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Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and
Indonesia
Geographic coordinates: 1 22 N, 103 48 E
Map references: Southeast Asia
Area:
total: 647.5 sq km
land: 637.5 sq km
water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than 3.5 times the size
of Washington, DC
Land boundaries: 0 km
Coastline: 193 km
Maritime claims:
exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea,
as defined in treaties and practice
territorial sea: 3 nm
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy; no pronounced rainy
or dry seasons; thunderstorms occur on 40% of all days (67% of days
in April)
Terrain: lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains
water catchment area and nature preserve
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Natural resources: fish, deepwater ports
Land use:
arable land: 2%
permanent crops: 6%
permanent pastures: 0%
forests and woodland: 5%
other: 87% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: NA sq km
Natural hazards: NA
Environment - current issues: industrial pollution; limited
natural fresh water resources; limited land availability presents
waste disposal problems; seasonal smoke/haze resulting from forest
fires in Indonesia
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification,
Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Geography - note: focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
Geography
Singapore is made up of a low-lying Singapore Island and 58 smaller
islands within its territorial water. 50% of the land area are urban
areas while parkland; reservoirs, plantations and open military
areas occupy 40%.
The whole island measures approximately 42km from east to west and
23km from north to south at its widest points. While there are built-up,
high-density areas all around the island, the main city area is
in the south, built along the shores of the Singapore River, a 'recreational'
river, offering waterfront housing, riverside dining, and water-sports
facilities to the present and future generations of Singaporeans.
Jurong (to the west of the island) is an industrial area with a
number of tourist attractions. There are colonial home areas in
the East Coast, a major beach park and the international airport.
The northeast is the location of huge modern housing developments
while the central northern part has most of Singapore's undeveloped
land and what is left of its forest. Singapore is connected to another
mainland, Malaysia, by a 1-kilometer-long causeway.
According to current plans, land reclamation and housing developments
will mould and change Singapore's geography dramatically.
Climate
Singapore's temperature rarely drops below 20 degrees Celsius, even
at night, and usually climbs up to 30 degrees Celsius during the
day making it hot and humid all year-round. Eventually, humidity
is high at around the 75% mark.
Singapore is wettest from November to January and is driest from
May to July; the difference between the two unfortunately is barely
visible.
And due to Singapore's near proximity to the equator, it gets plenty
of sun throughout the year.
Singapore is a small island country in Southeast Asia. It lies
at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula where the South China
Sea and the Indian Ocean meet.
Singapore is about 140 kilometres north of the equator. Singapore
has an area of 639.1 square kilometres. It consists of a large island
and more than 50 smaller islands. The large island, which is also
called Singapore, covers an area of 573 square kilometres.
It is 42 kilometres long and 23 kilometres across at its widest
point. About half of the smaller islands of Singapore are uninhabited.
Some of the islands have been developed for recreation and tourism.
Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined Malaysia
in 1963, but withdrew two years later and became independent.
It subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries,
with strong international trading links (its port is one of the
world's busiest) and with per capita GDP above that of the leading
nations of Western Europe.
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