03/10/2015

Singapore population hits 5.54m

Update 20 Sep 2023: Singapore population hits 5.92m

Singapore’s total population hit a record 5.92 million, a 5 per cent increase from a year ago. The population rebounded from declines during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since exceeded the 2019 population of 5.7 million.

"The total population of 5.92 million as at June 2023 is the highest recorded figure in Singapore’s history," said the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The figures were published on Friday (Sep 29) in the annual Population in Brief report by the National Population and Talent Division, Prime Minister’s Office. Of the 5.92 million, there were 4.15 million residents and 1.77 million non-residents, which comprise the foreign workforce, dependants and international students.

Singapore citizens made up 3.61 million or 61 per cent of the total. This is a 1.6 per cent rise from last year. The permanent resident (PR) population increased by 3.7 per cent to 538,600 in June 2023. The report said that with the easing of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, more citizens and PRs living overseas returned to Singapore. This was the largest contributing factor to the increases in the citizen and PR populations.



Singapore 'Stop at Two' Policy

The two-child policy was a population control measure introduced by the Singapore government during the 1970s to encourage couples to have no more than two children. It was part of the second Five-Year National Family Planning Programme (1972–75) that was unveiled at the launch of the 1972 National Family Planning Campaign.

As part of the two-child policy, the government introduced a set of disincentives pertaining to childbirth fees, income tax, maternity leave and prioritisation of public housing allocation aimed at penalising couples who had more than two children from 1 August 1973 onwards. In addition, the government launched an array of family-planning events to garner public support for the policy.

Among the most notable activities were the publicity campaigns that carried messages such as “Small families, brighter future – Two is enough” and “The more you have, the less they get – Two is enough”.


Singapore population hits 5.61m
Department of Statistics, Ministry of Trade & Industry, Republic of Singapore

As at end-June 2016, Singapore citizens numbered 3.41 million (Table 1.1). Along with 0.52 million permanent residents, there were 3.93 million residents. Non-residents totalled 1.67 million. Altogether, Singapore's total population stood at 5.61 million.

Compared to last year, the resident and citizen population growth for 2016 remained the same at 0.8 per cent and 1.0 per cent respectively. Total population growth has remained relatively stable at about 1.2% to 1.3% since 2014.

Total population comprises Singapore residents and non-residents. Resident population comprises Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Non-resident population comprises foreigners who are working, studying or living in Singapore but not granted permanent residence, excluding tourists and short-term visitors.


No lack of space for 10 million population
“Land scarcity is a very real problem for Singapore, which explains the ever-increasing land costs and property prices which are driven by pent-up demand.”

Singaporeans have been brought up to accept statements like this as a gospel truth. Many do not even question the meaning of scarcity and without looking at the growth of the nation, do not realise that Singapore’s land size has increased by 100 square kilometers in the last 35 years. Add to that the advances in space planning, improved transport systems, enhanced construction capabilities leading to a much higher population density and “Voila!”, we have 5.54 million people today.

Traffic travels along the Tampines Expressway past public buildings in Punggol (right), while a man enters his home in Sengkang, where the number of flats under HDB management are projected to increase to 92,000 from the current 59,497

The brief statistics are, in the 35-year period between 1980 and 2015, our population grew 129% from 2.41 million to 5.54 million, made possible by a 16% increase in land size from 617.9 sqkm to 719.1 sqkm and a 97% increase in population density from 3,907 people per sqkm to 7,697 people per sqkm.

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Beware of This Man! LHL Will Boost Singapore’s Population to 10 Million Once Global Growth Recovers

At his extraordinary pre-election broadcast moderated by civil servant Chan Heng Chee Lee Hsien Loong admitted what I have been saying now for years: the PAP have no economic plan beyond the simple one they have been using for fifty years. That is just adding more labour inputs to create more output.  They certainly have no idea of how to raise productivity and Singaporeans’ living standards.

LHL made the startling admission that the Republic has “maxed out” the easy ways to drive economic growth. First the Government built factories and created jobs for men. Then when this pool of surplus labour was absorbed, the Government looked to bring women into the workforce (the PM let slip here his antiquated and sexist thinking which relegates women to a secondary role behind men).

When it was no longer easy to get women workers (in other words wages would have had to rise though LHL is careful not to say that) the Government opened the doors and flooded Singapore with foreign workers.

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Singapore should plan for population of 10m

The Republic should plan for a population of 10 million in the long term if it is to remain sustainable as a country, says the man known widely as the architect of modern Singapore. According to Liu Thai Ker, Singapore should not stop its population growth projection at the figure of 6.9 million listed in the 2013 White Paper on Population.

"That is an interim figure and projection and obviously Singapore is going to grow beyond that," he said yesterday at a seminar, "Building a Nation: Tomorrow, Challenges and Possibilities for a Liveable Singapore".

As architect-planner and CEO of the Housing Development Board from 1969 to 1989, Mr Liu oversaw the completion of over half a million public housing units, and as CEO and chief planner of the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) from 1989 to 1992, he spearheaded the major revision of the Singapore Concept Plan and key direction for heritage conservation.

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Singapore must plan for 10M population: Ex-HDB chief

Singapore must start planning for a population that could possibly hit 10 million, Liu Thai Ker, the man often credited as the architect of modern Singapore, told CNBC.

The bold number suggested by Liu, who served as the chief executive of the Housing Board from 1979-1989 and then as CEO and chief planner of the Urban Development Authority from 1989-1992, is nearly double the current 5.3 million population and significantly higher than the 6.9 million figure proposed by the Singapore government in its 2013 Population White Paper.

In the white paper, the government described its vision of raising the country's population by as much as 30 percent in the next two decades to ensure the economy remains dynamic. However, the move sparked strong objections amid rising discontent in the land-scarce nation over soaring housing costs and an influx of immigrants.

related:How Singapore can stay relevant after 50th

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The case for a 10 million population in Singapore


We recently came across an article on CNBC discussing ex-HDB chief Liu Thai Ker’s belief that Singapore needs to plan for a population of 10 million. It is easy to dismiss his comments as the usual propaganda, where the government tries to start prepping its citizens for an inevitable expansion of the population.


We think it is worth looking at the merits and weaknesses in this argument for the planning of a population of 10 million.

Avoiding another population policy disaster - Singapore currently accommodates more than 5.3 million people as of 2013. In 2000, this number was at 4 million. That means an increased of about 1.3 million people over a span of 13 years, or 100,000 per annum.

read more

Singapore must plan for 10 million population: Ex-HDB chief

Singapore must start planning for a population that could possibly hit 10 million, Liu Thai Ker, the man often credited as the architect of modern Singapore, told CNBC.

The bold number suggested by Liu, who served as the chief executive of the Housing Board from 1979-1989 and then as CEO and chief planner of the Urban Development Authority from 1989-1992, is nearly double the current 5.3 million population and significantly higher than the 6.9 million figure proposed by the Singapore government in its 2013 Population White Paper.

In the white paper, the government described its vision of raising the country's population by as much as 30 per cent in the next two decades to ensure the economy remains dynamic. However, the move sparked strong objections amid rising discontent in the land-scarce nation over soaring housing costs and an influx of immigrants.

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Look ahead to 10 million people by 2100?

Singapore should look beyond 2030 and plan for a more distant future --- perhaps even one with 10 million people, former chief planner Liu Thai Ker said at a public forum on Saturday.

"The world doesn't end in 2030, and population growth doesn't end at 6.9 million," he said, referring to the planning parameter in the Government's White Paper on Population.


Singapore could do well to look ahead, perhaps to 2100 when it might have a population of 10 million, he suggested.

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Slowest growth in more than a decade

Singapore's population stood at 5.54 million as of June 2015, a 1.2 per cent growth from June last year, latest figures show.

The pace of growth was the slowest in more than a decade, mainly due to the continued slowdown in the growth of the foreign workforce, according to a report released by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) on Wed (Sep 30). In the previous year, the rise in population was 1.3 per cent.

The 5.54m population figure comprises:
  • 3.38 million citizens
  • 530,000 permanent residents (PRs)
  • 1.63 million non-residents. They include foreigners on employment passes, S passes, work permits, dependants of citizens, PRs and work pass holders, maids and foreign students.
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Singapore's population rises 1.2 pct year-on-year in June

Singapore's total population rose 1.2 percent year-on-year to 5.54 million as of June 2015, said National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) on Wednesday.

Total population growth in 2015 was the slowest in more than a decade, non-resident growth has also been falling since 2012, according to the report "Population Trends, 2015" by NPTD.
The report showed that the number of citizens rose to 3.38 million, through births and immigration, while the number of permanent residents remained stable at 0.53 million.

The number of non-residents, including foreigners working in Singapore and their families, as well as students, rose by 2.1 percent to 1.63 million, slower than the 2.9 percent growth the previous year. The slowdown was mainly due to decreasing number of foreign workers, said the report.

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Non-resident population growth continues to ease in 2015
The old-age support ratio - the number of citizens in the working age band of 20 to 64 supporting one older citizen - is shrinking. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG

THE growth of Singapore's non-resident population continues to slow, easing from 2.9 per cent in 2014 to 2.1 per cent this year, on the back of tighter restrictions on foreign labour inflows.

While the annual population report from the National Population and Talent Division pointed to concrete steps taken by the government to slow the growth of the nation's foreign workforce, some private sector economists suggested that market conditions could have also had some impact on labour demand.

In September, private-sector economists cut their full-year growth forecasts for Singapore's economy to just 2.2 per cent this year, down from 2.7 per cent previously, citing a global slowdown and weaker manufacturing as a potential drag.

related:
Singapore's non-resident population grew at slower pace this year: report
The big population debate

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Non-resident population growth continues to slow: NPTD

The Republic’s non-resident population growth continued to slow this year following Government measures that rein in foreign employment.

This resulted in the slowest growth of Singapore’s total population in over a decade, the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) said in its annual report.

Despite over 33,000 citizen births, the highest in the last decade along with the 2012 Dragon year peak, the island’s total population gained only 1.2 per cent year-on-year to 5.54 million as of June 2015.

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Singapore population hits 5.54m but growth slowest in a decade
The Republic’s population grew 1.2 per cent between June 2014 and 2015, the slowest growth in 10 years, according to statistics released by the National Population and Talent Division

Even as more Singaporeans are getting married and having babies, the Republic’s population grew at its slowest in a decade, rising 1.2 per cent to reach 5.54 million in June.

The statistics, released on Wednesday (Sep 30) by the National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) in its annual Population in Brief report, also showed that the number of citizens rose to 3.38 million, through births and immigration.

There were about 20,000 new citizens last year, with 37.5 per cent of them aged 20 and below, 27.9 per cent of them aged between 31 and 40, and 19.6 per cent above 40 years old. The Government plans to continue taking in between 15,000 and 25,000 new citizens each year to prevent the citizen population from shrinking, the report said.

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Singapore population report: 10 things to know about citizens, PRs, babies and more
The 5.54m population figure comprises 3.38 million citizens, 530,000 permanent residents (PRs) and 1.63 million non-residents

The National Population and Talent Division (NPTD) released its report on Singapore's population on Wednesday (Sept 30).

It covers several aspects, including overall population, ageing, birth rate and marriages.

Here are 10 things to note from the report:
  • SINGAPORE'S POPULATION STOOD AT 5.54 MILLION AS OF JUNE 2015
  • GROWTH IN NON-RESIDENT POPULATION SLOWED TO 2.1 PER CENT
  • THERE WERE AS MANY "HORSE" BABIES AS "DRAGON" BABIES
  • TOTAL FERTILITY RATE GOES UP
  • MOST SINGAPOREAN WOMEN HAVE THEIR FIRST BABY AT 30
  • MORE COUPLES SAY "I DO"
  • MOST MEN WED WHEN THEY TURN 30, WOMEN AT 28
  • SINGAPORE CONTINUES TO AGE
  • FEWER WORKING ADULTS SUPPORTING ONE SENIOR
  • MEDIAN AGE OF THE CITIZEN POPULATION INCHES UP
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Singaporeans aged 65 and older form 13.1 per cent of citizen population as society continues to age
Elderly people aged 65 and older form 13.1 per cent of the citizen population as of June 2015, according to a report released by the National Population and Talent Division on Sept 30, 2015.ST PHOTO: ALICIA CHAN

There are now fewer than five working adults supporting one elderly person, as Singapore's population continues to age amid increasing life expectancy and low fertility rate.

Currently, there are 4.9 citizens in the working age band of 20-64 years for each citizen aged 65 years and above. In 2005, the figure was 7.2. In 1990, it was 10.4, and in 1970, it was 13.5.

Those aged 65 and older form 13.1 per cent of the citizen population as of June 2015, up from 12.4 per cent in the same period last year, according to a report released by the National Population and Talent Division on Wednesday (Sept 30).

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Singapore population report: More than 33,000 babies in 2014


A total of 33,193 babies were born in Singapore in 2014.

This is a decade high that matches the benchmark number set in 2012, the dragon year, according to the Population In Brief 2015 Singapore report. In 2013, about 31,000 babies were born.

The slight increase in 2014 means the total fertility rate (TFR) last year was 1.25 compared to 1.19 in 2013. The TFR has hovered around this figure for the past decade. The replacement rate for Singapore is 2.1 per cent.

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Influx of foreigners worsen Ageing Population problem in Singapore

During the past 10 years the Singapore government imported more than 1 million foreigners, old-age support ratio has instead declined from 7.2 to 4.9. This is largely attributed to the fact that new Singapore citizens are allowed to bring their foreign elderly parents into Singapore, which further worsen the ageing population problem.

In 2005, Singapore’s population was 4.26 million and its old-age support ratio then was only 7.2. However in 2015 today, Singapore’s population is 5.53 million and its old-age support ratio is 4.9.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has used the problem of ageing population and falling old-age support ratio to justify the influx of foreigners intake. In his 2012 Population White Paper, PM Lee Hsien Loong pushed for a 6.9 million population saying that foreigners improves the old-age support ratio.

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Latest report by National Population and Talent Division
  • Singapore continue to take in 43,300 foreigners last year, the new non-resident population is 1,623.300
  • Proportion of those aged 65 and above over the total population increased 0.7% to 13.1%
  • Singapore continue to grant 29,584 new citizenships and 20,348 PRs in 2015
  • More Singaporeans are residing overseas at 212,500 in 2015
  • More Singaporeans are marrying foreigners at 6,593 in 2015
  • Fertility rate increased to 1.25 from 1.19
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Population and Population Structure

The Singapore Department of Statistics compiles population statistics and indicators. Latest Data on Resident Population Profile

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5 Other Stats We Noticed From The National Population and Talent Division’s Report

The new National Population and Talent Division’s Report for 2015 was released yesterday (30 Sept), and Singapore saw a 1.2% growth in the population between June 2014 and 2015. However, population growth over the same period was lowest over the past decade.

Also, the ageing population thing is still going on, with the median age of Singaporeans rising from 40.4 to 40.7 years.

But that’s not the fun news. We studied the report closely and noticed 5 other statistics the mainstream failed to put on the headline:
Fewer Singaporeans are around to support the elderly


There will be more mixed-race children in the future


Horses are as auspicious as Dragons


Singaporean Chinese are as fertile as Singaporean Indians


Singaporean Men are more likely to marry non-citizens than Singaporean Women

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NON-S'POREAN POPULATION HITS ALL TIME HIGH?

I refer to the article ”Singapore population hits 5.54m but growth slowest in a decade” (Channel NewsAsia, Sep 30). It states that ”The number of non-residents - largely comprised of foreigners working here and their families, as well as students - rose by 2.1 per cent to 1.63 million, slower than the 2.9 per cent growth the previous year.” 39% non-Singaporeans?

After adding the 530,000 permanent residents (PRs) – does it mean that the non-Singaporean population has reached an all time high of 39 per cent? - 153,923 new citizens

As to ”There were about 20,000 new citizens last year” – if we make an adjustment for the 153,923 new citizens granted from 2007 to 2014 – does it mean that about 42 per cent may not be true-blue Singaporeans? Why no Singaporeans’ employment growth?

As to ”Measures taken by the Government to mitigate the inflow of foreigners saw foreign employment growth – excluding maids – slowing after reaching a high of 77,000 in 2011-2012. It fell to 60,000 in 2012-2013, then declined further to 33,000 a year later and to 23,000 in 2014-2015″ – why is there no corresponding statistics for Singaporean workers’ employment growth for the same periods? Was foreign employment growth more than two times that of Singaporeans’ employment growth? What is the percentage of non-Singaporean workers (excluding new citizens) in the total workforce? About 47 per cent?

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Foreign workers policy relies on increasing PRs/new citizens, to Singaporeans’ detriment

When Lim Swee Say mentioned having a 2/3 Singaporean core in the labour force in future, we should know that this is a half truth. This is because our organic population growth does not permit a 2/3 Singaporean core without increasing the intake of new citizens. When something sounds too good to be true from the PAP, it is.

Ballpark figures – 40,000 Singaporeans enter the workforce annually less 25,000 Singaporean deaths and retirement leaves us with a net increase of 15,000 Singaporeans. If Singaporeans form 2/3 of the workforce, the number of foreign workers (less construction and FDWs) would have to be reduced to a maximum of 10,000.

However, PAP’s track record shows it has been importing an average of 31,000 foreign workers annually from 2010 to 2014.

read more

The case for a 10 million population in Singapore

We recently came across an article on CNBC discussing ex-HDB chief Liu Thai Ker’s belief that Singapore needs to plan for a population of 10 million. It is easy to dismiss his comments as the usual propaganda, where the government tries to start prepping its citizens for an inevitable expansion of the population. We think it is worth looking at the merits and weaknesses in this argument for the planning of a population of 10 million.

Avoiding another population policy disaster - Singapore currently accommodates more than 5.3 million people as of 2013. In 2000, this number was at 4 million. That means an increased of about 1.3 million people over a span of 13 years, or 100,000 per annum.

The current government’s white paper describes its vision for a population of 6.9 million people. Hence, there is a significant way to go before we hit 10 million, assuming we do reach there. In addition, the government has restricted immigration over the past few years and appears committed to this restriction, as least for the time being.

read more

Singapore must plan for 10M population: Ex-HDB chief


Singapore must start planning for a population that could possibly hit 10 million, Liu Thai Ker, the man often credited as the architect of modern Singapore, told CNBC.


The bold number suggested by Liu, who served as the chief executive of the Housing Board from 1979-1989 and then as CEO and chief planner of the Urban Development Authority from 1989-1992, is nearly double the current 5.3 million population and significantly higher than the 6.9 million figure proposed by the Singapore government in its 2013 Population White Paper.

In the white paper, the government described its vision of raising the country's population by as much as 30 percent in the next two decades to ensure the economy remains dynamic. However, the move sparked strong objections amid rising discontent in the land-scarce nation over soaring housing costs and an influx of immigrants.

read more

The ills of a rising population

Israel’s birth rate is the highest in the developed world despite livng under the constant threats of war and annihilation by its neighbours.

The average Israeli woman has three babies in her lifetime, nearly double the fertility rate for the rest of the industrialised countries in the OECD. The birth rate is even higher among Israel’s Arab community and more than double among its ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Today’s population of 8.4 million is forecast to reach 15.6 million by 2059 and 20.6 million in a high case scenario, meaning the small country could simply run out of room.

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If only PM Lee had Listened to His Wise Father on the Population Issue

All our problems are directly linked to PAP’s immigration/foreign talent policy ie Singaporeans losing jobs to foreigners, depression of wages, overcrowding, sky high housing prices, etc.

In 2007 when the population was only 4.5 million, the PAP had already announced plans “to accommodate a population of 6.5 million people” in the “next 40 to 50 years” (year 2047 to 2057). PAP ministers and top civil servants had tasted the fruits of their ‘success’ in ramping up the GDP and were all out to help themselves to more million dollar paychecks.

In 2013, a mere 6 years later, PAP’s PWP roadmap for Singapore’s population policies was nonsensically justified to increase the population by an additional 400,000 people to 6.9 million Instead of 2047 to 2057, PAP wants a 6.9 million population 17 to 27 years earlier.

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Insult a foreigner, insult a Singaporean
Now we should bear in mind the latest Population in Brief published by the National Population and Talent Division which showed that transnational marriages at their lowest rate ever (but still high) in a decade – 37 per cent. Over the last 10 years, the number has hovered around 40 per cent: that means that of the more than 250,000 marriages in the last decade that involved at least one citizen, at least 100,000 were to foreigners.

That also makes it closer and closer to a 40 per cent chance that when someone insults or discriminates against foreigners, they have just simultaneously denigrated a Singaporean’s immediate family member. The rest of us aren’t very distant from these relationships either. I am sure everyone has a friend or a distant relative who married a foreigner, or who is a foreigner.

Chances are that an anti-foreigner stand would alienate the large majority of Singaporeans. Candidates at the latest General Election who were known to personally harbour anti-foreigner sentiments performed worse than those who chose to focus on foreign worker policies. Even as far back as 1998, the proportion of transnational marriages was 33 per cent.

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What does 2030 mean to our children?

I remembered growing up in the 80s where Singapore population hovered around 2.7 M . It was a period where Singaporeans were still a resounding majority of above 80%

I remembered my happy days in primary school. We ended school at around 12pm and we would roam around the free space next to the school building for our go-li games or police and thief sessions. Enrichment classes are non existent. Getting into the school of our choice even if it was 2 km away was relatively easy.I don't recall your grandparents doing parent volunteer work .Back then, there were more spaces for kids in school even when each family have at least 2 kids on average.

It was carefree, the air was crisp, there were acres of space, everyone had a car, traffic jams only happened overseas. My Dad worked and Mom stayed at home. We were well fed and clothe. It was simple yet we were happy.

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