Downtown Core

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Downtown Core
Other transcription(s)
   Chinese 市中心
   Malay Pusat Bandar
   Tamil டவுன்டவுன் கோர்
Marina Bay Singapore-3499.jpg
Aerial view of the Civic District, Singapore - 20110224.jpg
Parliament House, Singapore - 20100803-02.jpg
Raffles Place.jpg
The Helix Bridge and Marina Bay Sands Hotel, Singapore - 20140513.jpg
OldSupremeCourtBuilding-Singapore-20070409.jpg
The Esplanade 4, Singapore, Dec 05.JPG
Singapore Merlion-at-Marina-Bay-01.jpg
From top left to right: Skyline of Singapore's Downtown Core, Aerial view of the Civic District, Parliament House, Raffles Place, The Helix Bridge with Marina Bay Sands in the background, Old Supreme Court Building, Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, The Merlion with the Marina Bay Financial Centre in the background
Downtown Core in Central Region, Singapore.svg
Location in Central Region
Downtown Core
Interactive map of Downtown Core
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Downtown Core
  Downtown Core within    Singapore
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Downtown Core
Downtown Core (Asia)
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Downtown Core
Downtown Core (Earth)
Coordinates: 1°17′12″N103°51′13″E / 1.28667°N 103.85361°E / 1.28667; 103.85361
Country Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore
Region Central Region
CDC
Town council
Constituency
1st DGP exhibited
2nd DGP exhibited
PA incorporated
  • 22 January 1999 [1]
Government
  MayorCentral Singapore CDC
  Members of ParliamentJalan Besar GRC

Tanjong Pagar GRC

Area
[2]
  Total
4.34 km2 (1.68 sq mi)
  Rank44th
Population
 (2024) [2] [3]
  Total
4,660
  Rank33rd
  Density1,070/km2 (2,780/sq mi)
   Rank35th
Ethnic groups
[4]
   Chinese 2,970
   Malays 40
   Indians 320
  Others390
Postal district
1, 6, 7

The Downtown Core is the historic urban centre of Singapore and the country's primary commercial district. It contains the main central business district (CBD), with a high concentration of skyscrapers in Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar and Marina Bay. The Downtown Core is one of the eleven planning areas within the highly urbanised Central Area and forms the core of Singapore's central city zone. It is bounded by Rochor to the north, Kallang to the northeast, Marina East and Marina South to the east, Straits View to the southeast, Bukit Merah to the south, as well as Outram, Museum and Singapore River to the west.

Contents

As the financial heart of Singapore, the Downtown Core houses the headquarters and offices of numerous corporations, as well as the Singapore Exchange. The area is also home to many governmental institutions, notably the seat of Parliament and the Supreme Court of Singapore. Singapore's modern history began in this area, when Stamford Raffles and representatives of the British East India Company landed along the banks of the Singapore River to set up a free port in Southeast Asia. As the old harbour grew along the mouth of the river bank, the city naturally expanded around it, creating what is now the Central Area. [5]

The term "Downtown Core" is rarely used in everyday speech despite being the official planning designation. Instead, the area is commonly referred to as the CBD, Central, the City Area or informally as the City, terms interchangeable with the Central Area as a whole. In practice, the CBD denotes an even smaller portion of the Downtown Core, covering its south western and western sections and comprising eight subzones; Anson, Cecil, Clifford Pier, Maxwell, Phillip, Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar and Marina Centre, where high rise commercial developments are most concentrated. [5]

History

Aerial panorama of Singapore's Downtown Core Aerial panorama of Singapore's Downtown Core.jpg
Aerial panorama of Singapore's Downtown Core

As a fledgling colony, the area which is now known as the Downtown Core was the financial, administrative and commercial centre of the colony. In 1823, Singapore was reorganised according to the Raffles Plan of Singapore by Sir Stamford Raffles, which specified elements like the Commercial Square (now Raffles Place) and the European Town as well as various other commercial and administrative entities located between them. This area later became the Downtown Core.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Singapore Infopedia – Development guide plan". National Library Board.
  2. 1 2 City Population – statistics, maps and charts | Downtown Core
  3. "Statistics Singapore - Geographic Distribution - Latest Data" . Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  4. "2020 Census of Population: Geographical Distribution of Residents (Tables 88 to 91)". Department of Statistics Singapore. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Downtown Core Planning Report 1995". Urban Redevelopment Authority . Archived from the original on 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2007-07-15.