Singaporeans

Singaporeans are the citizens of the island city-state of Singapore. Singapore is home to a people of a variety of origins, with the city-state itself being a multi-racial and multi-cultural country. Singaporeans of Chinese, Malay, Indian and Eurasian descent have made up the overwhelming majority of the population since the 19th century. The Singaporean diaspora is also far-reaching worldwide. In 1819, the port of Singapore was established by Stamford Raffles, who opened Singapore as an entrepôt on the southern coasts. Over the decades, many immigrants from the region settled in Singapore. By 1827, the population of the island was composed of people from various ethnic groups. The Singaporean identity was fostered to help different groups integrate and identify collectively with the nation, while preserving the culture and traditions of each community without forcing minority cultures to assimilate into a single majority culture. According to a 2017 survey by the Institute of Policy Studies, 49% of Singaporeans identify with both the Singaporean identity and their ethnic identity equally, while 35% would identify as "Singaporeans" first and 14.2% would identify with their ethnic identity. As of 2025, the total population of Singaporeans stands at 3,660,700 and the population of overseas Singaporeans stands at 221,600.