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Singapore |
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SINGAPORE
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General Information
| Country (name in full): |
Republic of Singapore |
| Capital: |
Singapore |
| Surface Area: |
1,000 sq
km |
| Official Languages: |
English, Chinese (Mandarin), Malay &
Tamil |
| Population: |
4,492,150 (July 2006 est.) |
| Exchange Rates: |
Real Time
Converter |
| Real GDP Growth: |
6.4% (2005 est.) |
| GDP per capita: |
purchasing power parity - $28,600 (2005
est.) |
| Head of State: |
President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN
(since 1 September 1999) |
| Head of Government: |
Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12
August 2004) |
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Principal Trading Partners
Export
Destinations
Malaysia 14.7%, US 11.5%, Indonesia
10.7%, Hong Kong 10.4%, China 9.5%, Japan 6%, Thailand 4.5%,
Australia 4.1% (2005)
Import Destinations
Malaysia
14.4%, US 12.4%, China 10.8%, Japan 10.1%, Indonesia 5.5%,
Saudi Arabia 4.7%, South Korea 4.5% (2005)
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Singaporean Overview
Geography &
Population
Singapore is an island state which is
strategically located on the tip of the Malaya peninsula
between Indonesia and Malaysia. It has a mixed population of
approximately 4.4 million people predominantly made up of
Singaporean Chinese, Indians and Malays.
Language
The
official languages are Malay, Chinese (Mandarin), Tamil and
English. The most common languages for local business is Malay
and Chinese however English is the language for international
trade and commerce.
Government and
Law
The Singaporean government is a parliamentary
democracy. Its law is based upon the British legal system.
Climate
Singapore is an equatorial and
tropical country. With only two seasons i.e, rainy and dry
seasons. Temperature ranges are generally 26 - 34 degrees
Celsius. Extremes of temperatures are not found however the
country experiences high levels of humidity during the wet
season.
Religion
Buddhist 42.5%, Muslim 14.9%,
Taoist 8.5%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 4.8%, other Christian 9.8%,
other 0.7%, none 14.8% (2000 census)
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Singaporean Calendar
Business travellers to
Singapore should note that Singapore enjoys a wide
range of public holidays due to religious, national and other
festive events.
IBN clients are
recommended to consult with their regional Business Centres to
obtain more specific regional travel advice in relation to
public holidays as they may impact upon visit schedules.
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Exhibitions and Conferences
IBN clients should
consult their regional Business Centre for detailed
information on exhibitions and conferences including
exhibiting, booking requirements etc.
For a useful link on exhibition details, please visit
the Fair Guide - www.fairguide.com.
To contact us, click here.
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Travel Information
The international airport in Singapore is known as
Changi International. There is no other commercial
airport within the country. Visitors should note
that the airport has two main terminal areas known as Terminal
1 and Terminal 2. Both terminals are linked by a
monorail system as well as a moving walkway
system. Due to the size of the terminals and
their locations it is best to immediately check forward
flights well in advance of departure.
For travellers with extended stopovers in Singapore there
are free city tours during the day. There is also
a hotel located within the terminal for those wanting to rest
whilst in transit.
Singapore boasts the second busiest seaport in the
world.
The following information is provided to assist travellers
when planning to visit Singapore:
IDD: +65
Time:
GMT
+8
Voltage:
110/220/240V
Cell Phone
System:
Dual Band system (GSM and
CDMA)
Dress:
Business suit for first meeting then only long sleeve shirt
and tie
Taxi Fare to city from airport
(average): S$20.00
Departure
tax: Yes (normally included in ticket price)
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Foreign Visa Requirements
Most foreign nationals do not require visas prior to entry
into Singapore for short-term stays. Should a visa be
necessary then they are usually valid for periods ranging from
60 days up to 12 months.
As visa requirements vary for visitors from country to
country travellers should consult their
respective Singaporean embassies or consulates for
specific advice. IBN clients are able to obtain specific
information including supporting Letters of Invitation for
business travel (if required) from their respective Business
Centres.
Health Considerations
Visitors to Singapore will find most prescription medicines
are readily available. IBN however recommends that those travellers
requiring specific medication should carry it with
them. By regional comparison a small number of tropical
diseases are prevalent in Singapore and visitors should
consult their local doctor prior to travel to ensure that
adequate regimes are adopted prior to travel.
Visitors
should also consult their respective health insurance
providers to ensure that adequate health cover is available in
the event of an emergency.
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Local Currency
The local currency is the Singapore Dollar with
denominations ranging from 5 cents to
$500.
Currency exchange facilities are readily
available throughout Singapore.
To use our Real-Time Converter, click
here.
Useful Links
For business, national and regional news as well as current
affairs, government and a more in depth view of Singapore
today, the following links should prove to be useful:
Singapore Immigration - www.sir.gov.sg
Singapore Tourist Promotion
Board - www.stb.com.sg
The Straits
Times - www.thestraitstimes.com
The Asian Wall
Street
Journal -
http://online.wsj.com/public/asia
Asia
Today -
http://www.asiatoday.com.au
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Disclaimer
Whilst IBN
Group Pty Ltd (IBN) has taken due care to
obtain and provide the country information detailed on this
site, it cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of
the same information and data. As this country information and
data has been received from various sources, accepted by IBN
as being reliable, IBN itself makes no representation
concerning its completeness, truth or accuracy or its
suitability for any particular purposes.
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