Custom: Duty-free for 1 liter of liquor, wine and beer for visitors aged 18 years and above who arrive from a country other than Malaysia. There are no concessions on cigarettes and other tobacco products. Prohibited items include explosives, firearms, pornographic material and controlled drugs. Drug trafficking carries a mandatory death penalty.
Smoking: Smoking is prohibited in public areas, e.g. lifts, theatres, cinemas, air-conditioned restaurants and shopping malls, government offices and on public transport. It is permission able at pubs, discos and lounges.
Tipping: Tipping is prohibited at the airport and discourages at hotels and restaurants where there is a 10% service tax.
IDD calls: International Direct Dialing is available at the General Post Office, Comcenter stores and Singapore Telecom service charge.
Land area: 264 sq mi (683 sq km); total area: 268 sq mi (693 sq km)
Population (2006 est.): 4,492,150 (growth rate: 1.4%); birth rate: 9.3/1000; infant mortality rate: 2.3/1000; life expectancy: 81.7; density per sq mi: 18,645
Monetary unit: Singapore dollar
Languages: Mandarin 35%, English 23%, Malay 14.1%, Hokkien 11.4%, Cantonese 5.7%, Teochew 4.9%, Tamil 3.2%, other Chinese dialects 1.8%, other 0.9% (2000)
Ethnicity/race: Chinese 76.8%, Malay 13.9%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4% (2000)
Religions: Buddhist 43%, Islam 15%, Taoist 9%, Hindu 4%, Catholic 5%, other Christian 10%, none 15% (2000)
Literacy rate: 93% (2003 est.)
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