Singapore

A City-State That Built Itself Into a Global Financial Centre in 60 Years

Singapore is one of modern history’s most studied success stories. In 1965, when the country was forcibly separated from Malaysia and became reluctantly independent, it had no natural resources, no fresh water supply, no agricultural hinterland, a population of 1.9 million, and a per-capita GDP of around $500. Today, Singapore has a per-capita GDP of around $84,000 (among the world’s highest), one of the world’s busiest container ports, the world’s busiest international airport hub by international passenger volume (Changi), the world’s third-largest foreign exchange trading centre, and the most-imitated Smart Nation technological infrastructure of any country.

This transformation was driven by Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore — a unique blend of authoritarian governance, ruthlessly meritocratic civil service, deliberately multiracial social engineering, and pragmatic economic policy. The country has been continuously governed by the People’s Action Party (PAP) since independence in 1959 (technically since 1965 as an independent country), one of the longest single-party tenures in any democracy.

Singapore is famous for being strict — chewing gum sales were banned (1992, recently relaxed for medicinal gum), graffiti carries caning sentences, drug trafficking can be punished by mandatory death penalty, and Singapore consistently ranks among the world’s least corrupt countries (often #1 in Asia). It is also famous for being clean, efficient, multiethnic (the Chinese-Malay-Indian-Eurasian mix is one of the most successful multiethnic societies on earth), and for producing some of the world’s best food and one of the most distinctive city-state experiences for visitors.

The Supertree Grove at Gardens by the Bay illuminated at night in Singapore

A Brief History

Pre-Modern Singapore

A trading settlement existed at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula since at least the 14th century — known as Temasek under the Sumatran Srivijaya empire and as Singapura under the Majapahit. The settlement was largely uninhabited by the early 19th century when Sir Stamford Raffles founded the British East India Company’s modern port in 1819.

British Colonial Era

Singapore became a key stop on the British shipping route between India and China — the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 and the development of steam shipping made it essential. By 1900, Singapore was the world’s seventh-busiest port.

WWII and Independence

The Japanese occupation (1942-1945) was a defining trauma — the British surrender on February 15, 1942 was the largest in British military history (around 80,000 troops captured). Post-war, Singapore briefly joined Malaysia in 1963 but was expelled in 1965 due to political and racial tensions.

Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore

Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015) was Prime Minister from 1959 to 1990, then “Senior Minister” until 2011 — among the longest political tenures of any modern democratic leader. His son Lee Hsien Loong served as PM 2004-2024; Lawrence Wong took office in May 2024 — the first non-Lee, non-LKY-era Prime Minister in 20 years.

Geography and Climate

Singapore covers just 728 km² — about the size of New York City — but is one of the most densely populated countries in the world. The country has been growing through land reclamation (it has added approximately 25% to its original 1965 land area) using sand from neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia (a politically sensitive practice).

Climate

Equatorial tropical — hot and humid year-round (26-32°C), with frequent rain across all seasons.

Culture, Language and Religion

Singapore has four official languages: English (the working language and lingua franca), Mandarin Chinese, Malay (the national language for ceremonial purposes), and Tamil. Singlish — the local English-based creole — is used informally and contains substantial Hokkien, Malay, and Tamil borrowings.

Religion: Singapore is one of the world’s most religiously diverse countries — approximately 31% Buddhist, 20% Christian, 15% Muslim, 9% Taoist, 5% Hindu, 20% unaffiliated. The Buddhist temple, Christian cathedral, mosque, and Hindu temple in any given Singaporean neighbourhood are usually within walking distance of each other.

The Economy

Singapore has the world’s third-highest GDP per capita (~$84,000 in 2024). Key sectors: financial services (one of Asia’s largest financial centres), trade and logistics (the Port of Singapore is the world’s second-busiest container port), petrochemicals, electronics manufacturing, biotech and pharmaceuticals, tourism (around 16 million international visitors in 2023).

Cuisine

Singapore’s hawker culture was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020. The country has roughly 100 hawker centres serving inexpensive multicultural food. Iconic dishes:

• Hainanese chicken rice — poached chicken on chicken-stock-cooked rice
• Chilli crab — Singapore’s signature seafood dish
• Laksa — coconut-curry noodle soup
• Char kway teow — stir-fried flat noodles
• Bak kut teh — pork rib soup with herbs
• Roti prata — flaky Indian-style flatbread
• Kaya toast — coconut-egg jam toast with soft-boiled eggs, the breakfast standard

Travel Guide

Entry

Most Western nationalities enter visa-free for 30-90 days. Singapore is exceptionally easy to enter.

Best Seasons

February-April has marginally less rain. June-September can be hazy from Indonesian fires.

Transport

The MRT metro system is one of the world’s most efficient. Taxis and Grab (ride-hailing) are widely used.

Budget

Singapore is expensive — daily mid-range budgets of SGD 200-350 ($150-$260) are common. Hawker centres allow eating extremely well for SGD 5-10 per meal.

Surprising Facts

1. Singapore has compulsory military service for all male citizens (two years; followed by reservist obligations until age 50).⁶
2. Chewing gum was effectively banned in Singapore from 1992 to 2004; medicinal gum is now allowed but recreational gum sales remain heavily restricted.⁶
3. Singapore is one of three remaining city-states in the world — alongside Vatican City and Monaco.⁶
4. The Singapore Airlines A380 superjumbos were among the first delivered globally; the airline routinely ranks #1 in international passenger surveys.³
5. Singapore Changi Airport has been ranked the world’s best airport in the Skytrax World Airport Awards more than any other airport (12 times as of 2024).³
6. Singapore has the world’s strictest drug laws — drug trafficking can carry the mandatory death penalty (which has been carried out as recently as 2024).⁶

Sources and References

See the list of cited sources in the page frontmatter.