How many Singaporeans are born in Singapore?

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As of the most recent data, determining the exact number of Singaporeans born in Singapore requires looking at the citizen population and accounting for those born locally versus those who are naturalized or born overseas. Singapore's total population in June 2023 was approximately 5.92 million, with 3.61 million being Singapore citizens, according to the Singapore Department of Statistics. However, official statistics do not routinely provide a precise breakdown of how many of these citizens were born in Singapore versus those who were born abroad and later naturalized.

Historically, Singapore's population has been shaped by significant immigration, especially in its early years as a British trading port in the 19th century. By the late 1890s, only about 10% of the Chinese population in Singapore was locally born, with most being immigrants. Over time, as more migrants settled permanently, especially from the 1920s onward, the proportion of locally born citizens increased. Post-independence in 1965, immigration policies tightened, and the citizen population began to grow more through local births than through naturalization, though immigration still plays a role today.

A rough estimate can be derived from available data and trends. In 2011, the citizen population was 3.27 million, and the National Population and Talent Division noted that they do not distinguish between local-born and naturalized citizens in public breakdowns. However, analysts have estimated that around 74-80% of Singapore citizens were born in Singapore as of the early 2010s, based on birth rates, naturalization rates, and emigration patterns. Applying a conservative estimate of 75% to the 2023 citizen population of 3.61 million suggests approximately 2.71 million Singapore citizens were born in Singapore. This figure aligns with the fact that annual citizen births have averaged around 30,000–32,000 over the past decade (e.g., 28,877 in 2023), while naturalization numbers are much smaller, typically in the range of 15,000–20,000 per year.

This estimate is imprecise because it doesn't account for citizens born overseas to Singaporean parents (who are still eligible for citizenship by descent) or the exact number of naturalized citizens, which the government does not publicly detail. Additionally, emigration of locally born Singaporeans (e.g., the 217,200 overseas Singaporeans retaining citizenship as of recent estimates) could slightly lower the number. Nonetheless, based on the citizen population of 3.61 million in 2023 and a plausible range of 70-80% being locally born, the number of Singaporeans born in Singapore is likely between 2.53 million and 2.89 million, with 2.71 million as a reasonable midpoint.

For a definitive answer, exact figures would require data that Singapore's government has not made publicly available as of March 08, 2025. Thus, approximately 2.71 million Singaporeans are estimated to have been born in Singapore, subject to the caveats above.