During the months from October to March, Queenstown, Kallang, Geylang and Marine Parade receive on average 150 mm to 165 mm per month.

Bukit Timah, Novena and Toa Payoh receive 165 mm to 200 mm per month, and Bishan receives more than 235 mm per month.

During the months from April to September, Kallang, Geylang and Marine Parade receive on average less than 115 mm per month.

Queenstown, Bukit Timah, Novena and Toa Payoh receive 115 mm to 135 mm per month, and Bishan receives 135 mm to 150 mm per month.

2. Literacy Rate

The average literacy rate for the whole of the south-central region in 1990 was only 88.7 percent, as compared to the national average of 90.0 percent that year (Singapore's current literacy rate is 93.1 percent).

This was the lowest in Singapore, mainly because of the higher proportion of illiterate elderly people living there.

In fact, geriatric services are clustered around Bukit Merah, Tiong Bahru, Redhill and Henderson because that is mainly where the old, poor and sick are.

3. Population Densities

In terms of population densities, Tanglin, Novena and Marine Parade house between 5000 to 10,000 people per square kilometre.

Bukit Merah, Queenstown, Bukit Timah, Kallang, Geylang and Bishan house between 10,000 to 20,000 people per square kilometre, and Toa Payoh tops the list with more than 20,000 residents per square kilometre.

It was therefore hardly surprising when it was announced in September 1995 that Toa Payoh, which was Singapore's first comprehensive satellite town, would be the first housing estate to be redeveloped as an entire estate under the HDB's Estate Renewal Strategy.

This will take place by the turn of the century. Among the many improvements planned, there will be two new office blocks, renovated community centres, five thousand new flats with card-security systems and widened pedestrian malls.

Reproduced with permission from the site formerly known as 'No Place Like Home', © Kenneth Y T Lim 1995-9