Asia Insight - Season 5 Episode 7 Singapore: From Cradle to... Columbarium

Asian city state Singapore is facing a severe shortage of… graveyards. The country stretches only 42 km from east to west, and 23 km from north to south, but has a population of 5.5 million. Since achieving independence in 1965, the Singapore government has drastically reduced the number of graveyards from over 200 to just 60. Historical villages, farming communities, and graveyards have all been demolished to make way for social infrastructure aimed at driving economic growth. In 1998, a new government policy was introduced to limit use of burial plots to a maximum of 15 years. Now, over 80% of Singaporeans choose cremation. As part of its efforts to promote cremation, the government has been setting up state-run columbaria to house the ashes of the dead, but super-luxurious, private facilities have also emerged, and the field is taking off. Discover the many unique aspects of graves, government, and progress in the city state of Singapore.