I. Superior geographic location
Singapore is located in the southernmost tip of the Malay Peninsula, the territory consists of the island of Singapore and the nearby 54 small islands, the geographic location is very important, to the so-called "Crossroads of the East". To the north and the Malay Peninsula separated by the Straits of Johor, only 1.2 kilometers wide, the west has a long embankment connected to the convenient transportation; in the south across the Straits of Singapore and Indonesia, the strait is 105 kilometers long and 1.7 kilometers wide, guarding the entrance to the Straits of Malacca, the main channel of navigation.
Two, the use of geographic location to develop the economy
Singapore's narrow and densely populated, resource-poor, relying on its unique geographic location to develop the economy and become the economic center of Southeast Asia, mainly in the following four aspects:
1, international shipping, aviation and trade centers Port of Singapore's geographic location, the climate and hydrological conditions are very ideal, the port's cargo throughput reached more than 100 million tons per year, the annual throughput of more than 100 million tons of cargo. Port cargo annual throughput of more than 100 million tons, among the world's leading, international air passenger turnover second only to the United States, Britain, France and Japan ranked fifth in the world. Based on this, Singapore imports a large number of primary products from neighboring countries, and re-exports them after summarizing, grading and packaging, forming a unique type of economy with entrepot trade and shipping as the mainstay.
2, industrial and technology service centers Singapore is surrounded by the sea, with oil refining and shipbuilding as the core of the industrial sector is of world significance. There are five major refineries in the country, with an annual processing capacity of 42.9 million tons, and the export value of refined oil products ranks second in the world after the Netherlands. Shipbuilding is a traditional advantage, not only can repair a wide range of ships, but also one of the world's major production bases for offshore oil drilling platforms. Since the late 1970s, the industry to manufacturing as the center of the shift to technology-intensive sectors, and vigorously develop the electronics industry, television and fax equipment, push-button telephones, fiber-optic cables, computerized train control systems and so on have entered the world's advanced ranks. In recent years, the focus of development has shifted to the construction of new science and technology parks, vigorously cultivating scientific and technological talent and developing cutting-edge technology to meet the needs of reforming the industrial structure.
3, investment and financial center Singapore due to the superior geographical location, convenient and fast communications, political stability, national quality and other characteristics, so that a large amount of foreign capital investment, pushing the Singaporean economy to take off. At the same time, the banks of various countries gathered in Singapore, the total number of banks after London, New York and Hong Kong, becoming the world's fourth largest financial center.
4, international tourism and conference center In terms of natural and historical and cultural conditions, Singapore does not have the outstanding advantages of the development of tourism, but the use of its moderate geographic location, the development of infrastructure, beautification of the urban environment, to provide high-quality services, simplify immigration procedures, and to carry out a variety of tourism "diplomacy" activities, thus attracting a large number of foreign tourists and tourism. This has attracted a large number of foreign tourists and a large number of international conferences held in Singapore. At present, tourism has become one of the important sources of foreign exchange in Singapore.
In a word, Singapore utilizes its special geographical conditions, makes use of its strengths and avoids its weaknesses, and introduces and applies foreign capital, technology and management experience, so that the level of productivity has been rapidly improved, and it has come out with a unique and successful path of economic development. This successful path has not only provided a development model for island countries like Singapore, but has also provided valuable experience for the development of economies around the world. Of course, due to Singapore's deep dependence on foreign countries in many aspects and its vulnerability to external factors, there is a certain degree of vulnerability and instability in its economic development.