page_title: Singapore
section_title: Government and politics
hierarchical_section_title: Singapore / Government and politics
caption_attribution_description: English: An aerial view of Parliament House in Singapore.
context_page_description: The Republic of Singapore is an island country & city-state. It is at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula in Asia. Singapore is about one degree of latitude north of the equator. Its closest neighbors are Malaysia and Indonesia. About 5.40 million people live in Singapore. About 3.31 million are citizens. Most of them are ethnically Chinese. In Sanskrit, an old Indian language, "Singaporean", from which Singapore got its name, means "Lion City" commonly ruled by Sultans.
  Singapore is also commonly known as a "Garden City" or a "City in a Garden". It is because there are plants everywhere, making it look like a garden.
  It is also sometimes jokingly called a "fine" city. Not only does the city have a very high standard of living, but it is also known for having many strict rules and punishments, including fines.
  The national language of Singapore is Malay. Other official languages of Singapore are English, Mandarin and Tamil. English is the language of choice because it is the language that almost everyone in Singapore knows. It is the first language taught in schools and the language used by the government. Students are also taught their first language.
context_section_description: Singapore is a parliamentary republic with a Westminster system of unicameral parliamentary government representing constituencies. Its constitution states representative democracy as its political system. In 2011 Freedom House ranked Singapore as "partly free" in its Freedom in the World report, and The Economist ranked Singapore as a "hybrid regime", the third rank out of four, in its "Democracy Index". Singapore is ranked regularly as one of the least corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International.
  The Cabinet has executive power, and is led by the Prime Minister, and the President. The president is elected through popular vote, and has some veto powers for a few big decisions such as the use of the national reserves and the appointment of judges, but otherwise occupies a post with little power.
  The Parliament serves as the legislative branch of government. Members of Parliament (MPs) are made up of elected, non-constituency and nominated members. Elected MPs are voted into parliament on a "first-past-the-post" (plurality) system and represent either single-member or group-representation constituencies. The People's Action Party has won control of Parliament with large majorities in every election since self-governance in 1959. However, in the most recent parliamentary elections in 2011, the opposition, led by the Workers' Party, made large and important gains and increased its representation in the House to 6 elected MPs, and two nominated MPs.
  The legal system of Singapore is based on English common law, however with large and important local differences. Trial by jury was completely removed in 1970 leaving judicial judgement done completely and only by judgeship. Singapore has punishments that include judicial corporal punishment in the form of caning for rape, rioting, vandalism, and some immigration crimes. There is a mandatory death penalty for murder, and for certain drug-trafficking and firearms offences. In a 2008 survey, international business executives believed Singapore, together with Hong Kong, had the best judicial system in Asia.
caption: Singapore's Parliament House.
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