Best Countries for Business 2018

Singapore

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Singapore

gdp
$324B
gdp growth
3.6%
gdp per capita
$57,700
trade balance/gdp
18.8%
population
6.0M
unemployment
2.2%
public debt/GDP
111%
inflation
0.6%
As of December 2018
Singapore has a highly developed and successful free-market economy. It enjoys an open and corruption-free environment, stable prices, and a per capita GDP higher than that of most developed countries. Unemployment is very low. The economy depends heavily on exports, particularly of electronics, petroleum products, chemicals, medical and optical devices, pharmaceuticals, and on Singapore’s vibrant transportation, business, and financial services sectors. The economy contracted 0.6% in 2009 as a result of the global
financial crisis but has continued to grow since 2010. Growth from 2012-2017 was slower than during the previous decade, a result of slowing structural growth - as Singapore reached high-income levels - and soft global demand for exports. Growth recovered to 3.6% in 2017 with a strengthening global economy. The government is attempting to restructure Singapore’s economy to reduce its dependence on foreign labor, raise productivity growth, and increase wages amid slowing labor force growth and an aging population. Singapore has attracted major investments in advanced manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and medical technology production and will continue efforts to strengthen its position as Southeast Asia's leading financial and technology hub. Singapore is a signatory of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and a party to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) negotiations with nine other ASEAN members plus Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand. In 2015, Singapore formed, with the other ASEAN members, the ASEAN Economic Community.
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Rankings
Worst
Best
Trade freedom
1
Monetary freedom
20
Property rights
6
Innovation
13
Technology
4
Red tape
3
Investor protection
6
Corruption
6
Personal freedom
91
Tax burden
8
substantial improvement
substantial deterioration
All economic data for 2017.Sources: Heritage Foundation; World Economic Forum; Transparency International; Freedom House; World Bank; Central Intelligence Agency; Property Rights Alliance.
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