新加坡_综合百科

正式名称新加坡共和国（Republic of Singapore）

东南亚岛共和国。位於马来半岛南端。由新加坡岛和其他六十座小岛构成。面积622平方公里。人口约3,322,000（2001）。首都︰新加坡。3/4的人口为军人，其余大部为马来人和印度人。语言︰英语、华语、马来语和坦米尔语（均为官方语）。宗教︰主要是儒教、佛教和道教，也有伊斯兰教、基督教和印度教。货币︰新加坡元（S$）。全境近2/3为起伏不平的低地，海拔不足15公尺。炎热潮湿的气候。虽然土地总面积的2%为可耕地，但新加坡的可耕地成为世界上产量最高的蔬菜水果产地。经济的主要基础是国际贸易和金融。新加坡有一百多家商业银行，其中大部分属於外国人所有，是亚洲美元市场的总部。新加坡是世界最大的港口之一，也是世界主要的石油精炼国之一。平均每人所得居东南亚国家之首。政府形式为共和国，一院制。国家元首是总统，政府首脑为总理。

长期由渔人和海盗居住，是苏门答腊室利佛逝帝国的前哨。一直到14世纪，後来先後受爪哇和暹罗所控制。15世纪，成为麻六甲苏丹国的一部分。16世纪葡萄牙人控制该区域，17世纪当地又被荷兰人所控制。1819年割让给东印度公司，成为海峡殖民地和英国在东南亚殖民活动的中心。1942～1945年日本人占领该岛。1946年成为英国直辖殖民地。1959年取得内部完全自治，1963年成为马来西亚一部分，1965年独立。新加坡在东南亚国家联盟事务上极具影响力。独立後的三十年来，该国政治上的主要决策者是李光耀。1990年代亚洲经济危机期间，该国的经济受影响，但是比邻近许多国家较易复原。

English version：

Singapore

Island republic S.East Asia. Situated off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, it comprises Singapore island and 60 other islets. Area: 240 sq mi (622 sq km). Population (1997 est.): 3,104,000. Capital: Singapore. Three-fourths of the people are Chinese; most of the rest are Malays and Indians. Languages: English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil (all official). Religions: primarily Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism; also Islam, Christianity, Hinduism. Currency: Singapore dollar. Nearly two-thirds of the island's hilly landscape lies less than 50 ft (15 m) above sea level; it has a hot, humid climate. Although only about 2% of its land is arable, it is among the most productive fruit and vegetable cropland in the world. The economy is based largely on international trade and finance. It has more than 100 commercial banks, most of which are foreign, and is the headquarters of the Asian Dollar Market. Its port is one of the largest in the world, and it is one of the world's leading petroleum refiners. It has the highest per capita income of any country in S.East Asia. It is a republic with one legislative house; its chief of state is the president, and the head of government is the prime minister. Long inhabited by fishermen and pirates, it was an outpost of the Sumatran empire of Shrivijaya until the 14th century, when it passed to Java and then Siam. It became part of the Malacca empire in the 15th century. In the 16th century the Portuguese controlled the area; they were followed by the Dutch in the 17th century. In 1819 it was ceded to the British East India Co., becoming part of the Straits Settlements and the center of British colonial activity in S.East Asia. The Japanese occupied the island 1942-45. In 1946 it became a crown colony. It achieved full internal self-government in 1959, became a part of Malaysia in 1963, and became independent in 1965. It is influential in the affairs of the Association of S.East Asian Nations. The country's dominant voice in politics for 30 years after independence was Lee Kuan Yew. Its economy was affected during the 1990s Asian economic crises, but it recovered more easily than many of its neighbors did.

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