Although the majority of the people are Chinese, English is the principle language in the business world, in the government and in the education system. Malay, English, and Chinese are all official languages and are spoken throughout the country. Cultural imprints from the centuries of British Colonial rule also exist. As part of this imprint, Singapore is a very ordered society with laws against littering and chewing gum, and controlling the number of cars that can be purchased each year. Singapore has one of the strongest economies and one of the highest standards of living of any country in Asia.
Agriculture is relatively unimportant to the economy because of the limited land area available.
The surrounding water is good for the fishing industry and shipbuilding. As with Malaysia, industry has grown rapidly in the last 20 years, and manufacturing continues to draw people out of the rural villages and into the urban center. Singapore has also developed as one of the leading producers of computer components and finds this a stale economic factor. Tourism is also growing as a major sector of the economy. In spite of the economic domination by the Chinese for the last 15 years, manufacturing activities are expanding, and the production of electronics and electrical equipment is adding to the bright future of Singapore.