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The
Economy of Singapore is a highly developed and successful
free market economy in which the state plays a minimal
role. It has an open business environment, relatively
corruption-free and transparent, stable prices, and
one of the highest per capita gross domestic products
(GDP) in the world. Exports, particularly in electronics
and chemicals, and services provide the main source
of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase
natural resources and raw goods which it does not have.
Singapore
could thus be said to rely on an extended concept of
entrepot trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining
them for re-export, such as in the wafer fabrication
industry and oil refining. Singapore also has a strategic
port which makes it more competitive than many of its
neighbours to carry out such entrepot activities. The
Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing
Hong Kong and Shanghai. In addition, Singapore's port
infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to
the success of the country's education policy in producing
skilled workers, is also fundamental in this aspect
as they provide easier access to markets for both importing
and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed
to refine imports into exports.
On
14 February 2007, the Singapore government announced
that economic growth for the whole year of 2006 was
7.9%, higher than the originally expected 7.7%.
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