Singapore Population Drops for First Time Since 2003 on Economy

Singapore’s total population has fallen for the first time in 17 years as the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic saw fewer foreigners working in the city-state.

The southeast Asian nation’s total population dropped 0.3% to 5.69 million as of June from a year ago largely due to a reduction in foreign employment in the services sector, according to Singapore’s annual population report released Thursday. Total population, which include citizens, permanent residents, foreign workers and students, last fell in 2003 to 4.11 million from 4.18 million the year before.