Administrative Divisions of Singapore

Administrative Divisions Of Singapore

While the small physical size of Singapore does not justify the creation of national subdivisions in the form of provinces, states, and other national political divisions found in larger countries, the city-state is nonetheless subdivided in various ways throughout its history for the purpose of local administration and urban planning.

Historically, these subdivisions have been based on postal districts, especially during the colonial era. When local elections necessitated the setting up of electoral districts however, it began to supplement postal districts as an alternative form of local governance, since each electoral district is headed by a member of parliament who represents and speaks for the respective electorates.

In the 1990s, the Urban Redevelopment Authority carved up the country into 55 planning areas. These boundaries became increasingly accepted as an alternative method of subdividing the country, made all the more popular as the boundaries do not change compared to the more fluid nature of electoral boundaries. The Singapore Department of Statistics adopted these boundaries for the latest 2000 nationwide population census, and the Singapore Police Force uses them as an approximate guide when demarcating boundaries for its Neighbourhood Police Centres, as opposed to the former Neighbourhood Police Post system which was also based on electoral divisions.