Asian Tigers. The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative, most competitive, and most business-friendly. The 2011 Index of Economic Freedom ranks Singapore as the second freest economy in the world, behind Hong Kong. According tothe Corruption Perceptions Index, Singapore is consistently ranked as one of theleast corrupt countries in the world, along with New Zealand and the

Scandinavian countries.

Singapore is the 14th largest exporter and the 15th largest importer in the world. The country has the highest trade-to-GDP ratio in the world at 407.9 percent, signifying the importance of trade to its economy. The country is currently the only Asian country to have AAA credit ratings from all three major credit rating agencies Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch. Singapore attracts a lot of foreign direct investment because of its location, corruption-free environment, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advanced infrastructure. There are more than7,000 multinational corporations from the United States, Japan, and Europe in Singapore. There are also 1,500 companies from China and 1,500 from India. Foreign firms are found in almost all sectors of the economy. Singapore is also the second largest foreign investor in India. Roughly 44 percent of the Singaporean workforce is made up of non-Singaporeans. Over ten free trade agreements have been signed with other countries and regions.

Singapore also possesses the world's tenth largest foreign reserves. The currency of Singapore is the Singapore dollar, issued by the Monetary Authority of Singapore. It is interchangeable with the Brunei dollar.

The Singaporean economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing, which constituted 27.2% of GDP in 2010 and includes significant electronics, petroleum refining, chemicals, mechanical engineering and biomedical sciences sectors. In 2006 Singapore produced about10% of the world's foundry wafer output. Despite its small size, Singapore has a diversified economy, a strategy that the government considers vital for growth and stability.

Tourism also forms a large part of the economy, and 10.2 million tourists visited the country in 2007. To attract more tourists, in 2005 the government legalised gambling and allowed two casino resorts (called Integrated Resorts) to be developed. Singapore is promoting itself as a medical tourism hub: about 200,000 foreigners seek medical care there each year, and Singapore medical services aim to serve one million foreign patients annually by 2012 and generate USD 3 billionin revenue. Singapore is an education hub, and many foreign students study in

Singapore. Singapore hosted over 80,000 international students in 2006. There are also more than 5000 Malaysians students who cross the JohorSingapore Causeway every morning with hopes of receiving a better education in Singapore. In 2009, 20% of all students in Singaporean universities were international students. The students were mainly from ASEAN, China and India.

Singapore is a world leader in several economic areas: The country is the world's fourth leading financial centre, the world's second-biggest casino gambling market, one of the world's top three oil refining centres, the world's largest oil-rig producer, and a major ship-repairer. The port is one of the five busiest ports in the world. The World Bank has named Singapore as the easiest place in the world to do business and ranks Singapore the world's top logistics hub. It is also the world's fourth largest foreign-exchange trading centre after London, New York and Tokyo.

As a result of global recession and a slump in the technology sector, Singapore's GDP contracted by 2.2% in 2001. The Economic Review Committee was set up in December 2001 and recommended several policy changes to revitalise the economy. Singapore has since recovered, due largely to improvements in the world economy; the economy grew by 8.3% in 2004, 6.4% in 2005, and 7.9% in2006. After a contraction of 0.8% in 2009, the economy recovered in 2010, with GDP growth of 14.5%. Most work in Singapore is in the service sector, which employed 2,151,400 people out of 3,102,500 jobs in December 2010. The percentage of unemployed economically active people above age 15 is about 2%.

Singapore has the world's highest percentage of millionaire households, with 15.5 percent of all households owning at least one million US dollars. Despite its relative economic success, Singapore does not have a minimum wage, believing that it would lower its competitiveness. It also has one of the highest income inequality levels among developed countries, coming in just behind Hong Kong and in front of the United States.

Acute poverty is rare in Singapore; the government has rejected the idea of a generous welfare system, stating that each generation must earn and save enough for its entire life cycle. There are, however, numerous means-tested 'assistanceschemes' provided by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and

Sports in Singapore for the needy, including some that pay out SGD 400 to SGD

1000 per month to each needy household, free medical care at government hospitals, money for children's school fees, rental of studio apartments for SGD80 a month, training grants for courses, etc.

Demographics

As of 2011, the population of Singapore is 5.18 million people, of whom

3.25 million (63%) are citizens while the rest (37%) are permanent residents or foreign workers. Twenty-three percent of Singaporean citizens were born outside Singapore i.e. foreign born citizens. There are half a million permanent residents in Singapore in 2011. The resident population does not take into account the11 million transient visitors who visit Singapore annually.

The median age of Singaporeans is 37 years old and the average household size is

3.5 persons. Due to scarcity of land, four out of five Singaporeans live in subsidized, high-rise, public housing apartments known as HDB (Housing and Development Board) flats, after the board responsible for public housing in the country.

In 2010, three quarters of Singaporean residents live in properties that are equal to or larger than a four room HDB flat or in private housing. House ownership rate is at 87.2%. Mobile phone penetration rate is extremely high at 1,400 mobile phone subscribers per 1000 people. Around 1 in 10 residents owns a car.

In 2010, the total fertility rate was 1.1 children per woman, the third-lowest in the world and well below the 2.1 needed to replace the population. To overcome this problem, the Singapore government has been encouraging foreigners to immigrate to Singapore for the past few decades.

The large number of immigrants has kept Singapore's population from declining. Singapore traditionally has one of the lowest unemployment rates among developed countries. Singaporean unemployment rate has not exceeded4% in the past decade, hitting a high of 3% during the 2009 global financial

crises and falling to 1.9% in 2011.

As of 2009, about 40% of Singapore's residents were foreigners, one of the highest percentages in the world. The government is considering capping these workers, although it is recognized that they are crucial to the country's economy, as foreign workers make up 80% of the construction industry and up to 50% in the service industry.

In 2009, the government census reports that 74.2% of residents were of Chinese,

13.4% of Malay, and 9.2% of Indian descent, while Eurasians and other groups form 3.2%. Prior to 2010, each person could register as a member of only one race, by default that of his or her father, therefore, mixed-race persons were solely grouped under their father's race in government censuses. From 2010 onward, people may register using a "double-barreled" classification, in which they may choose one primary race and one secondary race, but no more than two.

Religion

Buddhism is the most widely practiced religion in Singapore, with 33% of the resident population declaring them adherents at the most recent census. The next largest religious demographics, in order of size, are Christianity, non- religious, Islam, Taoism and Hinduism. The proportion of Christians, Taoists and non-religious people increased between 2000 and 2010 by about 3% each, while the proportion of Buddhists decreased. Other faiths remained largely stable in their share of the population.

There are monasteries and Dharma centers from all three major traditions of Buddhism in Singapore: Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Most Buddhists in Singapore are Chinese and are of the Mahayana tradition. Chinese Mahayana is the most predominant form of Buddhism in Singapore, with missionaries from Taiwan and China for several decades. However, Thailand's Theravada Buddhism has seen growing popularity among the people (not only the Chinese) in the past decade. Soka Gakkai International, a Japanese Buddhist organization, is practiced by many people in Singapore, but by mostly those of Chinese descent. Tibetan Buddhism has also made slow inroads into the country in recentyears.

Languages

Singapore has four official languages: English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. English is the common language of the nation and is the language of business, government and medium of instruction in schools.

Public bodies in Singapore conduct their businesses in English, and official documents written in a non-English official language such as Chinese, Malay or Tamil typically have to be translated into English to be accepted for submission.

The Singapore Constitution and all laws are written in English, and translators are also required if one wishes to address the Singaporean Courts in a language other than English.

However, English is the native tongue for only one-third of all Singaporeans, with roughly a third of all Singaporean Chinese, a quarter of all Singaporean Malays and half of all Singaporean Indians speaking it as their native tongue. Twenty percent of Singaporeans, or one out of every five, are illiterate in English.

Many, but not all, Singaporeans are bilingual in English and another official language, with vastly varying degrees of fluency. The various official languages ranked in terms of literacy amongst Singaporeans are: English (80% literacy), Mandarin Chinese (65% literacy), Malay (17% literacy) and Tamil (4% literacy).

Singaporean English is based on British English, and forms of English spoken range from Standard English known as "Singlish". Singlish is heavily discouraged by the government.

Chinese is the language which is spoken by most Singaporeans as their native tonguehalf of all Singaporeans speak it as their native tongue. Singaporean Mandarin is the most common version of Chinese in the country, with 1.2 million using it as their home language. Nearly half a million speak other Chinese languages (which the government describes as "dialects"), mainly Hokkien, Teochew, and Cantonese, as their home language, although the use of these is declining in favor of Mandarin and English.

Malay is the "national language", a ceremonial rather than functional designation to reflect the country's history. It is used in the national anthem "Majulah

Singapura" and in military commands. Today, in general Malay is spoken within the Singaporean Malay community, with only 16.8% of all Singaporeans literate in Malay and only 12% using it as their native language. Around 100,000 or 3% of Singaporeans speak Tamil as their native language. Even though only Tamil has official status, there have been no attempts to discourage the use or spread of other Indian languages.

Education

Education for primary, secondary, and tertiary levels is mostly supported by the state. All institutions, private and public, must be registered with the Ministry of Education. English is the language of instruction in all public schools and all subjects are taught and examined in English except for the "Mother Tongue" language paper. While "Mother Tongue" in general refers to the first language internationally; in Singapore's education system, it is used to refer to the second language, as English is the first language. Students who have been abroad for a while or who struggle with their "Mother Tongue" language are allowed to take a simpler syllabus or drop the subject.

Education takes place in three stages: "Primary education", "Secondary education", and "Pre-university education", of which only the Primary level is compulsory. Students begin with six years of primary school, which is made up of a four-year foundation course and a two-year orientation stage. The curriculum is focused on the development of English, the mother tongue, and math. There are four standard subjects taught to all students: English, the mother tongue, mathematics, and science. Secondary school lasts from four to five years, and is divided between "Special", "Express", "Normal (Academic)", and "Normal (Technical)" streams within each school, depending on a student's ability level. The basic coursework breakdown is the same as in the primary level, although classes are much more specialized. Pre-university education takes place over two to three years at senior schools mostly called Junior Colleges. Some schools have a degree of freedom in their curriculum, and are known as autonomous schools.These exist from the secondary education level.

National examinations are standardized across all schools, with a test taken after each stage of school. After the first six years of education, students take the Primary School Leaving Examination, which determines their placement at secondary school. At the end of the secondary stage, GCE 'O' Level exams are taken; at the end of the following pre-university stage, the GCE 'A' Level exams are taken. Of all non-student Singaporeans aged 15 and above, 18% have no educational qualifications at all while 45% have the Primary School Leaving Examination as their highest qualification. 15% have the GCE 'O' Level as their highest qualification and 14% have a degree.

Singaporean students consistently rank top five in the world in the two major international assessments of mathematics and science knowledge. Singaporean students were ranked first in the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study conducted by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement and have been ranked top three every year since 1995. Singaporean students were also ranked top five in the world in terms of mathematics, science and reading in the 2009 Programmed for International Student Assessment conducted by the OECD. The country's two main public universities the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are among the top 100 universities in the world.

Health

Singapore has a generally efficient healthcare system, even with health expenditure relatively low for developed countries. The World Health Organization ranks Singapore's healthcare system as 6th overall in the world in its World Health Report. In general, Singapore has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world for the past two decades. Life expectancy in Singapore is 79 for males and 83 for females, placing the country 15th in the world for life expectancy. Almost the whole population has access to improved water and sanitation facilities. There are fewer than 10 annual deaths from HIV per 100,000 people. There is a high level of immunization. Adult obesity is below 10%.The government's healthcare system is based upon the "3M" framework. This has three components: Medifund, which provides a safety net for those not able to

otherwise afford healthcare, Medisave, a compulsory health savings scheme covering about 85% of the population, and Medishield, a government-funded health insurance scheme. Public hospitals in Singapore have autonomy in their management decisions, and compete for patients. A subsidy scheme exists for those on low income. In 2008, 31.9% of healthcare was funded by the government. It accounts for approximately 3.5% of Singapore's GDP.

Culture

Singapore is a very diverse and young country. It has many languages, cultures and religions for a country its size. Due to the many different languages and cultures in the country, there is no single set of culturally acceptable behaviors.

When Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963, most of the newly minted Singaporean citizens were uneducated laborers from China, Malaysia and India. Many of them were transient laborers who were seeking to make some money in Singapore and they had no intentions of staying for good. A sizeable minority of middle-class, local-born people, known as the Peranakans also existed. With the exception of the Peranakans who pledged their loyalties to Singapore, most of the laborers loyalties lie with their respective homelands of China, Malaysia and India. For instance, the Chinese wore pigtails to signify their loyalty to the Chinese emperor and remitted money to China.

After independence, the process of crafting a Singaporean identity and culture began. Both the former Prime Ministers of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew and Goh Chok Tong, have stated that Singapore does not fit the traditional description of a nation, calling it a society in transition, pointing out the fact that Singaporeans do not all speak the same language, share the same religion or have the same customs. Even though English is the first language of the nation, according to the government's 2010 census 20% of Singaporeans, or one in five, are illiterate in English. This is a marked improvement from 1990 where 40% of Singaporeans were illiterate in English.

Unlike many other countries, languages, religions and cultures among

Singaporeans are not delineated according to skin colour or ancestry.

Among Singaporean Chinese, one in five is Christian, another one in five is atheist, and the rest are mostly Buddhists or Taoists. One-third speak English as their home language, while half speak Mandarin Chinese as their home language. The rest speak other mutually unintelligible Chinese languages at home. Singaporean Indians are much more religious. Only 1% of them are atheists. Six in ten are Hindus, two in ten Muslims, and the rest mostly Christians. Four in ten speak English as their home language, three in ten Tamil, one in ten Malay, and the rest other Indian languages as their home language.

Each Singaporean's behaviors and attitudes would therefore be influenced by, among many other things, his or her home language and his religion. Singaporeans who speak English as their native language tend to lean toward Western Culture. While those who speak Chinese languages as their native language tend to lean toward Chinese culture and Confucianism. Malay- speaking Singaporeans tend to lean toward Malay culture, which itself is closely linked to Islamic culture. Those who speak Indian languages as their native language would probably lean toward Indian culture.

Singapore, as a country, in general is conservative socially, but some liberalization has occurred. At the national level, meritocracy, where one is judged based on one's ability, is heavily emphasized. Racial and religious harmony is regarded by the government as a crucial part of Singapore's success and played a part in building a Singaporean identity.

Singapore has a reputation as a nanny state. The national flower of Singapore is the Vanda Miss Joaquim. Many national symbols such as the National Coat of Arms and the Lion Head symbol make use of the lion, as Singapore is known as the 'Lion City'. Public holidays in Singapore cover major Chinese, Western, Malay and Indian festivals.

Due to scarcity of land, four out of five Singaporeans live in subsidised, high-rise, public housing apartments known as HDB (for Housing and Development Board) flats. Singaporeans generally take off their shoes before entering their homes. Live-in domestic helpers are quite common in Singapore and there are nearly 200,000 domestic helpers there. As with most Commonwealth countries,vehicles on the road and people walking on the streets keep to the left. Unlike

some Western countries and ASEAN countries in the Golden Triangle, Singapore does not have a culture of recreational drug use. The country has strict laws against drug use and has one of the lowest rates of drug use in the world. Singaporean employees work an average of around 45 hours weekly, relatively long compared to many other nations. Three in four Singaporean employees surveyed stated that they take pride in doing their work well, and that doing so helps their self-confidence.

Foreigners also make up 42% of the population and have a strong influence on Singaporean culture. A.T. Kearney named Singapore the most globalised country in the world in 2006 in its Globalization Index. The Economist Intelligence Unit in its "Quality-of-Life Index" ranks Singapore as having the best quality of life in Asia and eleventh overall in the world.

Cuisine

Dining, along with shopping, is said to be the country's national pastime. The diversity of food is touted as a reason to visit the country, and the variety of food representing different ethnicities is seen by the government as a symbol of its multiculturalism. The "national fruit" of Singapore is the durian. In popular culture, food items belong to a particular ethnicity, with Chinese, Indian, and Malay food clearly defined. The diversity of cuisine has been increased further by the "hybridization" of different styles, e.g. the Peranakan style, a mix of Chinese and Malay cuisine.

Arts

The durian-shaped Esplanade, performing arts center, stands out in front of the Marina Square area. Since the 1990s, the government has been promoting Singapore as a center for arts and culture, in particular the performing arts, and to transform the country into a cosmopolitan "gateway between the East and West". One highlight was the construction of Esplanade Theatres on the Bay, a performing arts center opened in October 2002. The national orchestra, SingaporeSymphony Orchestra, plays at the Esplanade. The annual Singapore Arts

Festival is organized by the National Arts Council. The stand-up comedy scene has been growing, with a weekly open mic. Singapore hosted the 2009 Genee International Ballet Competition, a classical ballet competition promoted by London's Royal Academy of Dance.

Sport and recreation

Popular sports include football, basketball, cricket, swimming, sailing, table tennis and badminton. Most Singaporeans live in public residential areas near amenities such as public swimming pools, outdoor basketball courts and indoor sport complexes. Water sports are popular, including sailing, kayaking and water skiing. Scuba diving is another popular recreational sport. The Southern island of Pulau Hantu, particularly, is known for its rich coral reefs.

Singapore's football (soccer) league, the S-League, formed in 1994, currently comprises 12 clubs including foreign teams. The Singapore Slingers, formerly in the Australian National Basketball League, is one of the inaugural teams in the ASEAN Basketball League, founded in October 2009. Singapore began hosting a round of the Formula One World Championship, the Singapore Grand Prix, in 2008. The race was staged at the Marina Bay Street Circuit and became the first night race on the F1 circuit and the first street circuit in Asia. Singapore hosted the inaugural 2010 Summer Youth Olympics.

Media

Companies linked to the government control much of the domestic media in Singapore. Media Corp operates most free-to-air television channels and free-to- air radio stations in Singapore. There are a total of seven free-to-air TV channels offered by Mediacorp. The channels are Channel 5 (English channel), Channel News Asia (English channel), Okto (English channel), Channel 8 (Chinese channel), Channel U (Chinese channel), Suria (Malay channel) and Vasantham (Indian channel). Starhub Cable Vision (SCV) also offers cable television withchannels from all around the world and Singtel's MioTV provides

an IPTV service. Singapore Press Holdings, a body with close links to the government, controls most of the newspaper industry.

Singapore's media industry has sometimes been criticized for being too regulated and lacking in freedom by human rights groups such as Freedom House. In2010, Reporters Without Borders, a France-based international non-governmental organization, ranked Singapore 136 out of 178 in its Press Freedom Index, just below Mexico.

The Media Development Authority regulates Singaporean media, claiming to balance the demand for choice and protection against offensive and harmful material. Private ownership of TV satellite dishes is banned. There are 3.4 million users of the internet in Singapore, one of the highest internet penetration rates in the world. The Singapore government does not engage in widespread censoring of the internet, but it maintains a list of one hundred websites (mostly pornographic) that it blocks as a 'symbolic statement of the Singaporean community's stand on harmful and undesirable content on the Internet'. As the block covers only home internet access, users may still visit the blocked websites from their office computers.

TourismTourism in Singapore is a major industry and contributor to the Singaporean economy, attracting 13,171,303 tourists in 2011, over twice Singapore's total population.[1] It is also environmentally friendly, and maintains natural and heritage conservation programs. Along with this, it also has one of the world's lowest crime rates. As English is the dominant one of its four official languages, it is generally easier for tourists to understand when speaking to the local population of the country, for example, when shopping. Transport in Singapore exhaustively covers most, if not all public venues in Singapore, which increases convenience for tourists. This includes the well-known Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system.The Orchard Road district, which is dominated by multi-story shopping centres and hotels, can be considered the center of tourism in Singapore. Other popular tourist attractions include the Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, which allows people to explore Asian, African and American habitats at night without any visible barriers between guests and the wild animals. The Singapore Zoo has embraced the 'open zoo' concept whereby animals are kept in enclosures, separated from visitors by hidden dry or wet moats, instead of caging the animals.Jurong Bird Park is another zoological garden centred on birds, which is dedicated towards exposing the public to as much species and varieties of birds from around the world as possible, including a flock of one thousand flamingos. The tourist island of Sentosa and Universal Studio, which attracts 19 million visitors in 2011, is located in the south of Singapore, consists of about 2030 landmarks, such as Fort Siloso, which was built as a fortress to defend against the Japanese during World War II.Guns from the World War II era can be seen at Fort Siloso, from a mini-sized to a 16 pound (7kg) gun. Moreover, the island has built the Tiger Sky Tower, which allows visitors to view the whole of Sentosa, as well as the Sentosa Luge, a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleighs supine and feet-first. Steering is done by shifting the weight or pulling straps attached to the sled's runners. Singapore has two integrated resorts which house casinos, namely Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa.

Clarke Quay, Singapore

Facts & Figures

Full country name:Republic of Singapore

Area:715.8 sq km

Population:5,312,400 (36% foreigners)

People:74% Chinese, 13% Malay, 9% Indian, 3% Others

Language:English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil

Religion:9% Taoist, 42% Buddhist, 15% Muslim,15% Christian, 4% Hindu, 15% Others

Government:Parliamentary democracy

President:Tony Tan

Prime Minister:Lee Hsien Long

Major industries:Shipping, banking, tourism, electrical & electronics, chemicals, oil refining

Major trading partners:US, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Japan

Health risks:None

Time:GMT/UTC+8

Electricity:220-240V, 50 Hz

County code:+65

Mobile Phone network:GSM 900, GSM 1800, 3G

Weights & measures:Metric with local variations

Business Etiquette and Protocol

Business in Singapore is more formal than in many western countries.

There are strict rules of protocol that must be observed.

The group (company or department) is viewed as more important than the individual.People observe a strict chain of command, which comes with expectations on both sides.In order to keep others from losing face, much communication will be non-verbal and you must closely watch the facial expressions and body language of people you work with.

Building Relationships & Communication

Personal relationships are the cornerstone of all business relationships.

Business is a matter of being tied into the proper network, which is the result of long- standing personal relationships or the proper introductions.This is a group-oriented culture, so links are often based on ethnicity, education or working for the same company.Once you are recognized as part of the group, you will be accepted and expected to obey the unwritten rules of the group. Relationships take time to develop.

You must be patient as this indicates that your organization is here for the long- term and is not looking only for short- term gains.Always be respectful and courteous when dealing with others as this leads to the harmonious relationships necessary within business. Rank is always respected. The eldest person in the group is revered.

Most Singaporeans are soft-spoken and believe a calm demeanour is superior to a more aggressive style. Watch your body language and facial expressions.

Business Meeting Etiquette

Appointments are necessary and should be made at least 2 weeks in advance, whenever possible.The most formal way to schedule a meeting is to write to the person concerned, although most Singaporeans will schedule an appointment by telephone, fax, or e- mail. Do not try to schedule meetings during Chinese New Year (late January/early

February), since many businesses close for the entire week.

You should arrive at meetings on time. Punctuality is a virtue.

There will be period of small talk before getting down to business discussions. Since questioning authority is a taboo, it is important to encourage questions when after making a presentation and then smile when a question is eventually asked. Presentations should be accompanied by backup material, including charts and

figures.

Never disagree or criticize someone who is senior to you in rank as it will cause both of you to lose face and may destroy the business relationship. Pay attention to non-verbal communication.

Negotiating

Always send a list of people who will be attending the negotiations and their title well in advance. Always wait to be told where to sit. There is a strict hierarchy that must be followed.

Business negotiations happen at a slow pace. Singaporeans are non- confrontational.They will not overtly say 'no'; likewise, their 'yes' does not always signify agreement.Singaporeans give a respectful pause of up to 15 seconds before answering a question. Do not start speaking too quickly or you will miss the answer.

Be prepared with a mental list of concessions you would be willing to make that would not injure your own business. Singaporeans are tough negotiators on price and deadlines.

Decisions are consensus driven. Avoid losing your temper or you will lose face and damage your relationship.If you are signing a contract with ethnic Chinese, the signing date may be determined by an astrologer or a geomancer (feng shui man).

Business Cards

Business cards are exchanged after the initial introductions. Business cards are exchanged using both hands. If you will be meeting ethnic Chinese, it is a goodidea to have one side of your card translated into Mandarin.

Have the Chinese characters printed in gold, as this is an auspicious colour. Hand your card so the typeface faces the recipient. Examine business cards carefully before putting them in a business card case.

Treat business cards with respect. This is indicative of how you will treat the relationship.Your own business cards should be maintained in pristine condition. Never give someone a tattered card.

India-Singapore Relations

The bilateral relations between the Republic of India and the Republic of Singapore have been traditionally strong, with both nations enjoying extensive cultural and commercial relations. In recent years, India and Singapore have signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement(CECA) to increase trade, investments and economic cooperation and expanded bilateral cooperation on maritime security, training forces, conducting joint exercises, developing military technology and fighting terrorism.

Background

India and Singapore share long-standing cultural, commercial and strategic relations, with Singapore being a part of the "Greater India" cultural and commercial region. More than 300,000 people of Indian origin live in Singapore. Following its independence in 1965, Singapore was concerned with China- backed communist threats as well as domination from Malaysia and Indonesia and sought a close strategic relationship with India, which it saw as a counter-balance to Chinese influence and a partner in achieving regional security.

Singapore had always been an important strategic trading post, giving India trade access to the Malay archipelago and the Far East. Although the rival positions of both nations over the Vietnam War and the Cold War caused consternation between India and Singapore, their relationship expanded significantly in the1990s; Singapore was one of the first to respond to India's "Look East" Policy of

expanding its economic, cultural and strategic ties in Southeast Asia to strengthen its standing as a regional power.

Development of Bilateral Relations

Ever since Singapore's independence, both nations have maintained high-level contacts. Between 1966 and 1971 the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew visited India three times (1966, 1970 and 1971). The then-Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi visited Singapore in 1968, as did Indian leader Morarji Desai. Singapore supported India's bid to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council and expand its role and influence in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Singapore also supported India in its war against Pakistan in 1965 and the Kashmir conflict.

Military cooperation between the two nations had been hampered by their policy differences in the Cold War era. In 2003, India and Singapore signed a bilateral agreement on expanding military cooperation, conducting joint military training, developing military technology and achieving maritime security. The Singaporean Navy and the Indian Navy have conducted joint naval exercises and training since 1993 such as SIMBEX and MILAN near India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands. India and Singapore have also expanded their cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Commerce

Singapore is the 8th largest source of investment in India and the largest amongst

ASEAN member nations. It is also India's 9th biggest trading partner as of 2005-

06. Its cumulative investment in India totals USD 3 billion as of 2006 and is expected to rise to US 5 billion by 2010 and US 10 billion by 2015. India's economic liberalization and its "Look East" policy have led to a major expansion in bilateral trade, which grew from USD 2.2 billion in 2001 to US 9-10 billion in2006 - a 400% growth in span of five years - and to USD 50 billion by2010. Singapore accounts for 38% of India's trade with ASEAN member nations and 3.4% of its total foreign trade.

Indias main exports to Singapore in 2005 included petroleum, gemstones, jewellery, machinery and its imports from Singapore included electronic goods, organic chemicals and metals. More than half of Singapores exports to India are basically "re-exports" - items that had been imported from India.

In 2005, both nations signed the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) and have organized the India-Singapore Parliamentary Forum and the Singapore-India Partnership foundation with active support from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICC), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Singapore Business Federation to promote trade, economic development and partnerships.

The CECA eliminated tariff barriers, double taxation, duplicate processes and regulations and provided unhindered access and cooperation between the banks and financial institutions of Singapore and India. The CECA also advanced bilateral cooperation over education, science and technology, intellectual property, aviation and relaxed visa regulations for Indian professionals in information technology, medicine, engineering and financial fields to emigrate and work in Singapore.

Singapore has invested in projects to upgrade India's ports, airports and developing information technology parks and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). India has become Singapore's 4th biggest tourist destination and more than650,000 Indians visited Singapore in 2006. Both nations have worked to collaborate on aviation, aerospace engineering, space programs, informationtechnology, biotechnology and energy.