Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) - Singapore (2004)

Compare British Indian Ocean Territory (2006) z Singapore (2004)

	British Indian Ocean Territory (2006)	Singapore (2004)

Administrative divisions	-	none
Age structure	-	0-14 years: 16.5% (male 370,660; female 345,713) 15-64 years: 75.8% (male 1,611,502; female 1,687,048) 65 years and over: 7.8% (male 149,452; female 189,518) (2004 est.)
Agriculture - products	-	rubber, copra, fruit, orchids, vegetables, poultry, eggs, fish, ornamental fish
Airports	1 (2006)	9 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2006)	total: 10 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 54,400 sq km land: 60 sq km; Diego Garcia 44 sq km water: 54,340 sq km note: includes the entire Chagos Archipelago of 55 islands	total: 692.7 sq km land: 682.7 sq km water: 10 sq km
Area - comparative	land area is about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Background	Established as a territory of the UK in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of Diego Garcia.	Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819. It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated 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 the world's busiest in terms of tonnage handled) and with per capita GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Birth rate	-	9.63 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	-	revenues: $14.15 billion expenditures: $15.61 billion, including capital expenditures of $5.6 billion (2003 est.)
Capital	-	Singapore
Climate	tropical marine; hot, humid, moderated by trade winds	tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - Northeastern monsoon from December to March and Southwestern monsoon from June to September; inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
Coastline	698 km	193 km
Constitution	-	3 June 1959, amended 1965 (based on preindependence State of Singapore Constitution)
Country name	conventional long form: British Indian Ocean Territory conventional short form: none abbreviation: BIOT	conventional long form: Republic of Singapore conventional short form: Singapore
Currency	-	Singapore dollar (SGD)
Death rate	-	4.05 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	-	$15.06 billion (2003 est.)
Dependency status	overseas territory of the UK; administered by a commissioner, resident in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	chief of mission: Ambassador Franklin L. LAVIN embassy: 27 Napier Road, Singapore 258508 mailing address: FPO AP 96507-0001 telephone: [65] 6476-9100 FAX: [65] 6476-9340
Diplomatic representation in the US	none (overseas territory of the UK)	chief of mission: Ambassador CHAN Heng Chee chancery: 3501 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 537-3100 FAX: [1] (202) 537-0876 consulate(s) general: San Francisco consulate(s): New York
Disputes - international	Mauritius and Seychelles claim the Chagos Archipelago including Diego Garcia; in 2001 the former inhabitants of the Chagos Archipelago, evicted in 1965 and now residing chiefly in Mauritius, were granted UK citizenship and the right to repatriation; the UK resists the Chagossians' demand for an immediate return to the islands; repatriation is complicated by the exclusive US military lease of Diego Garcia that restricts access to the largest island in the chain;	disputes with Malaysia over deliveries of fresh water to Singapore, Singapore's land reclamation works, bridge construction, maritime boundaries, and Pedra Branca Island/Pulau Batu Putih persist - parties agree to ICJ arbitration on island dispute within three years
Economic aid - recipient	-	NA
Economy - overview	All economic activity is concentrated on the largest island of Diego Garcia, where joint UK-US defense facilities are located. Construction projects and various services needed to support the military installations are done by military and contract employees from the UK, Mauritius, the Philippines, and the US. There are no industrial or agricultural activities on the islands. When the Ilois return, they plan to reestablish sugarcane production and fishing. The country makes money by selling fishing licenses and postage stamps.	Singapore, a highly developed and successful free market economy, enjoys a remarkably open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a high per capita GDP. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly in electronics and manufacturing. It was hard hit in 2001-03 by the global recession and the slump in the technology sector. The government hopes to establish a new growth path that will be less vulnerable to the external business cycle but is unlikely to abandon efforts to establish Singapore as Southeast Asia's financial and high-tech hub. Fiscal stimulus, low interest rates, and global economic recovery should lead to much improved growth in 2004.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	28.35 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh; note - electricity supplied by the US military	30.48 billion kWh (2001)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Diego Garcia 15 m	lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Environment - current issues	NA	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, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups	-	Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%
Exchange rates	-	Singapore dollars per US dollar - 1.7422 (2003), 1.7906 (2002), 1.7917 (2001), 1.724 (2000), 1.695 (1999)
Executive branch	chief of state: Queen ELIZABETH II (since 6 February 1952) head of government: Commissioner Tony CROMBIE (since January 2004); Administrator Tony HUMPHRIES (since February 2005); note - both reside in the UK cabinet: NA elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; commissioner and administrator appointed by the monarch	chief of state: President Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN (since 1 September 1999) head of government: Prime Minister LEE Hsien Loong (since 12 August 2004); Senior Minister GOH Chok Tong (since 12 August 2004); Minister Mentor LEE Kuan Yew (since 12 August 2004); Deputy Prime Ministers Shunmugan JAYAKUMAR (since 12 August 2004) and Tony TAN Keng Yam (since 1 August 1995) cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president, responsible to Parliament elections: president elected by popular vote for a six-year term; election last held 28 August 1999 (next to be held by August 2005); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the president; deputy prime ministers appointed by the president election results: Sellapan Rama (S. R.) NATHAN elected president unopposed
Exports	-	NA (2001)
Exports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment (including electronics), consumer goods, chemicals, mineral fuels
Exports - partners	-	Malaysia 15.8%, US 14.3%, Hong Kong 10%, China 7%, Japan 6.7%, Taiwan 4.7%, Thailand 4.3%, South Korea 4.2% (2003)
Fiscal year	-	1 April - 31 March
Flag description	white with six blue wavy horizontal stripes; the flag of the UK is in the upper hoist-side quadrant; the striped section bears a palm tree and yellow crown centered on the outer half of the flag	two equal horizontal bands of red (top) and white; near the hoist side of the red band, there is a vertical, white crescent (closed portion is toward the hoist side) partially enclosing five white five-pointed stars arranged in a circle
GDP	-	purchasing power parity - $109.4 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	-	agriculture: negligible industry: 32.2% services: 67.8% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	-	purchasing power parity - $23,700 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	-	1.1% (2003 est.)
Geographic coordinates	6 00 S, 71 30 E; note - Diego Garcia 7 20 S, 72 25 E	1 22 N, 103 48 E
Geography - note	archipelago of 55 islands; Diego Garcia, largest and southernmost island, occupies strategic location in central Indian Ocean; island is site of joint US-UK military facility	focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes
Highways	-	total: 3,066 km paved: 3,066 km (including 150 km of expressways) unpaved: 0 km (1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	-	lowest 10%: NA highest 10%: NA
Illicit drugs	-	as a transportation and financial services hub, Singapore is vulnerable, despite strict laws and enforcement, to be used as a transit point for Golden Triangle heroin and as a venue for money laundering
Imports	-	NA (2001)
Imports - commodities	-	machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs
Imports - partners	-	Malaysia 16.8%, US 14.1%, Japan 12%, China 8.7%, Taiwan 5.1%, Thailand 4.3% (2003)
Independence	-	9 August 1965 (from Malaysian Federation)
Industrial production growth rate	-	2.8% (2003 est.)
Industries	-	electronics, chemicals, financial services, oil drilling equipment, petroleum refining, rubber processing and rubber products, processed food and beverages, ship repair, offshore platform construction, life sciences, entrepot trade
Infant mortality rate	-	total: 2.28 deaths/1,000 live births male: 2.49 deaths/1,000 live births female: 2.05 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	-	0.5% (2003 est.)
International organization participation	-	APEC, ARF, AsDB, ASEAN, BIS, C, CP, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Irrigated land	0 sq km	NA sq km
Judicial branch	-	Supreme Court (chief justice is appointed by the president with the advice of the prime minister, other judges are appointed by the president with the advice of the chief justice); Court of Appeals
Labor force	-	2.2 million (2003)
Labor force - by occupation	-	manufacturing 18%, construction 6%, transportation and communication 11%, financial, business, and other services 49%, other 16% (2003)
Land boundaries	0 km	0 km
Land use	arable land: 0% permanent crops: 0% other: 100% (2005)	arable land: 1.64% permanent crops: 0% other: 98.36% (2001)
Languages	-	Chinese (official), Malay (official and national), Tamil (official), English (official)
Legal system	the laws of the UK, where applicable, apply	based on English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch	-	unicameral Parliament (84 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms); note - in addition, there are up to nine nominated members; the losing opposition candidate who came closest to winning a seat may be appointed as a "nonconstituency" member elections: last held 3 November 2001 (next to be held not later than 25 June 2007) election results: percent of vote by party - PAP 75.3% (in contested constituencies), other 24.7%; seats by party - PAP 82, WP 1, SPP 1
Life expectancy at birth	-	total population: 81.53 years male: 78.96 years female: 84.29 years (2004 est.)
Literacy	-	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 92.5% male: 96.6% female: 88.6% (2002)
Location	archipelago in the Indian Ocean, south of India, about one-half the way from Africa to Indonesia	Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Map references	Political Map of the World	Southeast Asia
Maritime claims	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm	territorial sea: 3 nm exclusive fishing zone: within and beyond territorial sea, as defined in treaties and practice
Merchant marine	-	total: 900 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 23,065,290 GRT/36,393,317 DWT by type: bulk 136, cargo 84, chemical tanker 96, combination bulk 4, combination ore/oil 8, container 186, liquefied gas 41, livestock carrier 3, multi-functional large load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 290, refrigerated cargo 2, roll on/roll off 5, short-sea/passenger 1, specialized tanker 10, vehicle carrier 32 foreign-owned: Australia 6, China 15, Denmark 32, Germany 18, Greece 12, Hong Kong 31, India 3, Indonesia 33, Japan 58, South Korea 13, Malaysia 31, Monaco 19, Norway 53, Papua New Guinea 1, Philippines 9, Russia 2, Slovenia 1, Sweden 12, Switzerland 5, Taiwan 44, Tanzania 1, Thailand 16, United Kingdom 15, United States 1 registered in other countries: 383 (2004 est.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the UK; the US lease on Diego Garcia expires in 2016	-
Military branches	-	Army, Navy, Air Force, People's Defense Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$4.47 billion (FY01 est.)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	4.9% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 1,292,471 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 934,317 (2004 est.)
National holiday	-	Independence Day, 9 August (1965)
Nationality	-	noun: Singaporean(s) adjective: Singapore
Natural hazards	NA	NA
Natural resources	coconuts, fish, sugarcane	fish, deepwater ports
Net migration rate	-	11.53 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	gas 139 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	-	governing party: People's Action Party or PAP [LEE Hsien Loong]; opposition parties: Democratic Progressive Party or DPP [LING How Dong]; National Solidarity Party or NSP [vacant] (SDA group); Singapore Democratic Alliance or SDA [CHIAM See Tong] (includes SPP, PKMS, NSP, SJP); Singapore Democratic Party or SDP [CHEE Soon Juan]; Singapore Justice Party or SJP [Desmond LIM] (SDA group); Singapore National Malay Organization or PKMS [Malik ISMAIL] (SDA group); Singapore People's Party or SPP [CHIAM See Tong] (SDA group); Workers' Party or WP [Sylvia Lim Swee LIAN]
Political pressure groups and leaders	-	NA
Population	no indigenous inhabitants note: approximately 1,200 former agricultural workers resident in the Chagos Archipelago, often referred to as Chagossians or Ilois, were relocated to Mauritius and the Seychelles in the 1960s and 1970s; in November 2000 they were granted the right of return by a British High Court ruling, though no timetable has been set; in November 2004, there were approximately 4,000 UK and US military personnel and civilian contractors living on the island of Diego Garcia (July 2006 est.)	4,353,893 (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	-	NA
Population growth rate	-	1.71% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	-	Singapore
Radio broadcast stations	AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 0 (1998)	AM 0, FM 17, shortwave 2 (2003)
Religions	-	Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist
Sex ratio	-	at birth: 1.08 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.79 male(s)/female total population: 0.96 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	-	21 years of age; universal and compulsory
Telephone system	general assessment: separate facilities for military and public needs are available domestic: all commercial telephone services are available, including connection to the Internet international: international telephone service is carried by satellite (2000)	general assessment: excellent service domestic: excellent domestic facilities international: country code - 65; submarine cables to Malaysia (Sabah and Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia, and the Philippines; satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 1 Pacific Ocean), and 1 Inmarsat (Pacific Ocean region)
Telephones - main lines in use	NA	1,896,100 (2004)
Telephones - mobile cellular	-	3,521,800 (2004)
Television broadcast stations	1 (1997)	7 (2003)
Terrain	flat and low (most areas do not exceed two meters in elevation)	lowland; gently undulating central plateau contains water catchment area and nature preserve
Total fertility rate	-	1.04 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	-	4.8% (2003 est.)

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