– SINGAPORE

SIngapore is an island city microstate on the Southern edge of Malaysia peninsula on the Straits of Malacca, between Malaysia and Indonesia, and one of the main sea highways of the world. The state stretches on 707 km with about 4.2 millions inhabitants. SIngapore is, therefore, the most crowded place in the world with about 6,500 people per square km while in Gaza Strip it is about 4,800 people per square km.

SIngapore was an important colony in the British Empire with a status similar to that of Gibraltar, to monitor one of the most important water ways in the world – the Straits of Malacca, and similar to Gibraltar – SIngapore was, originally, a coherent part of its hinterland – Malaysia. The British left SIngapore in 1963 and tried to merge the city state with Malaysia. The attempt failed and SIngapore became an independent state on 08/09/1965.

Although SIngapore is, officially, a democratic republic, actually it is a technocracy ruled by one party since 1959 – the PAP – People’s Action Party, who won all the elections since then. SIngapore, one of the poorest nations in the world in the 40s’, is also a very fast and successful growing economy with one of the highest levels of life in the world of about $40,000 a year per person in 2007.  

Unlike neighbor Malaysia and Indonesia, SIngapore is mainly a Buddhist country with 42% Buddhist, 15% atheist and only 14% Muslims.  Basically the Country did not suffer from Islamic Militancy or Islamic motivated homegrown terror but there were attempts of Islamic groups from Indonesia and Malaysia, such as the INDONESIAN JI, to find refuge in SIngapore or to target Western interest in SIngapore. Most of those attempts were foiled in early stages due to lack of support from the local population and efficient security service.  

 

 

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