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General
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Economists describe
Singapore as a modern miracle because it has built its success on only
one resource, its people. Lacking natural resources, Singapore's strength
is its hardworking, adaptable, goal-oriented, and resilient population.
In fact, it is highly regarded by the Business Environment Risk Intelligence
as one of the best labor forces in the world.
Singapore's population
of approximately 3,612,000 (June 1996) comprises 77.3% Chinese, 14.1%
Malays, 7.3% Indians, and 1.3% people of other descent. Singapore's indigenous
people were the Malays, but after the arrival of Sir Stamford Raffles
and the establishment of a British trading post, Singapore became a magnet
that drew thousands of migrants and merchants. It still retains its special
multiracial quality acquired from its early days when Arabs, Chinese,
Europeans, Indians, and Straits-born Chinese (or Peranakan) came to live
side by side with the indigenous Malays. Though inter-marriages have taken
place over the years, each racial group within Singapore has retained
its own cultural identity while developing as an integral part of the
Singapore community. It is a country where the three main races (Chinese,
Malay, and Indian) complement and supplement each other.
There are four official
languages in Singapore: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil, and English. The working
language is English and it is widely spoken and understood. Most Singaporeans
are bilingual, speaking both their mother tongue and English.
With this mixture
of people, Singapore is also a mixture of religions. Its skyline boasts
the distinctive minarets of mosques, spires of gothic cathedrals, intricate
figurines of Hindu temples, and distinctive roof architecture of Chinese
temples. The main religions are Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism,
Sikhism, Judaism, and Zoroastrians.
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