On the south, it is separated from the Riau Archipelago of Indonesia by Singapore Strait, an important shipping channel linking the Indian Ocean to the west with the South China Sea on the east. Land and Resources Low-lying Singapore Island has no prominent relief features. Coral reefs are found in certain coastal areas, and numerous short streams drain the island. Most of the primary jungle and swamps have been removed for residential, industrial, and, to a lesser extent, agricultural use. A small area of the central hills retains its natural jungle cover.
Soils are relatively infertile, and clays and sand are the only mineral resources.
The majority of the population is concentrated on the southern part of the island. The country has four official languages-English, Mandarin Chinese, Malay, and Tamil. English is the language of administration. Among the principal religions of Singapore are Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, Confucianism, and Christianity. In the late 1980s the country had some 290 primary schools with 278,300 pupils and 160 secondary schools with 200,200 students.