Pop Quiz: Singapore

Singapore is a small diamond-shaped island located in Southeast Asia. It is often referred to as the “Lion City” after a prince of the Srivijayan Empire spotted a Malayan Tiger on the island and mistakenly identified it as a lion. Since its independence from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore has experienced a large economic and technological boom. Today, it is referred to as one of Asia’s four economics tigers. Take our Singapore population quiz to learn more!

1. In 2020 Singapore’s population was 5.7 million. What is Singapore’s population projected to be in 2050?

A. 4.6 million
B. 5.6 million
C. 6.6 million
D. 7.6 million

2. Singapore was founded as a _______ trading colony in 1819.

A. British
B. Dutch
C. Indian
D. French

3. Singapore is one of three widely accepted city-states in the world.

A. True
B. False

4. Which ethnic group makes up the majority of Singapore’s people?

A. Chinese
B. Malay
C. Indian
D. British

5. Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy and its per capita GDP is higher than that of most developed countries. Globally, Singapore ranks 8th in highest GDP per capita. What is the GDP per capita (in USD)?

A. $56,200
B. $66,200
C. $76,200
D. $86,200

6. Singapore is one of the top 10 countries in the world with the lowest total fertility rates. What is the TFR in Singapore?

A. 1
B. 1.1
C. 1.2
D. 1.3

7. Singapore is highly urbanized and densely-populated. What is the population density in Singapore?

A. 5,699 people per square kilometer
B. 7,909 people per square kilometer
C. 8,019 people per square kilometer
D. 10,589 people per square kilometer

8. Singapore is among the so-called ‘Asian tigers’ for being a country with a highly developed economy and the also among the first countries in the region to become industrialized. What are the other three Asian tigers?

A. Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Taiwan.
B. Malaysia, Indonesia and Taiwan.
C. Thailand, Vietnam and Taiwan
D. Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan.

9. Singapore has placed a lot of importance on greening the island, giving it another nickname. Which of the following is another common nickname for Singapore?

A. The Green City
B. The Garden City
C. The Park City
D. The Conservation City

10. Singapore’s port is one of the world’s busiest in terms of tonnage handled thanks to its strategic position on the strait between the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.

A. True
B. False




Answers:
1. C – In 2050 Singapore’s population is projected to be 6.6 million.
2. A – Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
3. A – True. There is some debate over the status of being a city-state however, Singapore along with Monaco and the Vatican City are widely accepted as city-states.
4. A – 74.2% of the citizen population in Singapore belongs the Chinese ethnic group, followed by Malay 13.2% and Indian 9.2% (includes Sri Lankan).
5. B – The per capita GDP in Singapore is $66,200.
6. B – The total fertility rate in Singapore is 1.1. This means that, the average number of children a woman in Singapore will have in her childbearing years (15 to 49) is 1.1.
7. C – The population density, or the number of people per square kilometer of land area, in Singapore is 8,019.
8. D – The four countries considered Asian Tigers are Singapore, Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. These four wealthy, developed countries underwent rapid industrialization, technological innovation and development during the 1950s – 1990s.
9. B – The Garden City is a nickname for Singapore due to the importance the country has put on greening the island.
10. A – True. Singapore has become one of the world’s most prosperous countries with strong international trading links. Its port is one of the world’s busiest in terms of tonnage handled.

 

Updated May 2022

 

References

Question 1:

United Nations Population Division. (n.d.). Population, total – Singapore. World Bank. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=SG

Ming En, S. (2019, August 13). Elderly to make up almost half of s’pore population by 2050: United Nations. Today. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.todayonline.com/singapore/elderly-make-almost-half-spore-population-2050-united-nations

Question 2:

Encyclopedia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). History of Singapore. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Singapore/History

Question 3:

Kennard, A. (2022, May 7). Singapore. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Singapore

10 interesting facts about Singapore. U.S. News. (2019, August 16). Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2019-08-16/10-interesting-facts-about-singapore

Question 4:

Singapore population 2022. Singapore Demographics, Maps, Graphs. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/singapore-population

Question 5:

International Monetary Fund. (2021, October 28). Projected GDP per capita ranking. StatisticsTimes. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://statisticstimes.com/economy/projected-world-gdp-capita-ranking.php

Question 6:

United Nations Population Division. (n.d.). Fertility rate, total (births per woman) – Singapore. World Bank. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.TFRT.IN?locations=SG

Question 7:

Food and Agriculture Organization. (n.d.). Population density (people per sq. km of land area) – Singapore. World Bank. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.POP.DNST?locations=SG

Question 8:

Gulati, U. C. (1992). The Foundations of Rapid Economic Growth: The Case of the Four Tigers. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 51(2), 161–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1536-7150.1992.tb03345.x

Question 9:

“Garden City” Vision is Introduced. Singapore History. (n.d.). Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/history/events/a7fac49f-9c96-4030-8709-ce160c58d15c

Question 10:

Tan, J. (n.d.). Port of Singapore. Singapore Infopedia. Retrieved May 11, 2022, from https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2018-04-20_085007.html