Official Name: Xinjiapo Gongheguo (Mandarin Chinese); Republik Singapura (Malay); Singapore Kudiyarasu (Tamil); Republic of Singapore (English)

Area: Asia

Size: 697 km²

Coastline: 193 km

Independence: separation from Malaysia August 9, 1965 

Form of Govt.: Unitary multiparty republic

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister

Capital: Singapore

Largest City: Singapore

Demographics (2005): 4,483,900.   6,369 /km² 

Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%

GDP per Capita (2005): $30,900

Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese Yue) 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%

Geography: Singapore is a diamond-shaped island with surrounding smaller islands. There are two connections from Singapore to the Malaysian state of Johor - a man-made causeway known as the Johor-Singapore Causeway to the north, crossing the Tebrau Straits, and Tuas Second Link, a bridge in the western part of Singapore that connects to Johor. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve is the only remaining area of primary rainforest

Climate: Singapore has a tropical climate characterized by hot and humid conditions. Rainfall is distributed evenly throughout the year with an average annual precipitation of 2,410 mm. During the NE Monsoon, floods are common while the SW Monsoon usually brings violent wind squalls called Sumatras. Average temperature ranges are between 24 degrees to 32 degrees all year.