‘This is where most people make a mistake…I have tried to explain that we are different. We are a city. We are not a country,’

(K Shanmugam, Singapore’s Law Minister. 30 October 2009)

Singapore is not a country.

I am not kidding, our Law Minister really said that and in front of 200 lawyers during the New York State Bar Association International Section’s meeting held in Singapore. You can read the report here.

Personally, I find that a little difficult to swallow. If Singapore is not a country but a city, then which country is our city part of? For all I know, under the international definition, a country is a defined region governed by an established body called the government, has its own currency, judiciary and a somewhat permanent population (i.e., citizens). Puzzled but always willing to learn, I carried out a little bit of research on the definition of country and found similarities from source to source. I have picked 3 of the most common ones to share with you here.

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1. From wikipedia:

In geography, a country is a geographical region. The term is often applied to a political division or the territory of a state, or to a smaller, or former, political division of a gepgraphical region. Usually, but not always, a country coincides with a sovereign territory and is associated with a state, nation and government.

2. From Merriam Webster online dictionary:

1.an indefinite usually extended expanse of land: region
2 a: the land of a person’s birth, residence, or citizenship b: a political state or nation or its territory
3 a: the people of a state or district: populace b: jury c: electorate
4: rural as distinguished from urban areas

3. As stated by the Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of States (Dec 26 1933), the state as a person of international law should possess a permanent population, a defined territory, government and the capacity to enter into relations with the other states. Article 3 of the Convention also declares that statehood is independent of recognition by other states so a country can exist even if other countries don’t recognise it (for example, Taiwan).

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According to all the above, we are a country. Singapore has a defined territory, is a political state that takes part in international political activities and collaborations, is governed by an established government and has a fixed citizenry (etc…) so under what circumstances or standards is Singapore not considered a country?

Well, I don’t get it. I will really appreciate it if our dear K Shanmugam will kindly enlighten us here since he has been paid so much to play a part in the governing of Singapore city.

Read also:

We, the citizens of no country