Administrative divisions of Singapore
Singapore is a unitary state without provinces or states, but it has been subdivided in various ways for administrative and urban planning purposes. As of 2022, Singapore has a land area of approximately 800 km2 (310 sq mi). The country is generally organised into five regions (level 1), 55 planning areas (level 2) and 332 subzones (level 3).
These divisions are primarily based on the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) Master Plan. The five regions group together the planning areas for broad urban planning purposes. The planning areas, introduced in the 1990s, form the basis for several government functions. The Department of Statistics adopted them for the 2000 national census, and the Singapore Police Force (SPF) uses them as a general guide when demarcating the boundaries of its Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs).
Beyond the planning areas, Singapore is also divided into 64 survey districts for land administration. These include 34 mukim, which were originally rural districts, and 30 town subdivisions. 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. Additionally, postal districts remain in use, with the current system introduced in 1995 numbering them from 01 to 83, although their significance has diminished with the rise of newer planning boundaries.