Singapore Briefing
Discover our latest insights into Singapore including business news, regulatory updates and extensive data on Singapore free trade, double tax agreements and foreign direct investment laws.
Officially the Republic of Singapore, Singapore is a southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, located about 137 kilometers north of the equator. Singapore is an country that consists of 63 islands, and is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south.
Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy, and forms the Four Asian Tigers with Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan. The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative an most business-friendly economies in the world. It was ranked the second freest economy in the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom behind Hong Kong.
Singapore is the 14th largest exporter and the 15th largest importer in the world, and has the highest trade-to-GDP ratio in the world at 407.9 percent. The country is currently the only Asian country to have AAA credit ratings from all three major credit rating agencies - Standard & Poor's, Moody's, and Fitch.
Singapore attracts a lot of foreign direct investment because of its location, corruption-free environment, skilled workforce, low tax rates and advanced infrastructure. It has also signed over ten free trade agreements (FTAs) with other countries and regions. The Singaporean economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing.
Singapore's imports include machinery and equipment, mineral fuels, chemicals, foodstuffs and consumer goods. It's exports include machinery and equipment (including electronics and telecommunications), pharmaceuticals and other chemicals and refined petroleum products.
Major export partners of Singapore are Malaysia (12.2 percent), Hong Kong (11 percent), Indonesia (10.4 percent), China (10.4 percent), the US (5.5 percent), and Japan (4.5 percent). Major import partners include the United States (10.8 percent), Malaysia (10.7 percent), China (10.4 percent), Japan (7.2 percent), South Korea (5.9 percent), Indonesia (5.3 percent) and Saudi Arabia (4.8 percent).
Latest News
- Corporate Taxation in Singapore
- IP Considerations for the ICT Industry in Singapore
- Singapore’s Rising FinTech Sector
- The Guide to Employment Permits for Foreign Workers in Singapore
- Singapore-Australia FTA: Impact of Recent Updates
- CPTPP and Opportunities for Businesses in ASEAN
- Singapore’s 2018 Budget: Key Highlights for Businesses
- French FDI in ASEAN Part I: Singapore, Malaysia and Vietnam
- Cambodia’s DTAs with Singapore and Thailand Come into Effect
- IP Considerations in Singapore’s Healthcare and Medical Technologies Sector
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Brunei and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Indonesia and Singapore
- Convention Between The Royal Government Of Thailand And The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Republic Of Rwanda For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Republic Of Uzbekistan For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Second Protocol Amending The Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The United Arab Emirates For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Federative Republic Of Brazil For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation On Profits Derived From International Air And Shipping Transport
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Republic Of Ecuador For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Republic Of Singapore And The States Of Guernsey For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Isle Of Man For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of Jersey For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Lao People's Democratic Republic For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Republic Of Latvia For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Republic Of Singapore And The Principality Of Liechtenstein For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Agreement Between The Government Of The Republic Of Singapore And The Government Of The Grand Duchy Of Luxembourg For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income And On Capital
- Agreement Between The Republic Of Singapore And The Kingdom Of Morocco For The Avoidance Of Double Taxation And The Prevention Of Fiscal Evasion With Respect To Taxes On Income
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Norway
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and San Marino
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Seychelles
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Sri Lanka
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Chile and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Malaysia
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Myanmar
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Philippines
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Albania and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Australia and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Austria and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Austria Protocol
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Bahrain and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Bangladesh and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Belgium
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Bulgaria
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Canada and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and China
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and China 2nd Protocol
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and China 3rd Protocol
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Cyprus
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Czech
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Denmark
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Egypt and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Estonia
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Fiji and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Finland
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and France
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Georgia and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Germany
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Hungary
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and India
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Ireland
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Israel and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Italy
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Kazakhstan and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Kuwait and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Latvia
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Libya and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Lithuania
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Luxembourg
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Malta
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Mauritius and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Mexico and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Mongolia and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Netherland
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between New Zealand and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Oman and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Pakistan and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Panama and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Papua New Guinea and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Poland
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Portugal
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Qatar and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Romania
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Russia and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Saudi Arabia and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Slovak
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Slovenia
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between South Africa and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between South Korea and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Spain
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Sri Lanka and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and Sweden
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Switzerland and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Taiwan and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Thailand and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Turkey and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and U.K.
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Singapore and U.K. Protocol
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Ukraine and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Uzbekistan and Singapore
- Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Vietnam and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Bahrain and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Hong Kong and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Oman and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Saudi Arabia and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Singapore
- Limited Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between the United States and Singapore
- Tax Information Exchange Agreement between Bermuda and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Pakistan and Singapore
- ASEAN China Free Trade Agreement Agreement on Trade in Service Singapore Letter of the Completion of Internal Procedure
- ASEAN Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Annex 1 Part 9
- Free Trade Agreement between Singapore and U.S
- Free Trade Agreement between Singapore and U.S Annex 1A to 3C
- Free Trade Agreement between Singapore and U.S Annex 6A to 20A
- Free Trade Agreement between China and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Singapore and Cambodia
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between China and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Czech and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Egypt and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between France and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Germany and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Hungary and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Jordan and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Mauritius and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Mongolia and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Netherlands and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Peru and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Sri Lanka and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Switzerland and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between U.K. and Singapore
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Singapore and Vietnam
- Bilateral Investment Treaty between Singapore and Indonesia