Healthcare in Singapore is mainly under the responsibility of the Singapore Government's Ministry of Health. Singapore generally has an efficient and widespread system of healthcare. Singapore was ranked 6th in the World Health Organisation's ranking of the world's health systems in the year 2000.^[1] Bloomberg ranked Singapore’s healthcare system the 1st most efficient in the world in 2014.

Singapore has "one of the most successful healthcare systems in the world, in terms of both efficiency in financing and the results achieved in community health outcomes," according to an analysis by global consulting firm Towers Watson.^[8] The government regularly adjusts policies to actively regulate "the supply and prices of healthcare services in the country" in an attempt to keep costs in check. However, for the most part the government does not directly regulate the costs of private medical care. These costs are largely subject to market forces, and vary enormously within the private sector, depending on the medical specialty and service provided.

The specific features of the Singapore healthcare system are unique, and have been described as a "very difficult system to replicate in many other countries." Many Singaporeans also have supplemental private health insurance (often provided by employers) for services not covered by the government's programmes.^[8]

Patients are free to choose the providers within the government or private healthcare delivery system and can walk in for a consultation at any private clinic or any government polyclinic. For emergency services, patients can go at any time to the 24-hour Accident & Emergency Departments located in the government hospitals.

The Agency for Integrated Care was established in 2009 to improve services in the community and in nursing homes. Regional health systems have been established to link hospitals with rehabilitation centres and primary care. Many of its initiatives have been supported through Temasek Cares.

The National Electronic Record Programme was launched in 2011 and is used by more than 280 institutions to support telehealth and telemedicine. ^[9]

Singapore's medical facilities are among the finest in the world. As of 2012, Singapore had a total of 10,225 doctors in its healthcare delivery system. This gives a doctor to population ratio of 1:520. The nurse (including midwives) to population ratio is 1:150, with a total of 34,507 nurses. There are 1,645 dentists, giving a ratio of 1 dentist to 3,230 people.

In 2012, there were a total of 10,756 hospital beds in the 25 hospitals and specialty centres in Singapore. The 8 public hospitals comprise 6 acute general hospitals (SGH, NUH, CGH, TTSH, KTPH & AH), a women's and children's hospital (KKH) and a psychiatry hospital (IMH).^[6]

The Singapore General Hospital is the largest and oldest hospital in Singapore, of which the foundation of its first building was laid in 1821.

The Tan Tock Seng Hospital is the second largest hospital in Singapore after the Singapore General Hospital, but its accident and emergency department is the busiest in the country largely due to its geographically centralised location. Set up in 1844 by an entrepreneur and philanthropist, Tan Tock Seng, the hospital came into the international spotlight when it was designated as the sole treatment centre for the SARS epidemic which struck the country in 2003.

Education in Singapore is managed by the Ministry of Education (MOE),^[4] which controls the development and administration of state schools receiving government funding, but also has an advisory and supervisory role in respect of private schools. For both private and state schools, there are variations in the extent of autonomy in their curriculum, scope of government aid and funding, tuition burden on the students, and admission policy.^[5]

Education spending usually makes up about 20 percent of the annual national budget, which subsidises state education and government-assisted private education for Singaporean citizens and funds the Edusave programme, the costs for which are significantly higher for non-citizens. In 2000 the Compulsory Education Act codified compulsory education for children of primary school age (excepting those with disabilities),^[6] and made it a criminal offence for parents to fail to enroll their children in school and ensure their regular attendance.^[7] Exemptions are allowed for homeschooling or full-time religious institutions, but parents must apply for exemption from the Ministry of Education and meet a minimum benchmark.^[8]

The main language of instruction in Singapore is English, which was officially designated the first language within the local education system in 1987.^[9]English is the first language learned by half the children by the time they reach preschool age and becomes the primary medium of instruction by the time they reach primary school. Although Malay, Mandarin and Tamil are also official languages, English is the language of instruction for nearly all subjects except the official Mother Tongue languages and the literatures of those languages; these are generally not taught in English, although there is provision for the use of English at the initial stages. Certain schools, such as secondary schools under the Special Assistance Plan (SAP), encourage a richer use of the mother tongue and may occasionally teach subjects in Mandarin Chinese. A few schools have been experimenting with curricula that integrates language subjects with mathematics and the sciences, using both English and a second language.

Singapore's education system has been described as "world-leading" and in 2010 was among those picked out for commendation by the Conservative former UK Education Secretary Michael Gove.^[10]

Universal studio singapore

Universal Studios Singapore (simplified Chinese: 新加坡环球影城; traditional Chinese: 新加坡環球影城; pinyin: Xīnjiāpō Huánqíu Yǐngchéng; Tamil: யுனிவர்சல் ஸ்டுடியோஸ், சிங்கப்பூர்) is a theme park located within Resorts World Sentosa on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It was a key component of Genting's bid for the right to build Singapore's second integrated resort. On 8 December 2006, the Singapore government announced that the consortium had won the bid. Construction of the theme park and the rest of the resort started on 19 April 2007. It is the second Universal Studios theme park to open in Asia(Japan being the first), and the first in Southeast Asia. The official plans for the park were unveiled to the public when Universal Studios Singapore released a park map to the public on 20 October 2009.^[1] Universal Studios Singapore has since attracted more than 2 million visitors in the 9 months from its opening.^[2]

Universal Parks & Resorts markets the park as a "one-of-its-kind theme park in Asia" and promises that the park will be the only one of its kind in Southeast Asia for the next 30 years.

Transport within Singapore is mainly land-based. Many parts of Singapore are accessible by road, including islands such as Sentosa and Jurong Island. The other major form of transportation within Singapore is rail: the Mass Rapid Transit which runs the length and width of Singapore, and the Light Rail Transit which runs within a few neighbourhoods. The main island of Singapore is connected to the other islands by ferryboat services.

Singapore also has many links to the rest of the world. There are two bridges which link Singapore to Malaysia – the Causeway, and the Second Link. The Singapore Changi Airportis a major aviation hub in Asia, and Singapore is a major transshipment port. According to the study conducted by London consulting firm Credo, Singapore has one of the most cost-efficient public transport networks in the world.^[1]

Singapore has one of the most cost-efficient public transport networks in the world, according to a study by London consulting firm Credo.^[8] Public transport covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. This is a result of great emphasis by the Government of Singapore to promote its use over private transport. About 5.308 million trips are made on a daily basis on the public transport system and at least half of its population utilises it daily.

The public transport system is the most important means of transportation to work and school for Singaporeans. About 52.4% of Singaporean residents (excluding foreigners) go to work using public transport according to the Singapore Census of Population 2000, with 41.6% using private transport and the remaining 6.1% not requiring any form of transport. Amongst school-going residents, 41.5% of them go to school by public transport, 24.9% by private transport, and a further 30.1% do not require any form of transport at all.

A slight dip has been noted in the number of Singaporeans and permanent residents using public transport compared to 1990, which had 55.0% and 46.3% of them going to work and to school respectively. The government aims to reverse this trend such that the total average number of commuters on public transport rises above 75% of all trips made.^[2]

Buses[edit]

Main article: Bus transport in Singapore

SMRT Buses MAN A22

SBS Transit Scania K230UB

Public Bus transportation:

SBS Transit

• Routes: 195 routes (2016)
• Fleet: More than 3,000 buses (2016)

SMRT Buses

• Routes: 77 routes (2016)
• Fleet: More than 1,400 buses (2016)

Tower Transit Singapore

• Routes: 26 Routes (2016)
• Fleet: 380 Buses (2016)

Go-Ahead Singapore

• Routes: 25 routes (2016)
• Fleet: 380 buses (2016)
• Go-Ahead Singapore will commence the operation of 24 services in two tranches. 13 bus services will begin on 4 September 2016, while another 11 on 18 September. Another route will be introduced in 2017, and details of the route will be announced closer to the implementation date.

Rail[edit]

Main article: Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)

A C751B train at Eunos MRT Stationon the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system, one of eight heavy rail passenger transport lines in Singapore

In 2016, the rail lines present are

MRT/Metro/Subway lines under SMRT:

• North South MRT Line (Red)
• East West MRT Line (Green)
• Circle MRT Line (Yellow)
• Bukit Panjang LRT Line(Light Rapid Transit)(Grey)

MRT/Metro/Subway lines under SBS Transit:

• North East MRT Line (Purple)
• Downtown MRT Line (Blue)
• Sengkang LRT Line (Light Rapid Transit) (Grey)
• Punggol LRT Line (Light Rapid Transit) (Grey)

Sentosa:

• Sentosa Express monorail

Upcoming lines:

• Tuas Link MRT Station (Tuas Link Extension)
• Thomson-East Coast MRT Line
• Circle Line Stage 6 Circle MRT Line
• New Canberra station on North South Line
• Cross Island MRT Line (Under Planning)
• Jurong Region MRT Line
• Downtown Line extension
• North East Line extension
• Kuala Lumpur–Singapore High Speed Rail

Taxis[edit]

Main article: Taxicabs of Singapore

Taxicabs are a popular form of public transport in the compact sovereign city-state of Singapore, with fares considered relatively low compared to those in most cities in developed countries. As of December 2014, the total taxi fleet in Singapore is 28,736 taxis, operated by six taxi companies and 178 independent drivers. Taxis may be flagged down at any time of the day along any public road outside of the Central Business District (CBD).

The public transport system is regulated by the Land Transport Authority, which oversees the three main modes of public transportation. Fare regulation and bus service standards are under the purview of an independent body, the Public Transport Council, while TransitLink, established by SBS Transit, SMRT Trains and SMRT Buses, helps to create an integrated multi-modal system with a common fare-payment mode, information platform, and a physical network without duplication of services.

The policies of the Land Transport Authority are meant to encourage the use of public transport in Singapore. The key aims are to provide an incentive to reside away from the Central district, as well as to reduce air pollution. Singapore has a Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) rail system consisting of five lines. There is also a system of bus routes throughout the island, most of which have air conditioning units installed due to Singapore's tropical climate. Buses without air conditioning installed are gradually being phased out. A contactless smart card called the EZ-Link card is used to pay bus and MRT fares.

Public transport for tourists[edit]

Launched in December 2007 by Land Transport Authority, Singapore Tourism Board and EZ-Link, the Singapore Tourist Pass^[9] offers unlimited travel for tourists to Singapore on Singapore's public transport system. For $8 a day, tourists can take any number of rides on buses and trains operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and SMRT Trains. Certain buses like Night Rider are not applicable. The Singapore Tourist Pass is available at selected MRT stations.

Flag of singapore

The national flag of Singapore was adopted in 1959, the year Singapore became self-governing within the British Empire. It was reconfirmed as the national flag when the Republic gained independence on 9 August 1965. The design is a horizontal bicolour of red above white, overlaid in the canton(upper-left quadrant) by a white crescent moon facing a pentagon of five small white five-pointed stars. The elements of the flag denote a young nation on the ascendant, universal brotherhood and equality, and national ideals.

Vessels at sea do not use the national flag as an ensign. Merchant vessels and pleasure craft fly a civil ensign of red charged in white with a variant of the crescent and stars emblem in the centre. Non-military government vessels such as coast guard ships fly a state ensign of blue with the national flag in the canton, charged with an eight-pointed red and white compass rose in the lower fly. Naval warships fly a naval ensign similar to the state ensign, but in white with a red compass rose emblem.

Rules defined by the Singapore Arms and Flag and National Anthem Act govern the use and display of the national flag. These have been relaxed to allow citizens to fly the flag from vehicles during national holidays and from homes at any time of the year.

History of singapore

The written history of Singapore dates back to the third century. Later, the Kingdom of Singapura rose in importance during the 14th century under the rule of Sultan Iskandar Shah and Singapore became an important port, until it was invaded by the Majapahit in 1398. It then came under the Malacca Sultanateand then the Johor Sultanate. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819, when Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles negotiated a treaty whereby Johor allowed the British to found a trading port on the island.

During World War II, Singapore was conquered and occupied by the Japanese Empire from 1942 to 1945. When the war ended, Singapore reverted to British control, with increasing levels of self-government being granted, culminating in Singapore's merger with the Federation of Malaya to form Malaysia in 1963. But social unrest and disputes between Singapore's ruling People's Action Party and Malaysia's Alliance Party resulted in Singapore's expulsion from Malaysia. Singapore became an independent republic on August 9, 1965.

Facing severe unemployment and a housing crisis, Singapore embarked on a modernization programme beginning in the late 1960s through the 1970s that focused on establishing a manufacturing industry, developing large public housing estates and investing heavily on public education.

By the 1990, the country had become one of the world's most prosperous nations, with a highly developed free market economy, strong international tradinglinks, and the highest per capita gross domestic product in Asia outside Japan.

INTRO

Singapore (ⁱ/ˈsɪŋɡəpɔːr/), officially the Republic of Singapore, and often referred to as the Lion City, the Garden City, and the Red Dot, is a sovereign state and global city in Southeast Asia, and the world's only island city-state. It lies one degree (137 km) north of the equator, south of the southernmost tip of continental Asia and peninsular Malaysia, with Indonesia's Riau Islands to the south. Singapore's territory consists of a diamond-shaped main island along with 62 other islets. Since independence, extensive land reclamation has increased its total size by 23% (130 km²), and its greening policy has covered the densely populated island with tropical flora, parks and gardens.

In 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles founded colonial Singapore as a trading post of the East India Company; after the establishment of the British Raj, the islands were ceded to Britain and became part of its Straits Settlements in 1826. During World War II, Singapore was occupied by Japan. It gained independence from the UK in 1963 by federating with other former British territories to form Malaysia, but was expelled two years later over ideological differences. After early years of turbulence, and despite lacking natural resources and a hinterland, the nation developed rapidly as an Asian Tiger economy, based on external trade and its human capital.

Singapore is a global commerce, finance and transport hub. Its standings include: the most "technology-ready" nation (WEF), top International-meetings city (UIA), city with "best investment potential" (BERI), 2nd-most competitive country (WEF), 3rd-largest foreign exchange centre, 3rd-largest financial centre, 3rd-largest oil refining and trading centre and one of the top two busiest container ports since the 1990s. Singapore's best known global brands include Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Changi Airport, both amongst the most-awarded in their industry. For the past decade, it has been the only Asian country with the top AAA sovereign rating from all major credit rating agencies, including S&P, Moody's and Fitch.

Singapore ranks high on its national social policies, leading Asia and 11th globally, on the Human Development Index (UN), notably on key measures of education, healthcare, life expectancy, quality of life, personal safety, and housing. Although income inequality is high, 90% of resident households own their homes, and the country has one of the highest per capita incomes, with low taxes. Singapore is home to 5.6 million residents, 38% of whom are permanent residents and other foreign nationals. Singaporeans are mostly bilingual in a mother-tongue language and English as their common language. Its cultural diversity is reflected in its extensive ethnic "hawker" cuisine and major festivals—Chinese, Malay, Indian, Western—which are all national holidays.

It is noted for its effective, pragmatic and incorrupt governance and civil service, which together with its rapid development policies, is widely cited as the "Singapore model". Gallup polls shows 84% of its residents expressed confidence in the national government, and 85% in its judicial systems—one of the highest ratings recorded. Singapore has significant influence on global affairs relative to its size, leading some analysts to classify it as a middle power. It is ranked as Asia's most influential city and 4th in the world by Forbes.

Singapore is a unitary, multiparty, parliamentary republic, with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government, but is classified as being "partly free" by Freedom House. The People's Action Party has won every election since self-government in 1959. One of the five founding members of the ASEAN, Singapore is also the host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Secretariat, and a member of the East Asia Summit, Non-Aligned Movement, and the Commonwealth of Nations.