Major Cities: Singapore is a city-state. The city of Singapore is located on the south-central coast of the island of Singapore, but urbanization has taken over most of the territory of the island.

Date of Independence: August 31, 1963, from Britain; August 9, 1965, from the Federation of Malaysia.

NATIONAL Public Holidays: New Year’s Day (January 1); Lunar New Year (movable date in January or February); Hari Raya Haji (Feast of the Sacrifice, movable date in February); Good Friday (movable date in March or April); Labour Day (May 1); Vesak Day (June 2); National Day or Independence Day (August 9); Deepavali (movable date in November); Hari Raya Puasa (end of Ramadan, movable date according to the Islamic lunar calendar); and Christmas (December 25).

Flag:

Two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; a vertical white crescent

(closed portion toward the hoist side), partially enclosing five white-point stars

arranged in a circle, is positioned near the hoist side of the red band. The red

band symbolizes universal brotherhood and equality of men; the white band,

purity and virtue. The crescent moon represents a young nation on the rise,

while the five stars stand for the ideals of democracy, peace, progress, justice,

and equality.

RECENT NEWS ARTICLES

Singapore Slings Censorship  -  24 Oct 2006
Washington Post,If you're going to violate Singapore's Draconian guidelines, why not do it in hi-def? (Courtesy of Gateway Inc.). Talk about your ...

Singapore to promote land transport system  -  24 Oct 2006
VietNamNet Bridge,Singapore's Transport Minister Raymond Lim announced Monday that his country will develop a new roadmap to articulate and guide the key land transport ...

Gold investment transparency and the Singapore ETF  -  24 Oct 2006
Mineweb,The latest such listing is in Singapore and which commenced trading on 11th October. This Singapore listing is not a separate trust ...

Mixed martial arts contest to be held in Singapore on November 30  -  24 Oct 2006
Channel News Asia,SINGAPORE : Mixed martial arts may appeal to a niche market but it is getting more popular in Singapore. On November 30, Singapore ...

Design Hotels to host first networking event in Singapore  -  24 Oct 2006
Travel Daily News International,...market, the international hotel group design hotels will be hosting its annual Asian Exchange event in Hong Kong and, for the first time, in Singapore on 31 ...

Singapore - Clarke Quay by SMC Alsop  -  24 Oct 2006
Europa Concorsi,Alsop's first major project in Asia, a dramatic redevelopment of the river front district of Clarke Quay in Singapore, gives the area a new identity and ...

LCC Tourism graduates conquer Singapore  -  24 Oct 2006
Sun.Star,SINGAPORE'S booming tourism industry has become a haven for the hospitality and tourism management graduates of La Consolacion College in Bacolod City. ...

Singapore Marriot Hotel Unveils Sleek New Executive Lounge  -  24 Oct 2006
India PRwire (Press Release),Singapore Marriott Hotel has proudly unveiled its sleek new Executive Lounge following a complete renovation and expansion. Singapore ...

New kick in the Shin for Thaksin  -  24 Oct 2006
The Australian,Shinawatra's family from selling control of the Shin Corp communications group for 73.2 billion baht ($2.6 billion) to the Singapore government investment ...

Mufti of S'pore calls on Muslims to continue to interact with non ...  -  24 Oct 2006
Channel News Asia,SINGAPORE : Muslim leaders in Singapore have stressed in their Hari Raya Aidilfitri messages that it is important for the Muslim community to continue ...

Brisbane chemical spill contained  -  24 Oct 2006
ABC Online,...leaking a flammable substance. The ship had come from Singapore, but the problem cargo was from Taiwan. Colin Hartley from Queensland ...

PRESS DIGEST-Financial Times, Wall St Journal Asia editions  -  24 Oct 2006
ReutersSINGAPORE, Oct 24 (Reuters) - The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal carried the following stories in their Asia print and/or Web site editions on ...

Linklaters shakes up Asian practice  -  24 Oct 2006
Legal Week,...has had a shake-up of its Asian presence â€” moving two partners from London to the region and transferring a capital markets team from Hong Kong to Singapore. ...

Asian Chinese entrepreneurs summit held in Singapore  -  Oct 22, 2006
People's Daily Online,The Asian Chinese entrepreneurs summit was held in Singapore Sunday with 1,200 Chinese businessmen from Asia and beyond gathering to discuss how to contend ...

Investment opportunities in Russia for Singapore companies  -  Oct 23, 2006
Channel News Asia,SINGAPORE: The investment climate in Russia is attractive because the country is improving its macroeconomic policies and opening its markets, according to ...

Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew praises Indonesian president for ...  -  Oct 22, 2006
International Herald Tribune,AP. SINGAPORE Singapore's elder statesman praised Indonesia's president for apologizing for brush fires that have blanketed parts of neighboring countries with ...

This series of profiles of foreign nations is part of the Country Studies Program, formerly the Army Area Handbook Program. The profiles offer brief, summarized information on a country’s historical background, geography, society, economy, transportation and telecommunications, government and politics, and national security. In addition to being featured in the front matter of published Country Studies, they are now being prepared as stand-alone reference aides for all countries in the series, as well as for a number of additional countries of interest. The profiles offer reasonably current country information independent of the existence of a recently published Country Study and will be updated annually or more frequently as events warrant.