Map of Singapore
Singapore is a country in Asia with its capital at Singapore, home to about 6.11 million people across 719 km². The interactive map below plots 1 cities and towns, 1 mountain summits and 4 ports recorded for Singapore in YearMaps.
- Population
- 6.11 million
- Area
- 719 km²
- Capital
- Singapore
- Continent
- Asia
Interactive Map of Singapore
Centred on Singapore at 1.2950° N, 103.8539° E. Use the layer panel to switch on rivers, dams, ports, peaks and historical borders.
About Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country in Southeast Asia. Its territory comprises a main island, over 60 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. The country is about one degree of latitude (137 kilometres or 85 miles) north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bordering the Strait of Malacca to the west, the Singapore Strait to the south along with the Riau Islands in Indonesia, the South China Sea to the east and the Straits of Johor along with the State of Johor in Malaysia to the north.
In its early history, Singapore was a maritime emporium known as Temasek; subsequently, it was a major constituent of several successive thalassocratic empires. Its contemporary era began in 1819, when Stamford Raffles established Singapore as an entrepôt trading post of the British Empire. In 1867, Singapore came under direct British control as part of the Straits Settlements. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan in 1942 and returned to Britain as a Crown colony following Japan's surrender in 1945. Singapore gained self-governance in 1959 and in 1963 became part of the new federation of Malaysia, alongside Malaya, North Borneo and Sarawak. Ideological differences led to Singapore's expulsion from the federation two years later; it became an independent sovereign country in 1965. After early years of turbulence and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation rapidly developed to become one of the Four Asian Tigers.
As a highly developed country, Singapore has the highest PPP-adjusted GDP per capita in the world and is the only country in Asia with an AAA sovereign credit rating from all major rating agencies. Identified as a tax haven, it is a major aviation, financial and maritime shipping hub and has consistently been ranked as one of the most expensive cities for expatriates and foreign workers. Singapore ranks highly in key social indicators: education, healthcare, housing, peacefulness, passport strength, personal safety and infrastructure, with a high home-ownership rate. Singaporeans enjoy one of the longest life expectancies, fastest Internet connection speeds, lowest infant mortality rates and lowest levels of corruption in the world. Singapore is organised into five regions, 55 planning areas and hundreds of subzones. It has the second highest population density of any country, although there are numerous green and recreational spaces as a result of urban planning.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Singapore (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Geography and Climate of Singapore
A Malay trading port known as Temasek existed on the island of Singapore by the 14th century. The settlement changed hands several times in the ensuing centuries and was eventually burned in the 17th century, falling into obscurity. In 1819, the British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the same site and granted it full internal self-government for all matters except defense and foreign affairs in 1959. Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but was ousted two years later and became independent. Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links and per capita GDP among the highest globally. The People’s Action Party has won every general election in Singapore since the end of the British colonial era, aided by its success in delivering consistent economic growth, as well as the city-state's fragmented opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the ruling party.
- Location
- Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia.
- Climate
- Tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms.
- Terrain
- Lowlying, gently undulating central plateau.
- Highest point
- Bukit Timah 166 m.
- Lowest point
- Singapore Strait 0 m.
- Coastline
- 193 km.
- Land borders
- Total: 0 km.
- Natural resources
- Fish, deepwater ports.
- Land use
- Agricultural land: 0.9% (2023 est.); arable land: 0.8% (2023 est.); permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.); permanent pasture: 0% (2022 est.); forest: 22% (2023 est.); other: 77.1% (2023 est.)
- Natural hazards
- Flash floods.
- Geographic note
- Focal point for Southeast Asian sea routes; consists of about 60 islands, the largest of which by far is Pulau Ujong; land reclamation has removed many former islands and created a number of new ones.
- Languages
- English (official) 48.3%, Mandarin (official) 29.9%, other Chinese dialects (includes Hokkien, Cantonese, Teochew, Hakka) 8.7%, Malay (official) 9.2%, Tamil (official) 2.5%, other 1.4% (2020 est.)
- Religions
- Buddhist 31.1%, Christian 18.9%, Muslim 15.6%, Taoist 8.8%, Hindu 5%, other 0.6%, none 20% (2020 est.)
- Ethnic groups
- Chinese 74.2%, Malay 13.7%, Indian 8.9%, other 3.2% (2021 est.)
- Economy
- High-income, service-based economy; global financial hub; business-friendly policies and open to investment and trade; inflation easing but persistent in services; public investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure; strong human capital development challenged by aging population.
From the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived edition of 2026-01-22. The Factbook is no longer updated, so figures reflect that edition.
Singapore in Numbers
- Population
- 6.11 million
- GDP
- US$603.9 billion
- GDP per person
- US$98,814
- Life expectancy
- 83.3 years
- Population growth
- 1.22% a year
- Population density
- 8,329 per km²
- Urban population
- 100.0%
- Surface area
- 736 km²
- Forest cover
- 21.8%
- Arable land
- 0.8%
- Access to electricity
- 100.0%
- Internet users
- 94.4%
Indicators from World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0). The year under each figure is its reference year.
Singapore in Depth
History
In 1299, according to the Malay Annals, the Kingdom of Singapura was founded on the island by Sang Nila Utama. Although the historicity of the accounts as given in the Malay Annals is the subject of academic debates, it is nevertheless known from various documents that Singapore in the 14th century, then known as Temasek, was a trading port under the influence of both the Majapahit Empire and the Siamese kingdoms, and was a part of the Indosphere. These Indianised kingdoms were characterised by surprising resilience, political integrity and administrative stability. Historical sources also indicate that around the end of the 14th century, its ruler Parameswara was attacked by either the Majapahit or the Siamese, forcing him to move to Malacca where he founded the Sultanate of Malacca.
Geography
Singapore consists of over 60 islands, including the main island, also known as Pulau Ujong. There are two man-made connections to Johor, Malaysia: the Johor–Singapore Causeway in the north and the Tuas Second Link in the west. Jurong Island, Pulau Tekong, Pulau Ubin and Sentosa Island are the largest of Singapore's smaller islands. The highest natural point in Singapore is Bukit Timah Hill at 163.63 m (537 ft). Under British rule, Christmas Island, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and Labuan were administered from Singapore. Labuan was under this arrangement from 1907 until it was eventually merged into the Crown Colony of North Borneo in 1948.
Economy
Singapore has a highly developed market economy, based historically on extended entrepôt trade. Along with Hong Kong, South Korea, and Taiwan, Singapore is one of the Four Asian Tigers, and has surpassed its peers in terms of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. Between 1965 and 1995, growth rates averaged around 6 per cent per annum, transforming the living standards of the population.
dynamic and business-friendly. For several years, Singapore has been one of the few countries with a AAA credit rating from the big three, and the only Asian country to achieve this rating. Singapore attracts a large amount of foreign investment as a result of its location, skilled workforce, low tax rates, advanced infrastructure and zero-tolerance against corruption.
Demographics
As of mid-2025, Singapore's total population stood at 6,110,200, of whom 3,660,200 (59.9%) were citizens and the remaining 2,450,000 (40.1%) were either permanent residents (543,800, 8.9%) or international students, foreign workers, or dependants (1,906,700, 31.2%). It is the world's largest and most populous city-state.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Singapore (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Singapore: Key Facts
| Currency | Singapore dollar |
|---|---|
| Official languages | English, Malay, Standard Chinese, Tamil |
| Head of state | Tharman Shanmugaratnam |
| Head of government | Lawrence Wong |
| Form of government | parliamentary republic |
| Calling code | +65 |
| Internet domain | .sg |
| Highest point | Bukit Timah |
| Lowest point | Singapore Strait |
| Established | 9 August 1965 |
Facts from Wikidata Q334 (CC0).
History of Singapore: Empires and States
The atlas records 3 polities whose mapped territory included part of Singapore, from Srivijaya in 1139 CE to 1819 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here | Extent |
|---|---|---|
| Srivijaya | 1139–1293 CE | Nearly all |
| Sultanate of Malacca | 1459–1511 CE | Nearly all |
| Sultanate of Johor | 1529–1819 CE | Nearly all |
Historical Maps of Singapore
Singapore on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Singapore
Singapore (Chinese: 新加坡 Xīnjiāpō; Malay: Singapura; Tamil: சிங்கப்பூர் Chingappur) is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Modern Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819, and since independence, it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and boasts one of the world's busiest ports. Singaporean food is legendary, with bustling hawker centres and 24-hour coffee shops offering affordable food from all parts of Asia. Combining the skyscrapers and shopping malls of an affluent modern city with a medley of different Asian cultures and a tropical climate, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.
The country has a partly deserved reputation for its sterile predictability. Nevertheless, the "Switzerland of Asia" is for many a welcome respite from the chaos, dirt and poverty of much of the rest of Southeast Asia. If you scratch below the squeaky clean surface and get away from the tourist trail you'll soon find more than meets the eye in one of the few remaining city-states in the world.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Singapore (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Singapore
1 city recorded. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore | 5.18 million | — | National capital |
Highest Mountains in Singapore
1 mountain recorded. Ranked by summit elevation above sea level. A summit on a border is listed under both countries.
| # | Name | Elevation | Feet | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bukit Timah | 176 m | 577 ft | Asia |
Ports in Singapore
4 ports recorded. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pulau Bukom | 38.4 m | Minor | Strait of Malacca & Singapore | large vessels |
| 2 | Pulau Sebarok | 34.7 m | Small | Strait of Malacca & Singapore | large vessels |
| 3 | Serangoon Harbor | 31.1 m | Very Small | Strait of Malacca & Singapore | medium vessels |
| 4 | Jurong Island | 27.4 m | Major | Strait of Malacca & Singapore | large vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Singapore
1 World Heritage Site recorded. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore Botanic Gardens | 2015 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) |
Countries Bordering Singapore
Land and maritime neighbours.
More Maps in Asia
Singapore: Quick Answers
- What is the capital of Singapore?
- The capital of Singapore is Singapore.
- What is the population of Singapore?
- Singapore has a population of about 6.11 million, the #114 largest of 225 countries in YearMaps. Source: World Bank, 2025.
- How big is Singapore?
- Singapore covers 719 km², ranking #193 by area, with about 8,500 people per square kilometre.
- Which continent is Singapore in?
- Singapore is in Asia.
- Which countries border Singapore?
- Singapore shares a land or maritime border with Indonesia, Malaysia.
- What is the largest city in Singapore?
- Singapore is the largest city in Singapore, with a metropolitan population of about 5.18 million.
- What is the highest mountain in Singapore?
- The highest summit recorded for Singapore in YearMaps is Bukit Timah at 176 m (577 ft). Summits on a border are counted for both countries.