Difference between revisions of "Singapore"

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 ==Background==
-The Republic of Singapore is a prosperous island nation in Southeast Asia. Singapore, also known as "Lion City," consists of the main island of Singapore plus 63 offshore islands. Originally founded in 1819 as a British trading colony, Singapore gained independence from the British in 1963, merged with Malaysia for two years, and became fully independent in 1965. Today, Singapore is a leading financial center and high-tech hub. It also has one of the busiest ports in the world. The estimated GDP in 2010 was $292.2 billion. The most common industries in Singapore’s export-driven economy are consumer electronics, information technology products, pharmaceuticals, and financial services.
-Nearly 5 million people live in Singapore, and the entire population lives in an urban setting. The population is 77% Chinese, 14% Malay, and 7% Indian. Between one-third and one-fourth of the population are foreigners. Buddhism is the most popular religion (42.5%), followed by Muslim (14.9%), and Christian (9.8%). There are four official languages: Mandarin, English, Malay, and Tamil. The national anthem is exclusively sung in Malay. The life expectancy of 82 years is among the highest in the world, and 92.5% of the population is literate.
 ==Type of System==