Singapore, a British dependency in Asia, the most important of the Straits Settlements, consists of the island of Singapore (27 miles long, 14 broad; area, 206 sq. m.), separated from the southern extremity of the Malay Peninsula by a strait only half a mile wide at its narrowest, and of a great number of very small islands along its shores. The surface is undulating, the highest point reaching 520 feet only. The climate is hot and moist, but the soil is not particularly fertile; nevertheless the island is perpetually clothed with verdure, and yields good crops of coffee, pine-apples, cocoa-nuts, aloes, and every kind of fruit, especially East Indian fruit (e.g. mangosteen and durian). Gambier, pepper, and nutmegs used formerly to be the staple crops; but all three are cultivated to a much smaller extent than formerly. This island was purchased in 1824 from the sultan of Johore for £12,500 and a liferent of £5000. Pop. of island (1881) 172,993; (1891) 182,650.
The capital of the dependency, Singapore, is the only town on the island. It occupies a pleasant site on the south-east coast, on the Strait of Singapore, the principal waterway for vessels trading between eastern Asia and India and Europe. This city was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819 as an emporium for British trade in the East Indies, and it has since that time advanced and grown in prosperity till it has become the most important trading-place in the south-east of Asia, its only competitor being Batavia in Java, from which it is 600 miles distant. Singapore is a picturesque, well-built town, with fine public buildings and all kinds of appliances in the nature of public works. It possesses a governor's residence, St Andrew's Protestant cathedral (1861-70), a Roman Catholic cathedral, Mohammedan mosques, Hindu temples, Chinese joss-houses, Raffles museum (1823), the supreme law-courts, post-office (1883), hospitals, gaol, barracks, and fine botanical and zoological gardens. It is defended by numerous batteries and forts, and is a naval coaling station and depot. The docks, stores, and dwelling-houses extend for 6 miles or more along the sea-front. The harbour is spacious and safe and remarkably easy of access, and its dock accommodation embraces two graving-docks, an admiralty dock, and several docks of the ordinary kind. It is a free port, no duties being levied except on wines and beer. The annual trade of Singapore has increased at a remarkable rate since the city was founded. The total trade in 1823 was under £2,000,000; in 1851 about £4,000,000. In 1887 the exports were (taking the dollar at 4s.) valued at £15,012,066; the imports, £18,423,947.
In 1896 the exports were £26,697,041; imports, £31,389,324. The imports embrace nearly every kind of European manufacture; whilst the imports consist of the productions of the East Indies, China, Japan, and the islands of the Western Pacific. The tonnage of the vessels entering the port has been known to increase at the rate of 74 per cent. annually: in 1897 the harbour was entered by 9777 vessels of nearly 8,145,378 tons. The vessels of the P. and O. Company, the Messageries Maritimes, and other large companies trading to China, Australia, and the East put in regularly at Singapore. The population has grown at the same rapid rate as the commerce: in 1824 the town had 10,603 inhabitants; (1850) 50,000; (1871) 97,111; (1881) 139,208; (1891) 160,000. This number included about 90,000 Chinese, 25,000 Malays, 12,000 natives of India, and 1300 Europeans. There is a vast disproportion between the numbers of the male (105,423) and the female (33,785) inhabitants. The death-rate is high, yet the climate, in spite of Singapore being situated little more than 1° N. of the equator, is uniform and agreeable, the nights being particularly cool and refreshing. The thermometer ranges between 67° and 94° F. and has a mean of about 82°. The rainfall varies from 65.6 to 92.2 inches in the year. There was a former town on the site of the present city, which was founded by Malay converts to Hinduism from Java or Sumatra, apparently in the 12th century; but it had wholly disappeared when Sir S. Raffles laid the foundations of the existing Singapore (i.e. 'Lion City'). It was made the capital of the Straits Settlements (q.v.) in 1830, superseding Penang.