Singapore – General info

Singapore – General Information

Area: 733.1 km² (has grown by about a quarter since the 1960s due to continuous land reclamation; the 647.8 km² mentioned in the original are obsolete).

Population: around 5.9 to 6.5 million (as of 2026, figures vary depending on the source between permanent resident population and total population including short-term residents). Around 40–47% of people living in Singapore are non-Singaporean nationals (foreign workers, expatriates, permanent residents) – a key factor in the city-state’s economy and society.

Population density: around 8,500–9,200 inhabitants per km² – Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries in the world.

Capital: As a city-state, Singapore is a country, capital and (almost) the only city at the same time – almost 100% of the population lives urbanly.

Geography: The island state of Singapore is located off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula and is connected to it by two dams. The main island is separated from the mainland by the approximately 1 km wide Strait of Johor; more than 60 smaller islands are also part of the national territory. Singapore is predominantly flat, with Bukit Timah at around 164 m being the highest natural elevation. Due to large-scale land reclamation, especially in the northeast and south of the island, the country’s area has increased considerably since independence; the original jungle and many swamps of the lowlands have largely been cleared or drained.

Form of government: Republic (in the Commonwealth) since 1965, constitution of 1965 (based on the constitution of 1959), amended several times. Unicameral parliament with 104 elected MPs today (as of after the 2025 general election) plus additional unelected seats for the opposition (NCMP regulation). Current head of state (president): Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in office since September 2023.Current head of government (prime minister): Lawrence Wong, in office since May 2024 – only the fourth prime minister in Singapore’s history and the first born after the country’s independence. He replaced Lee Hsien Loong, who was prime minister for 20 years (2004–2024) and is the son of the country’s founder, Lee Kuan Yew. Independent since 1965 (previously British Crown Colony), briefly part of the Federation of Malaysia from 1963 to 1965, from which Singapore withdrew after political tensions.

Languages: The official languages are English, Malay, Mandarin Chinese and Tamil; Malay is also considered the national language (e.g. in the national anthem). English is the connecting lingua franca, administrative and economic language; in everyday life, the colloquial “Singlish”, an English-based creole language with influences from Malay and various Chinese dialects, has also established itself as an informal sociolect.

Religions: Buddhism (largest group, especially among the population of Chinese origin), Christianity, Islam (especially among the Malay population), Hinduism, Taoism and a Sikh minority; a growing proportion of the population also does not declare any religious affiliation.

Local time: CET + 7 hours, CEST + 6 hours (Singapore Standard Time, UTC+8, year-round excluding daylight saving time).

Mains voltage: 230 V, 50 Hz. Three-pin British plug types (type G) are used – an adapter is recommended.

Telephone: Self-dialing long-distance service available nationwide. Country code: 65.

Mobile/Internet: Prepaid SIM cards are easily available at Changi Airport and in the city, the major network operators today are Singtel, StarHub and M1. Singapore has one of the best developed fibre and mobile infrastructures in the world; free Wi-Fi (including via “Wireless@SG”) is available in many public places.

Currency: Singapore dollar (S$ or SGD) = 100 cents. Card payment (incl. contactless payment) and local payment apps are standard practically everywhere.

Singapore – Entry and Visa

German, Austrian and Swiss nationals can enter Singapore without a visa for tourist stays of up to 90 days. A passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of entry and proof of onward travel are required.

Prior online registration via the Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) is also mandatory, which must be completed free of charge within 3 days of arrival via the official website of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) and has replaced the previous paper entry card.

It is also important to note Singapore’s notoriously strict import and regulatory regulations: The import of chewing gum (except in small quantities for medical purposes) as well as e-cigarettes and vape products is prohibited and will be punished consistently. Drug offences in Singapore are known to be punishable by draconian penalties up to the death penalty, which are also consistently applied to foreign tourists. Travellers should inform themselves about the current import regulations on the ICA or Singapore Customs website before departure.

Singapore – Country & People

Just as Asian and Western, traditional and ultra-modern alternate at every turn in Singapore, the different ethnic groups living in the city also form a diverse social mosaic.

More than three-quarters of all Singaporeans are of Chinese descent, around 15% are Malays and about 7–9% are of Indian-Tamil origin. All ethnic groups maintain their cultural traditions and languages, with English being the unifying lingua franca. State television continues to broadcast in several languages, news appears in the four official languages at different times on different channels, and the press is correspondingly multilingual.

Gone are the colonial days when Singapore’s main population groups lived in separate neighborhoods – the Chinese in and around Chinatown, the Malays in traditional “kampongs” and the immigrants from the Indian subcontinent on Serangoon Road, which is still called “Little India” and can be visited as a lively cultural district.

A large-scale state housing programme (HDB housing), with blocks of flats spread across the island, has historically played a decisive role in bringing the different population groups together: to date, around 80% of the population lives in such apartments, most of which are owned, and remains one of the world’s most successful public housing programmes.

The government continues to make significant efforts to promote a common national consciousness among the population, which is largely made up of immigrants and their descendants, including through campaigns on cleanliness and public decency, which are enforced with fines (such as for throwing away cigarette butts or eating and drinking in the subway), as well as patriotic songs around the annual national holiday on 9 August. Singapore’s population is now ageing noticeably as in many highly developed industrialised countries – the proportion of young people under the age of twenty is significantly lower today than it was 20 years ago, which the government is trying to address with family and immigration policies.

Note: All information on population figures, political offices and entry requirements is subject to change and has been researched to the best of our knowledge as of August 2026. For up-to-date, binding information, it is advisable to take a look at the website of the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA.gov.sg) and the travel and security advice of the Federal Foreign Office before travelling.